The Innovation of Complete Streets

Innovation. Making changes in something established by introducing new methods, ideas, or products. America was built on innovation. From a new system of government to new ways to travel, communicate, and manufacture, America has a history of engaging in independent thinking and creativity to make positive change.

If innovation is about making something better, then complete streets is just that.

Complete streets represent an innovation in traditional road construction philosophy. Instead of a project-by-project struggle to accommodate bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly practices, complete streets policies require all road construction and improvement projects to begin by evaluating how the right-of-way serves all who use it.

The idea behind complete streets is that streets should transport people, not just cars. For too long, our states, cities, counties, and towns have built miles of streets and roads that are safe and comfortable only for motor vehicle travel. Sprawling communities have become dangerous and inconvenient places to walk, bicycle, or take transit, leaving little choice for getting around.

In March and April of 2009, the PCC, in partnership with Eat Smart Move More...SC, covered the state informing engineers, planners, concerned citizens, cyclists, health educators, and many others about the importance of implementing Complete Street policies and the benefits to local communities. These workshops took place in Anderson, Conway, Summerville, and Rock Hill. If you missed the workshop in your area, contact Rachael at rachael@pccsc.net, and we will be happy to fill you in on the Complete Streets initiatives that are already underway in your area. Read more on the Anderson workshop from the Anderson Independent newspaper.

There are many benefits of complete streets.

Complete streets make fiscal sense. Integrating sidewalks, bike lanes, transit amenities, and safe crossings into the initial design of a project spares the expense of retrofits later.

Complete steers make economic sense. A balanced transportation system that includes complete streets can bolster economic growth and stability by providing accessible and efficient connections between residences, schools, parks, public transportation, offices, and retail destinations. Complete streets can reduce transportation costs and travel time while increasing property values and job growth.

Complete streets improve safety. They reduce crashes through safety improvements.

Complete streets encourage more walking and bicycling. Public health experts are encouraging walking and bicycling as a response to the obesity epidemic, and complete streets can help.

Complete streets can help ease transportation woes. Streets that provide travel choices can give people the option to avoid traffic jams, and increase the overall capacity of the transportation network. Several smaller cities have adopted complete streets policies as one strategy to increase the overall capacity of their transportation network and reduce congestion.

Complete streets help children. Streets that provide room for bicycling and walking help children get physical activity and gain independence. More children walk to school where there are sidewalks.

Complete Streets are good for air quality. Air quality in our urban areas is poor and linked to increases in asthma and other illnesses. Yet if each resident of an American community of 100,000 replaced one car trip with one bike trip just once a month, it would cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 3,764 tons of per year in the community.

Complete streets are flexible and will look different in different places. An urban complete street will be different than a rural complete street. Complete streets must be appropriate to their context and to the modes expected on that corridor.

Americans need complete streets. Half of all trips in urbanized areas are three miles or less, easy distances for walking and bicycling. Two recent polls found that a majority of Americans would like to bike and walk more. Spending on bicycle and pedestrian projects has increased dramatically over the last decade. But most of the attention and funding has gone to build specific projects, such as multi-use paths, not to make sure that every resident can safely walk or bicycle where they live. The vast majority of transportation money continues to go to road projects that often do not accommodate all users of the right of way. Transportation agencies need to complete the streets - routinely investing in road designs and facilities that ensure safe travel for everyone.

The time is now for complete streets in South Carolina. Through this innovation, we can ensure the streets and roadways in our communities provide safe and convenient places to walk, bicycle, take transit, or ride in an automobile.

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CS Brochure.pdf

For more information on Complete Streets visit: www.completestreets.org