Complete Streets presented by Active Transportation Alliance 1
Overview Why Complete Streets matter Overview of Complete Streets Benefits of Complete Streets Case studies
Active Living = Active Transportation People can stay healthy by walking and bicycling for transportation and by walking and biking to transit. Photo credit: www.completestreets.org 3
But the built environment presents barriers
Roadways are often not designed with the safety of all users in mind More than 40% of pedestrian deaths in 2007 and 2008 occurred where there was no crosswalk available
The built environment encourages some to make unsafe choices because they perceive them to be safer
or have no other option
What are complete streets? Designed to accommodate all users, all modes Safe, convenient and comfortable, regardless of the users their age or ability Create a network so that users can make a trip safely from start to finish
There is enormous potential to provide complete streets Of all trips: 50% are under 3 miles 28% are 1 mile or less 72% of trips 1 mile or less are driven
Benefits of Complete Streets Health Safety Reduction in crashes Reduction in speed Eyes on the street, crime Transportation Increase Capacity More robust system Social Provide Choices Community Economic Residential Commercial
Benefits: Health
Benefits: Improve safety
Benefits: Decrease speeding, increase safety Which street has higher speeds?
High speeds increase stopping distance
and increase pedestrian injuries and fatalities
Benefits: Capacity
Benefits: Transportation - Capacity
Benefits: Transportation - Capacity
Benefits: Transportation - Capacity
Benefits: Transportation - Capacity 1969: 42% of US students walked and biked to school 2010: 13% of US students walked and biked to school 2007: 20% of Central Elementary students walked, 0% biked 2011: 36% walked and 4% biked
Benefits: Change travel patterns
Benefits: Social - Community Walkable communities are happier communities! Residents of walkable communities: are more likely to be socially engaged and trusting report being in good health and happy more often
Benefits: Social - Community 23
Benefits: Social - Community 24
Benefits: Economic Competitiveness Complete Streets give people more control over their expenses and more options
Case study: Sheridan Road, Wilmette
Road diet watch it happen
Road diet watch it happen
Road diet watch it happen
Case Study: Washington, DC $8 million public investment in streetscape improvement 2003-2004 $8 million in private investment in following 2 years 32 new business establishments $80,000 in sales tax annually
Every project is an opportunity
Complete Streets policies in the U.S. Over 200 U.S. jurisdictions have Complete Streets policies Photo credit: www.completestreets.org 32
The growing movement 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Contact information Dan Persky Director of Policy and Planning Active Transportation Alliance dan@activetrans.org 312.427.3325 ext. 229 National Complete Streets Coalition www.completestreets.org