History
Many communities in the United States have long existed in a state of “automobile dependence”—automobiles are the central focus of their transportation, infrastructure and land use policies to the extent that other modes of transportation, such as walking, cycling and mass transit, have become impractical.
The first statewide complete streets policy in the United States was enacted in 1971, when Oregon passed a "bike bill" requiring that new or rebuilt roads accommodate bicycles and pedestrians, and required state and local governments to fund pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the public right-of-way. In 1984 Florida enacted State Statute 335.065, requiring that transportation planning and development give "full consideration" to bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The term "complete streets" was first used in this context in 2003 by David Goldberg, the communications director for Smart Growth America, on behalf of bicycling and walking advocates as a replacement for less attractive technical term of "routine accommodation" of walking and biking.
The National Complete Streets Coalition was founded in 2005 by a coalition of advocacy and trade groups, including AARP, the American Planning Association, the American Society of Landscape Architects, and the American Heart Association.
Federal complete streets legislation was proposed in 2008 and 2009, but failed to become law. In 2010 the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a policy statement on bicycle and pedestrian accommodation, declaring its support for their inclusion in federal-aid transportation projects and encouraging community organizations, public transportation agencies, and state and local governments to adopt similar policies.
As of 2011, complete streets policies have been endorsed or adopted by 224 U.S. jurisdictions, including 23 states. Some of these jurisdictions have passed legislation enacting their policies into law, while others have implemented their policies by executive order or regulation. Still more jurisdictions have passed non-binding resolutions in support of complete streets, or created transportation plans that incorporate complete streets principles. In Massachusetts, a pedestrian priority zone has been implemented in Downtown Crossing in Boston, and a woonerf is planned for Union Square in Somerville. A woonerf is planned for Sunnyvale, California, in Santa Clara County, as well as a possible winkelerf. In Seattle, that city's first woonerf will accompany a sustainable office, biotech and retail complex known as the Yale Campus. The project is currently being developed in the fast-growing South Lake Union district, just north of the downtown core.
In Savannah, Georgia, the Oglethorpe Plan has demonstrated remarkable resiliance in maintaining a system of complete streets throughout a network of wards, each with a civic square at the center.
Read more about this topic: Complete Streets
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