Complete Streets for Planners

MN APA ConferenceSeptember 28, 2011

Ethan Fawley, Fresh Energy

Small Group Exercise:

Draw a “complete” street

What are “complete” streets?Complete Streets are designed and operated to be safe and accessible for pedestrians, transit riders, bicyclists, and drivers—all users, regardless of age or ability.

What do “complete” streets look like?Vary by local context

Typically include sidewalks and safe crossing points in urban and suburban areas

Typically include bike lanes or path on busier roads

Include texturized curb ramps for wheelchair users and visually impaired

Many types of “complete” streets

Why?Access and equityHealthEnvironmentHigh gas pricesPersonal preferencesQuality of lifeMain Street vitalityTourism

SAFETY

The PotentialNationally:50% of trips 3

miles or less28% of trips 1

mile or less72% of trips of 1

mile or less are driven

Source: Dan Burden

What is a Complete Streets policy?

Directs transportation planners and engineers to consistently design roads will all users in mind

Declares political support for building

“complete” streets

Sets a vision for a Complete Streets processFocused on safety and accessibility of all road users

Offers implementation steps

Growing national movement280+ policies in last 11 years

Num

ber

of P

olic

ies

Adop

ted

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20100

102030405060708090

Growing Minnesota movement Rochester Hennepin County St. Paul Albert Lea Bloomington Duluth Independence Byron Stewartville Big Lake St. Louis Park

Fargo-Moorhead Metro COG Red Wing New Hope North St. Paul Breckenridge Pipestone St. Cloud APO Rochester-Olmsted COG Dilworth Battle Lake Wilkin County

State policy for Mn/DOT signed May 15, 2010 by then-Governor Pawlenty after strong bi-partisan legislative support

Local resolutions or policies

From policy to practiceAn effective policy should prompt the

transportation agency to:restructure procedures, policies, and

programsrewrite design manuals or standards (if

applicable)offer training opportunities to planners and

engineerscreate new performance measures

Source: National Complete Streets Coalition

Complete Green StreetsAdds stormwater management

North St. Paul Living Streets Plan, 2011

Complete Streets and Engineering 101 for Planners

Designing roadsComplex, yet standardized

Most road design traditionally driven by: Functional classification ADT Auto Level of Service Design speed Standards

State Aid Standards Any local standards Subdivision requirements State Road Design Manual ADA requirements

Cost Available right-of-way

Growing interest in other modes and public process

Some Policy DiscussionsFlexibility in design and standards

Lane widthsMinnesota State Aid Standards call for at least 11 feetTurn lanes can sometimes be 10-feet wideHigh speed or rural roads typically 12 feet

Number of lanesState Aid Standards require four lanes at 15,000 ADTAlso driven by Level of Service

Bike lane widthsGuidance calls for 5- or 6-feet wide

Sidewalk widthsTypically at least 5-feet wide, minimum of 4 feet

Boulevard widthsSome communities have standards

Some Policy DiscussionsDesign speed

Speed limits set by state; hard to lowerHow to design in traffic calming

Functional classification

Funding and Cost-sharing policies

Accessibility standards

Complete Streets and costFocus is taking advantage of regular road

building as an opportunity; not about an additional program or retrofits

About balancing the available space in the right of way—not expanding

Complete Streets and costAbout maximizing the value of public

investment across many goalsNone of the cities, counties, or states

have needed to raise additional money to pay for Complete Streets and no community has later reversed their policy

Some Expanding Best PracticesCurb bump outsPedestrian zone planningHAWK (High-intensity Activated crossWalk)

signalsBuffered bike lanesBicycle Boulevards or Neighborhood

GreenwaysSharrowsPROWAG accessibility standardsFar-side transit stops

Some Resources MN Complete Streets Coalition toolkit

American Planning Association Complete Streets best practices manual

National Complete Streets Coalition implementation toolkit coming soon

Mn/DOT Context Sensitive Solutions Training

Institute for Transportation Engineers Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach

Getting started on Complete Streets in your community

Most common process in Minnesota1. Understand the potential local value of

Complete Streets2. Work group drafts a resolution of

support3. Council/board approves resolution4. Work group creates a full policy5. Council/board approves policy6. Implementation and reporting

Complete Streets Exercise76th Street in Richfield

Basic Info Mostly residential with some commercial 7,000 ADT with little projected increase Road is straight and flat Neighborhood complaints about speeding Neighbors don’t feel very comfortable walking directly next to

road No area for snow storage on sidewalk side Interest in extending a regional trail on one side Interest in adding street trees Interest in better supporting walking and biking Existing utility lines are an issue

Right of way = 60 feet wide Existing street = 44 feet wide

76th Street After

After

Before

For More information:

www.mncompletestreets.org www.completestreets.org

www.fresh-energy.org