Enhancing Transportation Planning for All Users: A Comprehensive Approach to Complete Streets
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Join regional planner Josh King from the Isothermal Planning and Development Commission as he explores today's transportation challenges and the importance of Complete Streets policies. This initiative prioritizes safe and efficient travel for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles alike, emphasizing connectivity and accessibility. With funding as a critical issue, communities must advocate for better facilities and maintenance. Discover how transportation planning intersects with public health, obesity reduction, and safety, and learn how you can get involved in your locality.
Enhancing Transportation Planning for All Users: A Comprehensive Approach to Complete Streets
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Presentation Transcript
Transportation Planning and You Josh King Regional Planner Isothermal Planning and Development Commission
Complete Streets Policy • All Users- Pedestrian, Bike, Transit, Cars Bus, and Trucks • Street Connectivity- Make streets connect Poorly Connected streets Or Low Connectivity Inter -connected streets Or High Connectivity
Complete Streets cont’d • “NCDOT is not just a road-building department, and this policy emphasizes our commitment to safe and efficient travel for everyone.” NCDOT Transportation Secretary Gene Conti. • The devil is in the details. How to implement this strategy is the most difficult part.
Complete Street in a transitional setting- Not Urban, Not rural
Complete street- Rural setting Photo courtesy of the Complete Streets Coalition
Current Issues • FUNDING! FUNDING! FUNDING! • Funds for initial construction are just as important as ongoing maintenance costs • Pedestrian and Bicycle facilities have always played second fiddle to Roads and Highways • Many small towns and cities lack the funding to maintain their existing sidewalks and trails
Merging the Worlds? • Transportation Planning and Public Health have MANY shared goals • Obesity reduction • Improved Air Quality • Access to care • Aging in place • Public Safety • And many more
How to? • Get involved! • Each county in WNC is represented by a transportation planning organization: • Buncombe, Haywood, and Henderson County- French Broad River MPO • Swain, Jackson and West- Southwestern RPO • Polk, Rutherford, McDowell- Isothermal RPO • All Others- Land of Sky RPO
With? • Safe Routes to School (SRTS)- Provides planning and funding for safe walking and bicycling facilities to/from schools • Pedestrian and/or Bicycle Plans- Planning document for pedestrian/bicyclists • Region wide Trails Planning- State trails program • And much more!
Where You Live • At the community level • Become an advocate for increased local funding for pedestrian/bicyclist facilities • Advocate for pedestrian circulation systems (AKA sidewalks and trails) in all new developments • Report hazards (broken sidewalks, missing sidewalks, high hazard intersections) to your local government
We can’t do it alone!And we definitely can’t do it without you!