Mid-America Regional Council Complete Streets Handbook
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Complete streets treatments featured in the handbook (typical and improved photos) COMPLETE STREETS: Moving from Policy to Implementation project overview T hroughout the country, cities and towns are increasingly interested in implementing complete streets, or streets that are safe and attractive for all types of users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders. To assist communities in the Kansas City region with complete streets implementation, the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) worked with Nelson\Nygaard to create a Complete Streets Handbook. The handbook was intended for a wide audience including city staff, policy makers and members of the public. The handbook provides policy and technical assistance to a range of communities interested in implementing complete streets in the region. The handbook provides a practical and comprehensive framework for the region. Its chapters concisely cover policy development, design guidance and tools, and implementation costs and maintenance. The content is balanced between overviews of the definition and importance of complete streets, and step-by-step implementation guidance. challenges and highlights • Diverse audience with diverse challenges: Given MARC’s regional focus, a goal for the document was to create a resouce that could be applicable from an urban setting to more surburban/ rural settings in the region. Our project team worked with local stakeholders from various jurisdictions to try to strike the right balance and tone within the document to ensure a wide audience (city staff, policymakers, and the general public) could find applicable resources and information within the handbook. • Design Standards: An initial request was the inclusion of design guidelines and standards. However, based on other available design manuals (including many “new” manuals geared towards complete streets), it was decided that the focus of the handbook should be on process and other non-design related elements such as maintenence, operations, and costs. • Handbook Launch andTraining: After the initial release of the handbook, project staff worked conducted a training with over 70 particiants from nearby jurisdictions highlighting and answering questions from various sections of the Complete Steets Handbook. developing a policy Providing tools and local examples of how and why a complete streets policy matters. This section of the handbook outlines the steps of creating a complete streets policy in the local community which formalizes a community’s intent to plan, design and maintain streets so they are safe for users of all ages and abilities. The handbook provides several FAQs for readers to help explain the purpose of a complete streets policy and then goes on to provide numerous resources, including case studies from other local jurisdictions who have recently passed policies for themselves. Frequently Asked Questions included the following: What will a complete streets policy provide if adopted in our community? • Overarching vision and an umbrella policy for how decisions are made regarding our streets • Opportunity to open the transportation design process to better reflect community needs • Actionable, achievable steps for modifying the existing process to routinely incorporate the needs of all traveler We currently have processes in place that address complete streets elements in our design process.Why is it important to have a formal policy? • A complete streets policy is a clear, overarching statement that should refer to these other policies and tie together other efforts • A policy may open up additional funding opportunities which require legislation specific to complete streets process Defining five key steps for complete streets implementation. These are expanded upon within the document with key steps and case studies. Paul Supawanich, AICP, Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates | [email protected] Heidi Schallberg, AICP, Mid-America Regional Council with support from the National Complete Streets Coalition VISION Vision of the community (conveyed by a local champion) that captures the desire for streets that accommodate all users and can spark action. POLICY An adopted policy, or set of policies, that captures the vision and provides the foundation for the community to change the way streets are designed and built. PROCESS A plan to modify existing processes to ensure that complete streets are incorporated into the planning, design and construction stages of streets. RESULTS Delivery of complete streets and policies to ensure ongoing maintenance and evaluation of street performance as compared to previous condition. Defining a clear road map for complete streets implementation is a key element of the handbook. HANDBOOK APRIL 2012 COMPLETE STREETS In partnership with the National Complete Streets Coalition results and next steps With a newly passed regional complete streets policy, the Kansas City region hopes use the handbook to build off its past successes and accelerate the implementation of complete streets. Following the release of the handbook, project staff led an implementation workshop where additional implementation challenges and hurdles were discussed in greater detail. However, locally- driven initative from local jurisdictions will be critical in taking complete streets to the next level in their communities. for more information please see: http://www.marc.org/transportation/ completestreets.htm Create The Foundation (Initial steps) Benchmark Existing Conditions (An internal investigation of existing plans, policies, and processes) Re-evaluate Design Standards (Re-evaluation of existing design standards or referenced design standards) Establish New Tools (Establish new tools or performance measures) Spread The Word (Educational opportunities for staff and community members Internal training and staff education) Five Steps for Complete Street Implementation In May 2012, project staff conducted a complete streets workshop to cover key implementation hurdles in greater detail with local jurisdictions. Intersection Crossings Cycling Public Transportation Accessibility Typical Improved Improved Improved Improved Typical Typical Typical
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Transcript of Mid-America Regional Council Complete Streets Handbook
Complete streets treatments featured in the handbook (typical and improved photos)
COMPLETE STREETS: Moving from Policy to Implementation
project overview Throughout the country, cities and towns are increasingly interested in implementing complete streets, or streets that are safe and attractive for all types of users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders. To assist communities in the Kansas City region with complete streets implementation, the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) worked with Nelson\Nygaard to create a Complete Streets Handbook. The handbook was intended for a wide audience including city staff, policy makers and members of the public.
