Getting to Complete Streets

1. Getting to Complete Streets National Association of Chronic Disease Directors July 22, 2010 Stefanie Seskin

2. Complete Streets Policies A complete streets policy ensures that the entire right of way is planned, designed, and operated to provide safe access for all users.

3. Why have a policy? To change practice, integrating the needs of all road users into everyday transportation planning and design practices.

4. Why have a policy? To gradually create a complete network of roads that serve all users.

5. Why have a policy? To provide innovative transportation planners with the political and community support for creating active living environments.

6. Why have a policy? Because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says so…

8. Why have a policy? And the White House…

9. Why have a policy? And the National Physical Activity Plan!

10. Elements of a Policy Sets a vision. Includes all modes. Emphasizes connectivity. Applies to all phases of all applicable projects. Specifies and limits exceptions, with management approval required. Uses latest design standards is flexible. Is context-sensitive. Sets performance standards. Includes implementation steps.

11. Policy Adoption Best Practices Policy development should include all stakeholders: • Members of the community • Elected officials • Transportation agencies Policy development campaigns are a valuable tool for: • Changing transportation priorities • Establishing a new ideal for streets • Communicating with the public

12. Where do you start? Do your homework • Find out what policies already exist in your state & region – you can build on this! • National Complete Streets Coalition maintains database, analyzes policies. Visit the Complete Streets Atlas! • Check out full list of jurisdictions and our 2008 analysis of policies (update to be released this winter)

13. Interactive Atlas

14. Where do you start? Decide where you want to focus • City – can be easiest, most focused • County – may control more roads • MPO – can influence federal spending, but has less power • State – usually more entrenched road-building interests but controls significant funding

15. Where do you start? Find your best insider advocate(s) • City Council member, County Commissioner, Mayor, local planner or engineer Make connections & build coalitions • Community groups, advocacy groups, neighborhood associations, Chamber of Commerce, task forces, the DOT!

16. Where do you start? Find out how transportation decisions are made: talk to planners, engineers, project mangers and advocates • Policies, processes, and roles of involved agencies • Most important decision points • How many projects are in the pipeline and how much do they cost?

17. Where do you start? Organize a meeting: • Present the basics of Complete Streets • Learn from the community – what is the local vision? • Decide the focus of your policy effort • Choose the type of policy to try for • Form a guiding committee to strategize • Get a policy document started

18. Rochester, MN Rochester Active Community Planning • Received public health funding • Convened a community steering committee • Brought in outside experts • Staff drafted (and redrafted!) policy • Educated the public and media • Consulted with potential opponents • Won unanimous Council approval

19. Making Your Case Typical resistance: • We already do that • We don’t have the money • No one is going to walk/bike or take transit anyway • We already have that nice riverside trail, why do we need more? • Our engineers don’t think it is a good idea

20. Making Your Case Use photos of incomplete streets

21. Making Your Case

22. Making Your Case

23. Making Your Case

24. Making Your Case Use photos of incomplete streets Show what streets could be

25. Making Your Case

26. Making Your Case

27. Making Your Case Use photos of incomplete streets Show what streets could be Emphasize transportation needs over recreational use Use safety statistics

28. Incomplete Streets are Unsafe More than 40% of pedestrian deaths in 2007 and 2008 occurred where no crosswalk was available. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Reporting System

29. Making Your Case Use photos of incomplete streets Show what streets could be Emphasize transportation needs over recreational use Use safety statistics Use health statistics

30. Benefits: Health Obesity is lower in places where people use bicycles, public transportation, and their feet. Pucher, “Walking and Cycling: Path to Improved Public Health,” Fit City Conference, NYC, June 2009

31. Making Your Case Use photos of incomplete streets Show what streets could be Emphasize transportation needs over recreational use Use safety statistics Use health statistics Have the message delivered by a broad range of people

32. Hawaii Organizations spent several years building connections, partnerships: • AARP Hawaii • Collective Influence • Peoples Advocacy for Trails Hawaii • Hawaii Dept of Health • Hawaii Bicycling League • APA Hawaii • Hawaii Public Health Assoc • Get Fit Kauai • Hawaii Community Foundation Won support from Hawaii DOT, legislature; bill quickly became law.

33. Making Your Case Use photos of incomplete streets Show what streets could be Emphasize transportation needs over recreational use Use safety statistics Use health statistics Have the message delivered by a broad range of people Bring in experts to talk to experts

34. Complete Streets Workshops Full-day, interactive, customized workshops with two nationally-known instructors Engages planners, engineers, elected officials, community stakeholders, and other decision makers Three types of workshops: Laying the Foundation for Complete Streets Complete Streets Policy Development Complete Streets Policy Implementation For details, contact Linda Tracy at linda@apbp.org

35. Minnesota Built from the Ground Up • Workshops across the state • Key target areas • Foster support from variety of cities, agencies, other organizations • Develop broad coalition • Build on existing relationships • Media attention

36. Messaging “You are not alone” OR “Be a leader” Significant support from U.S. DOT Focus on the topics that are most important to your community: Safety? Choices? Health? Quality of Life? Equity? Frame policy as changes to planning/design process

37. Discussing Costs Often shift rather than increase costs Help avoid costly retrofits Save $ through better design Pay wider dividends: Value/Cost Potential for increased funding opportunities Generational opportunity

38. From Policy to Practice An effective policy should prompt the transportation agency to: restructure procedures, policies, and programs rewrite design manuals or standards offer training opportunities to planners and engineers create new performance measures

39. Your Role Partner • Stay in communication • Ask about schedule • Be involved in public process • Engage your community/network • Support efforts publicly • Add any missing pieces

40. Your Role Watchdog • Accountability to agency’s commitments • Tell the story publicly • Follow projects • Evaluate process change • Evaluate outcomes • Anecdotal through more rigorous data collection

41. Fact sheets Presentation Policy examples Policy development guidance Resources News Complete Streets Resources

42. Policy Development Guidance

43. Complete Streets Resources Best Policy and Implementation Practices, published by American Planning Association

44. Things to Do Sign up for our newsletter, blog & Twitter feeds See what policies and campaigns are nearby Review your policies and procedures Schedule a presentation or workshop Get citizens involved Draft a policy

45. sseskin@completestreets.org