Focusing on
Health by
Implementing
Complete
Streets
Policies:
Michigan's
Experience
Michigan Transportation Planning Association Conference
Holland, Michigan
August 3, 2012
2
Presentation Overview
• Introduction to
Complete Streets
• State Level Policy
Activity
• Local Level Policy
Activity
• Program Overview
• Program Results
Training Objectives:
1. Learn effective strategies for passing state
level CS legislation
2. Increase knowledge of how to assist
communities in passing local CS policies
3. Learn about the results from Michigan’s
experience
3
What is Complete Streets?
A system of streets…
“planned, designed, and
constructed to provide
appropriate access to all
legal users in a manner
that promotes safe and
efficient movement of
people, and goods
whether by car, truck,
transit, assistive device,
foot or bicycle.”
PA 135 of 2010
All users include:
•Pedestrians
•Bicyclists
•Transit users
•Motorists
•Trucks
• Children
• Elderly
• People of
various
abilities
Photo: The Greenway Collaborative, Inc.
4
• Interconnected networks
(destinations linked by roads,
sidewalks, trails and transit)
• Full array of facilities (on-
street bike lanes, sidewalks,
pathways, trails, etc.)
• Facilitate movement along
and across streets
(crosswalks, access
management, traffic signals,
etc.)
• Match street design to user
needs and context
Basic Principles of Complete Streets
Lansing Master Plan
5
• Sidewalks on both sides
• Bike lanes, boulevards,
parking
• Shared-use paths, trails
• Minimized crosswalk
distances through curb
extensions
• Clear pavement markings
• Pedestrian signals, signage
• Mid-block crossings
• Lighting
Common Design Elements
High profile bicycle and
pedestrian facilities clue
drivers in to be on the
lookout for non-motorized
users
Photo: The Greenway Collaborative, Inc.
6
Benefits of Complete Streets
• Environmental:
Reduced greenhouse gas
emissions
Reduced carbon footprint
Less oil dependency
• Public Health:
Reduce obesity
More active lifestyles
Increased mobility
• Safety: sensitive design results
in fewer & less severe crashes
• Quality of Life: More attractive
streets & places translates into
more business
…this cube
represents one
ton of CO2, or
what the
average
American puts
into the
atmosphere
every 2 days…
Illustration source: peds.org
7
• There is a collective
recognition that the system
we have now does not fully
meet our current needs
• Mobility for aging and low
income populations
• Enhanced air quality
• Sustainable communities
• Economic challenges
So Why Now?
There has been a concerted
move towards Complete Streets
in the USA since the early
1990’s
Photo: The Greenway Collaborative, Inc.
8
Overview of the Program
Grasstops
•Supported by HKHM
Coalition
•Goal: Pass a state-level
Complete Streets policy by
February 28, 2012 via two-
pronged approach
•State level policy activity(Working through HKHM)
•Supporting local
implementation work
Grassroots
•Develop local support
through grants to
communities to
implement their own
Complete Streets policies
•Statewide training
-potential of 70% of
population reach
•Technical assistance
•Resources
9
Overview of the Program
State Level Policy
MDCHLocal
Health
Departments
Healthy Kids,
Healthy Michigan
Big Rapids, Detroit, East Lansing,
Escanaba, Flint, Hancock. Houghton
Ironwood, Ishpeming, Jackson
Lansing Township , Linden, Ludington
Marquette, Marquette Township
Northville Township, Pittsfield Township
Saline, WATS, Ypsilanti
Delta-Menominee, Detroit,
DHD#10, Genesee, Jackson,
Marquette, Ingham,
Washtenaw, Western UP
Individual
Members
10
HKHM History Lesson
Complete Streets is
coined
National Governor’s Association
grant for scan of existing activity to prevent
childhood obesity=no policy work
Focus on Complete Streets
and Safe Routes to
School
Develop plan:
• Recruit members
• White paper
• Grant application
• Resolution introduced
Grant received and
implemented
Legislation passed
Training begins
HKHM continues to support
CS through training and TA:
Complete Streets Institute
HKHM is
born
11
Community Policy Action Team
• Crim Fitness Foundation
• Detroit Food & Fitness Initiative
• League of Michigan Bicyclists
• Michigan Association of Planning
• Michigan Department of Community Health
• Michigan Department of Transportation
• Michigan Environmental Council
• Michigan Fitness Foundation
•Michigan Recreation and Park
Association
•Michigan State Housing
Development Authority
•Michigan Trails and Greenways
Alliance
•Washtenaw County Public Health
•AARP
•Michigan Association of Counties
•Michigan Municipal League
•Safe Routes to School National
Partnership
12
Lessons Learned: State Level
Opportunities
• Moving
quickly/could
achieve goal
• Diverse
stakeholders and
partners
• Respectful dialogue
• Lots of support for
CS
Challenges
• At the mercy of state legislative priorities
• Balancing pace of partners
• Negotiating compromise
• Implementation in tough economic times
13
5 Ps of Policy Work
• Promote = build support
• Prepare = educate/train
• Policy = develop policy
• Plan = develop a plan
• Projects = design and
implement
What can be done at the local level?
Project
Plan
Policy
Prepare
Promote
14
Local Policies
• Goal: 10 local units of government adopt CS ordinances
• 20 grants to 13 local health departments
– 29 communities
• Develop local support through grants to communities to implement their own Complete Streets policies
– Supports state-level policy initiative
– Implement CS projects and policy-setting quicker
Program Requirements
• Must have shown
evidence that passage of
an ordinance is possible
• Establish/work through
coalition
• Identify leadership
• Develop work plan
• Offer at least one
community CS training
• Pass ordinance
• 1 year to complete
15
58+ Resolutions
15+ Ordinances
Other communities
• embedding in Master Plans
• changing internal practices
• creating and adopting
active/non-motorized
transportation plans
Where in Michigan?
Photo: Michigan Complete Streets Coalition website;
August 18, 2011
16
When in Michigan?
5%
0%
0%
3%
32%
61%
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
17
What in Michigan?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Resolution Ordinance Master Plan Internal Policy Design Manual NMTP
Type of Policies
Nu
mb
er
of
Po
lic
ies
18
Lessons Learned: Local Level
Opportunities
•Creativity
•Not prescriptive, honors
local context
•Government structure
•New collaborations
•Stronger relationships
•Synergy when grants are
clustered
•Clustering allows for
regional collaboration and
work
Challenges
•Implementation in economic
times
•Ensuring quality
•Tight timeframe, esp if other
processes going
•Government structure
-County gets grant, but
county, city, village, or
township, and road
commissions implement
ordinances
-Different planning
processes for jurisdictions
19
Program Results
•Statewide legislation passed
•Funding for local
implementation
-7 ordinances
-6 resolutions
-1 NMTP
-building public health
capacity at both the state
and local levels
•Averages:
Hours to implement: 246
Length: 9.7 months
Cost/reach: $0.38 ($0.05-0.55)
Cost: $9,600 ($5,000-12,000)
•Resources developed
•Training
-70% of population
-1,968 attendees
-243+ hours provided
•Technical Assistance
-560 hours provided
20
What is the Complete Streets Institute?
Goal:
Deliver a comprehensive
and standardized set of
training modules statewide
to assist local communities
in raising awareness of,
becoming advocates for,
and adopting and
implementing Complete
Streets policies and
projects.
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