The handbook provides policy and technical assistance to a range of communities interested in implementing complete streets in the region.
The handbook provides a practical and comprehensive framework for the region. Its chapters concisely cover policy development, design guidance and tools, and implementation costs and maintenance. The content is balanced between overviews of the definition and importance of complete streets, and step-by-step implementation guidance.
challenges and highlights• Diverseaudiencewithdiversechallenges:Given MARC’s
regional focus, a goal for the document was to create a resouce that could be applicable from an urban setting to more surburban/rural settings in the region. Our project team worked with local stakeholders from various jurisdictions to try to strike the right balance and tone within the document to ensure a wide audience (city staff, policymakers, and the general public) could find applicable resources and information within the handbook.
• DesignStandards:An initial request was the inclusion of design guidelines and standards. However, based on other available design manuals (including many “new” manuals geared towards complete streets), it was decided that the focus of the handbook should be on process and other non-design related elements such as maintenence, operations, and costs.
• HandbookLaunchandTraining:After the initial release of the handbook, project staff worked conducted a training with over 70 particiants from nearby jurisdictions highlighting and answering questions from various sections of the Complete Steets Handbook.
developing a policyProviding tools and local examples of how and why a complete streets policy matters.
This section of the handbook outlines the steps of creating a complete streets policy in the local community which formalizes a community’s intent to plan, design and maintain streets so they are safe for users of all ages and abilities.
The handbook provides several FAQs for readers to help explain the purpose of a complete streets policy and then goes on to provide numerous resources, including case studies from other local jurisdictions who have recently passed policies for themselves.
FrequentlyAskedQuestionsincludedthefollowing:Whatwillacompletestreetspolicyprovideifadoptedinourcommunity?
• Overarching vision and an umbrella policy for how decisions are made regarding our streets
• Opportunity to open the transportation design process to better reflect community needs
• Actionable, achievable steps for modifying the existing process to routinely incorporate the needs of all traveler
Wecurrentlyhaveprocessesinplacethataddresscompletestreetselementsinourdesignprocess.Whyisitimportanttohaveaformalpolicy?
• A complete streets policy is a clear, overarching statement that should refer to these other policies and tie together other efforts
• A policy may open up additional funding opportunities which require legislation specific to complete streets
processDefining five key steps for complete streets implementation. These are expanded upon within the document with key steps and case studies.
Paul Supawanich, AICP, Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates | [email protected] Schallberg, AICP, Mid-America Regional Councilwith support from the National Complete Streets Coalition
VISIONVision of the community (conveyed by a local champion) that
captures the desire for streets that accommodate all users and can spark action.
POLICYAn adopted policy, or set of policies, that captures the vision and
provides the foundation for the community to change the way streets are designed and built.
PROCESSA plan to modify existing processes to ensure that complete
streets are incorporated into the planning, design and construction stages of streets.
RESULTSDelivery of complete streets and policies to ensure ongoing
maintenance and evaluation of street performance as compared to previous condition.
Defining a clear road map for complete streets implementation is a key element of the handbook.
HANDBOOK
APRIL 2012
COMPLETE STREETS
In partnership with the National Complete Streets Coalition
results and next stepsWith a newly passed regional complete streets policy, the Kansas City region hopes use the handbook to build off its past successes and accelerate the implementation of complete streets.
Following the release of the handbook, project staff led an implementation workshop where additional implementation challenges and hurdles were discussed in greater detail. However, locally-driven initative from local jurisdictions will be critical in taking complete streets to the next level in their communities. for more information please see:http://www.marc.org/transportation/completestreets.htm
Create The Foundation
(Initial steps)
Benchmark Existing Conditions
(An internal investigation of existing plans, policies, and processes)
Re-evaluate Design Standards (Re-evaluation of existing design standards
or referenced design standards)
Establish New Tools
(Establish new tools or performance measures)
Spread The Word
(Educational opportunities for staff and community members Internal training and staff education)
Five Steps for Complete Street Implementation
In May 2012, project staff conducted a complete streets workshop to cover key implementation hurdles in greater detail with local jurisdictions.
Intersection Crossings Cycling Public Transportation Accessibility
Typical Improved Improved Improved ImprovedTypical Typical Typical
