Session 4 - Implementing Complete Streets: Lessons Learned

Complete Streets Complete Streets Best PracticesBest Practices

Barbara McCannBarbara McCann1

Best Practices ManualBest Practices Manual

Today:• Change plans & Change plans &

processprocess• Tackle designTackle design• Be an opportunistBe an opportunist• Measure resultsMeasure results• Empower plannersEmpower planners

4 Implementation steps4 Implementation steps

1.1. Changing Changing ProceduresProcedures

2.2. TrainingTraining

3.3. Re-writing Re-writing ManualsManuals

4.4. New Performance New Performance measuresmeasures

Change plans & processChange plans & process

• Successful implementation reaches Successful implementation reaches beyond the initial document to include beyond the initial document to include changes to:changes to:– procedures procedures – Zoning codesZoning codes– PlansPlans– Subdivision ordinancesSubdivision ordinances– StandardsStandards– ManualsManuals

5As of 01/15/10

Much of the training Much of the training

needed for successful needed for successful Complete Streets policies is Complete Streets policies is not in design, but in new not in design, but in new procedures.procedures.

TrainingTraining

Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio

• Procedural training Procedural training sessions for:sessions for:– Zoning staffZoning staff– Public utilitiesPublic utilities– ContractorsContractors– ConsultantsConsultants– Private developersPrivate developers

CalTrans Implementation guideCalTrans Implementation guide

Tackling Design IssuesTackling Design Issues

• Approaches:Approaches:– Rewrite the bookRewrite the book– Throw out the bookThrow out the book

Augment the national standardsAugment the national standards

Complete Streets Design ManualsComplete Streets Design Manuals

• State of Massachusetts Project State of Massachusetts Project Development GuideDevelopment Guide

• Louisville, Kentucky Complete Louisville, Kentucky Complete Streets ManualStreets Manual

• Charlotte, NC Urban Street Charlotte, NC Urban Street Design GuidelinesDesign Guidelines

• Sacramento Best Practices Sacramento Best Practices GuideGuide

Throw out the bookThrow out the book

• University Place University Place Washington: Washington: charettes for every charettes for every projectproject

Augment National StandardsAugment National Standards

• Boulder, CO:Boulder, CO:– Experiment Experiment

with with treatments, treatments,

– tweak tweak standards, standards,

– Make variances Make variances routineroutine

Twenty years of consistent investment in a has Twenty years of consistent investment in a has lead to measurable results in Boulder, CO.lead to measurable results in Boulder, CO.

Boulder ResultsBoulder Results

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Transit use is Transit use is twicetwice the the national average.national average.

Walking commutes are Walking commutes are 3 3 timestimes the national average. the national average.

Bicycle commutes are Bicycle commutes are 18 18 timestimes the national average. the national average.

2008 American Community Survey

Measure ResultsMeasure Results

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Measure outcomes to Measure outcomes to build support and learn build support and learn what is workingwhat is working

Measure ResultsMeasure Results

• Before-after road diet studies:– New York– Seattle– Colorado Springs– Charlotte

• Charlotte: two-hour congestion analysis, multi-modal LOS

• New York Sustainable Streets measures• Redmond Mobility Report Card

Redmond WashingtonRedmond Washington

http://redmond.gov/connectingredmond/policiesplans/tmpprojectdocs.asp

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Lesson: Be an OpportunistLesson: Be an Opportunist

• Be Opportunistic: Be Opportunistic: – Assess the needs of all users for every projectAssess the needs of all users for every project– Take every opportunity to make small Take every opportunity to make small

improvementsimprovements

• Be Incremental:Be Incremental:– Organize a retrofit program around repaving Organize a retrofit program around repaving

and rehabilitationand rehabilitation– Begin to plan ahead for larger ‘fixes’ Begin to plan ahead for larger ‘fixes’

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Colorado SpringsColorado Springs

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Cheyenne Blvd. Cheyenne Blvd. BeforeBefore

Complete Streets through Complete Streets through resurfacing: resurfacing:

7-10% of network each year7-10% of network each year

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Cheyenne Blvd. Cheyenne Blvd. AfterAfter

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Cheyenne Blvd. Cheyenne Blvd. AfterAfter

Speed Speed (85(85thth Percentile) Percentile)•Posted: 35 mphPosted: 35 mph•Before: 41 mphBefore: 41 mph•After: 36-39 mphAfter: 36-39 mph

• Bridging the Gap Levy 2006

• Complete Streets Ordinance 2007

Seattle’s systematic approachSeattle’s systematic approach

• Internal steering committee

• Citizen oversight committee

• Document analysis• Cross-departmental

project meetings• Systematic review for

street completion

Seattle’s systematic approachSeattle’s systematic approach

Seattle’s Incremental approachSeattle’s Incremental approach

• Retrofitting during Retrofitting during repaving projects & repaving projects & signal changessignal changes

• Aligning similar Aligning similar projects to save projects to save moneymoney

• Tracking projects Tracking projects that have to wait for that have to wait for more fundsmore funds

Seattle ResultsSeattle Results

• Total collisions: Total collisions: 12% 12%

2006 - 18,676 2006 - 18,676

2008 - 16,4582008 - 16,458

• Fatalities Fatalities 50% 50%

• Serious injuries Serious injuries 31% 31%

2006 - 357 2006 - 357

2008 - 2462008 - 246

Lessons in Cost ConcernsLessons in Cost Concerns

• Seem to fade once policy is adoptedSeem to fade once policy is adopted• Are mitigated by:Are mitigated by:

– OpportunismOpportunism– IncrementalismIncrementalism– Avoiding retrofit costsAvoiding retrofit costs

• Projects provide high valueProjects provide high value• Many strategies are inexpensiveMany strategies are inexpensive

Lesson: Inside AdvocacyLesson: Inside Advocacy

• An advocate inside the agency can make all the difference to successful policy implementation, especially in the early stages

Lesson: EmpowermentLesson: Empowerment

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Local policies are Local policies are successful when they successful when they empower planners and empower planners and engineers to think through engineers to think through creative approaches.creative approaches.

225 new miles of bike 225 new miles of bike lanes, doubled since 2006lanes, doubled since 2006

Bike Fatalities Bike Fatalities 54 % 54 % from 2008from 2008

New York City Results

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Resistance fades with Resistance fades with success.success.

Final LessonsFinal Lessons

Available from:Available from:

• www.planning.org• www.completestreets.org

Full-day, interactive, customized workshops with two nationally-Full-day, interactive, customized workshops with two nationally-known instructorsknown instructors

Engages planners, engineers, elected officials, community Engages planners, engineers, elected officials, community stakeholders, and other decision makersstakeholders, and other decision makers

Three types of workshops: Three types of workshops: •Laying the Foundation for Complete StreetsLaying the Foundation for Complete Streets•Complete Streets Policy DevelopmentComplete Streets Policy Development•Complete Streets Policy ImplementationComplete Streets Policy Implementation

Complete Streets WorkshopsComplete Streets Workshops

32For details, contact Linda Tracy at [email protected]

For more information:For more information:

www.completestreets.orgwww.completestreets.org

Illustration: AARP Bulletin