Program of work Complete Streets: The Backbone of a Healthy Community Our principles stem from our commitment to actionable, measurable change. It’s high time our federal transportation programs deliver on their promise. The Streets Have a Purpose Complete Streets is an approach to planning, designing, and building streets that enables safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Who is it for? Complete Streets are universal. They are designed for everyone: pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and public transit users of all ages and abilities.
This strategy also considers older adults, people living with disabilities, people who don’t have access to vehicles, and Black, Native, and Hispanic or Latino/a/x communities. What does it solve? We’re solving the crisis of Incomplete Streets, roads designed with only cars in mind that are inconvenient and fatal for non-drivers.
This approach also emphasizes the needs of those who have experienced systemic underinvestment or those whose needs have yet to be met through a traditional transportation approach. 10 elements of a Complete Streets policy Create a policy that can be implemented at any level of governance, in any type of place 1. Establishes commitment and vision How and why does the community want to complete its streets? This specifies a clear statement of intent to create a complete, connected network and consider the needs of all users. 2. Prioritizes underinvested and underserved communities Requires jurisdictions to define who are their most underinvested and underserved communities and prioritize them throughout. 3. Applies to all projects and phases Instead of a limited set of projects, the policy applies to all new projects, retrofit or reconstruction projects, maintenance projects, and ongoing operations. 4. Allows only clear exceptions Any exceptions must be specific, with a clear procedure that requires high-level approval and public notice prior to exceptions being granted. 5. Mandates coordination Requires private developers to comply, and interagency coordination between government departments and partner agencies. 6. Adopts excellent design guidance Directs agencies to use the latest and best design criteria and guidelines, and sets a time frame for implementing this guidance. 7. Requires proactive land-use planning Considers every project’s greater context, as well as the surrounding community’s current and expected land-use and transportation needs. 8. Measures progress Establishes specific performance measures that match the goals of the broader vision, incorporate equity considerations, and are regularly reported to the public. 9. Sets criteria for choosing projects Creates or updates the criteria for choosing transportation projects so that Complete Streets projects are prioritized. 10. Creates a plan for implementation A formal commitment to the Complete Streets approach is only the beginning. It must include specific steps for implementing the policy in ways that will make a measurable impact on what gets built and where. Advocating for a systems change Part of our mission is to make this the default across the country. 0 Serving Historically Marginalized Communities Find out how Complete Streets drives racial equity by prioritizing communities that have been historically underserved. News Videos Impact Stories Meet Mayor Regina Romero of Tucson, a Complete Streets champion. More Complete Streets communities Tucson transformed from a speed-first city to a safety-first one. Learn how a policy can become a lifesaver.