“The Complete Streets Ordinance is separate from any possible public transit system,” said Bren White-Daiss, the city’s director of planning, development and codes. “Complete Streets will basically require us to consider all types of users (bicycle, pedestrian, etc.) when designing a transportation corridor. That may mean considering bike lanes or wider sidewalks with street trees and pedestrian furniture. It may also mean requiring bike parking and sidewalks for all new development projects.”
Referred to as “smart growth,” the complete streets design concept not only promotes traffic safety, but also encourages development with a mix of building types and uses and diverse housing and transportation options.
The idea is to integrate people and places in the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of transportation networks as a way to help ensure streets are safe for people of all ages and abilities, balance the needs of different modes of transportation and support local land uses, economies, cultures and natural environments.
The concept is supposed to also redefine how communities prioritize their transportation spending.
The Georgia Department of Transportation unanimously adopted a Complete Streets policy in September 2012. The policy was incorporated in the state’s design policy manual. More than 900 Complete Street policies are in place nationwide.
Complete streets designs include facilities and amenities including pavement markings and signs, sidewalks and pedestrian safety improvements like medians, curb extensions, and crosswalks, Americans with Disability Act accessible curb ramps and pedestrian signals, transit shelters, signs, improved pedestrian and bicycle access to transit stops and stations, wide travel lanes, bike lanes, parking facilities, landscaping, street lighting and adequate drainage.
©2017 The Brunswick News (Brunswick, Ga.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.