session 4 - implementing complete streets: lessons learned
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
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