Introduction toComplete Streets in Wisconsin

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What are Complete Streets?

Complete Streets are safe, comfortable, and convenient for travel for everyone, regardless of age or ability – motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transportation riders.

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Nearly one-third of Americans don’t drive:

• Children under 16• 21% of Americans over 65• Many low-income Americans

66% of Americans want more transportation options so they have the freedom to choose how to get where they need to go.

73% currently feel they have no choice but to drive as much as they do

Who wants Complete Streets?

Sources: 2008 National Household Travel Survey; Future of Transportation National Survey (2010)

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Incomplete Streets are Unsafe

More than 40% of pedestrian deaths in 2007 and 2008 occurred where no crosswalk was available.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Reporting System

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Incomplete Streets are Unsafe

Represe

nt 12%

of trip

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Suffer 1

3% of fa

talit

ies

Receive 1%

of federa

l fundin

g048

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Bicyclists and Pedestrians

We know how to build right

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Yet too many roads still turn out like this:

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The tremendous potential

Of all trips:• 50% are under 3 miles• 28% are 1 mile or less• 72% of trips 1 mile or less

are driven

Source: 2008 National Household Travel Survey

Walking is the second most common form of travel, representing 10.9% of all trips.

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Complete Streets Can Benefit Communities

Increase capacityImprove safetyBetter healthEconomic growthLower emissions

Reduce costsSmarter growthProvide choices

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Benefits: Health

States with the lowest levels of biking and walking have, on average, the highest rates of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Source: 2010 Benchmarking Report

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Benefits: Health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently named adoption of Complete Streets policies as a recommended strategy to prevent obesity.

More than 1/3 of our nation’s children are overweight or obese.

Limited physical activity contributes to the obesity epidemic among children.

Streets that provide dedicated space for bicycling and walking help kids be physically active.

Benefits: Children

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Source: F as in Fat 2009, Trust for America’s Health

Benefits: Children

Complete Streets Policies support and strengthen

Safe Routes to School programs, which enable community leaders, schools and parents across the United States to improve safety and encourage more children, including children with disabilities, to safely walk and bicycle to school.

Source: National Center for Safe Routes to School

20% of Americans have a disability that limits their daily activities.

Complete Streets feature curb cuts, high visibility crosswalks, and other designs for travelers with disabilities.

Benefits: People with Disabilities

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Source: U.S Census 2000

By 2025, nearly 1/5 of Americans will be 65 or older.

About half of all non-drivers over the age of 65 would like to get out more often.

Complete streets policies help create streets that support older drivers and pedestrians through better design.

Benefits: Older Adults

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Connect transit to work, to shops, to schools, to homes through appropriate planning and design for transit users.

Create smooth, predictable transit trips by planning and designing for transit vehicles.

Benefits: Transit

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Complete Streets give people more control over their expenses, replacing expensive car travel with cheaper options like walking, riding bikes, and taking public transportation.

Benefits: Lower Costs

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Benefits: Capacity

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Benefits: Capacity

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Benefits: Capacity

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Benefits: Capacity

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Residents are 65% more likely to walk in a neighborhood with sidewalks.

Change Travel Patterns

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Cities with more bike lanes per square mile have higher levels of bicycle commuting.

Change Travel Patterns

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Complete Streets Policies

A complete streets policy ensures that the entire right-of-way is planned, designed, and operated to provide safe access for all users.

Consistent with Federal Guidance

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2000 FHWA Guidance:“Bicycling and walking facilities will be incorporated into all transportation projects unless exceptional circumstances exist.”

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1. Sets a vision.2. Includes all modes.3. Emphasizes connectivity.4. Applies to all phases of all applicable projects.5. Specifies and limits exceptions, with management

approval required.6. Uses latest design standards is flexible.7. Is context-sensitive.8. Sets performance standards.9. Includes implementation steps.

Elements of a Policy

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An effective policy should prompt the transportation agency to:

• restructure procedures, policies, and programs• rewrite design manuals or standards• offer training opportunities to planners and

engineers• create new performance measures

From Policy to Practice

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Why have a policy?

To gradually create a complete network of roads that serve all users.

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Why have a policy?

To save money: in the long run, retrofit projects always cost more than getting it right the first time.

Before

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After

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Complete Streets Policies

Over 200 communities have committed to a complete streets approach.

As of 01/15/10

Where It’s Happening

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12%

12%

12%64%

State (24)

MPO (24)

County (24)

City (131)

As of 01/07/11

n=203

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The Growing MovementN

umbe

r of

Pol

icie

s A

dopt

ed

Year

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20100

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

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Complete Streets in Wisconsin

Wisconsin is one of 24 states in the U.S. with Complete Streets Policies.

The Wisconsin Complete Streets legislation is a huge step toward increasing our state's bicycle and pedestrian friendliness. It applies to the 11,820 miles of state highways and to local roads that receive funding through four state and federal programs.

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Wisconsin’s Complete Streets Policy

Text about WI’s policy...

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The Importance of Local Policies

Wisconsin’s statewide ordinance only applies to roads that receive state or federal funding.

Municipal policies add Complete Streets requirements to more local roads, which is essential for improving bicycle and pedestrian conditions in Wisconsin communities.

Local policies mean safer routes to schools, workplaces, and other destinations.

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Policy Development Guidance

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US DOT Gets Complete Streets

“It turns out that a complete streets approach offers the perfect intersection of my twin guideposts: safety and livable communities.”-Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood

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WI Gets Complete Streets

Wisconsin law now requires complete streets with all reconstructed or repaved roads.

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For more information

• Fact sheets, photos, brochures• Information on changing policy• Policy tracking & examples• Complete Streets blog and

monthly newsletter• Links to research & publications

National Complete Streets Coalitionwww.completestreets.org Special thanks to the National Complete Streets

Coalition for sharing much of this content.