What are Complete Streets? 

Complete Streets policies and ordinances ask that streets and roads designed to enable safe access for ALL types of users.  This includes motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists, as well as some of the most vulnerable users including the elderly, children, and people with disabilities.

 

So, what does a “complete street” look like?

Typically, Complete Street roadway design features include: sidewalks, lane striping, bicycle lanes, paved shoulders suitable for use by bicyclists as well as signage, crosswalks, pedestrian control signals, curb cuts, raised crosswalks, ramps and traffic calming measures.

 

So, does a "Complete Street" mean that every road has bike lanes and sidewalks? 

No,  while bike lanes and sidewalks are methods used to create a "Complete Street", there is no singular design prescription for Complete Streets; each one is unique and responds to its community.  Remember, designing a "Complete Street" it’s all about flexibility and context.  For example, a complete street in a rural area may look very different from a complete street in a highly urban area, but to be considered a "Complete Street", both would be designed to balance safety and convenience for everyone using the road.

 

Why are Complete Streets important? 

Passing policies and ordinances that reflect a commitment toward building and designing Complete Streets mean that a municipality is making a commitment in during re-construction or new construction to take into account the needs of the actual USERS of each road or street and design accordingly.