While the Complete Streets movement has gained momentum over the last decade, we are still killing pedestrians (particularly from vulnerable populations) at record numbers. Those deaths are caused by a culture that prioritizes the movement of cars over people’s lives. We know that Complete Streets policies alone won’t create safer streets; communities have to commit to change how they choose, plan, and build their street networks moving forward. That is why our new framework emphasizes implementation and equity in the Complete Streets policy itself.
She then handed it off to Fred Jones, who talked about Neptune Beach, FL’s new policy. Fred is the vice mayor of Neptune Beach, a trained planner, Complete Streets advocate, and National Complete Streets Coalition Steering Committee member. Neptune Beach is a small coastal community in northeast Florida directly east of Jacksonville.
Neptune Beach began its Complete Streets journey because of the ranking that the Jacksonville metropolitan area (which includes Neptune Beach) earned in Dangerous by Design 2016; the metro area was the fourth most dangerous among of the country’s top 100 metros. Jones went on to emphasize the importance of messaging in Complete Streets advocacy, share elements of the city’s policy, and outline next steps for implementation and accountability in a small town with limited resources.