Please take a moment to read this Advocacy Advance blog post about “Winning Complete Streets in St. Louis County,” and the role Trailnet played. Advocacy Advance is a dynamic partnership of the Alliance for Biking & Walking and the League of American Bicyclists to boost local and state bicycle and pedestrian advocacy efforts.
We are delighted to be recognized for leading the first county in Missouri to pass Complete Streets legislation. Many thanks go to our supporters, for helping to make this “win” possible.
The fear of additional costs for Complete Streets is common. Many people believe that every street will need to be retrofitted with improved sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike lanes when the policy is adopted. This is not true – the most common method of implementation is to make incremental improvements during regular maintenance. New roadway projects will include these elements from the beginning, during the design phase before construction has started.
Some standard Complete Streets infrastructure projects, such as changing pedestrian signal timing at intersections, add nothing to the cost of a signal.
In Charlotte, NC, the Department of Transportation found that the cost of adding sidewalks and bike lanes was less than the normal annual variation in road construction costs.
A study of the costs in Iowa estimated that including Complete Streets infrastructure would increase project costs by 5.4%. In other words, 95% of the planned and scheduled projects could still be completed with current funding levels, with the added benefit of biking and walking infrastructure. (See fact sheet for further examples and citations.)
Additional costs associated with the routine accommodation of walking, bicycling and public transit represent a small percentage of a transportation department’s total budget. On a project-by-project basis, any additional money spent is actually a long-term investment in public health, improved property values, economic revitalization, and increased capacity and improved mobility for all. Americans expect a variety of choices, and a multi-modal system of Complete Streets provides alternatives to driving. Implementing Complete Streets shifts our priorities to design for all users of the road.
Trailnet advocates for comprehensive Complete Streets legislation. Complete Streets policies ensure early multi-modal scoping, saving money by avoiding costly project delays. Without a policy, walking, biking, and public transportation accommodations are often debated too late in the design process and considered a disruption rather than necessary and beneficial project features. This creates expensive design revisions, time delays, and erodes public support. Furthermore, the failure to accommodate these user groups can trigger an expensive retrofit project at a later date.
Complete Streets makes fiscal sense and it meets the demands of our highest growing demographics. Without this legislation, people will simply choose to live in better connected places. Voters have twice chosen to tax themselves to create a more walkable, bikeable, connected region with Prop C in 2000 and Prop P in 2013. St. Louis County is poised to be a national leader with the adoption of this policy.
Complete Streets passed in St. Louis County last night, setting the vision to create connected streets that allow all people, regardless of age or ability, to travel safely to their destination.
The bill allows the County Departments of Planning, Parks and Recreation, and Health to have input into the transportation system that connects children to schools, people to parks, and neighborhoods to services. It also allows municipal leaders and stakeholder groups to participate in setting goals and priorities for the region.
To see a copy of the Complete Streets bill that was passed in St. Louis County on Tuesday, January 21, click here.
Trailnet staff put in countless hours (and a lot of blood, sweat and tears) to get this policy passed. This work is supported solely by member donations. Please donate now to help us continue this work to create a more walkable, bikeable, transit-friendly St. Louis region.
Councilman Dolan was tireless in his pursuit of a bill that would work for all the stakeholder organizations, and deserves our thanks. Councilman Stenger co-sponsored the bill early on, putting his support behind Complete Streets. The final vote was six in favor and none against, with one Council member abstaining.
Trailnet is waiting to hear St. Louis County’s response to all of the comments submitted about the DEIS. Once we hear their response, we will determine our next course of action.
Below are the remaining steps of the process according to NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) law, which will be followed if St. Louis County decides against withdrawing the DEIS.
Though the public comment period for the DEIS document is over, if you did not send a letter, feel free to call County Executive Dooley’s office to express your concerns. He can be reached at 314.615.7016.
Ferguson, Clayton, and St. Louis City all have Complete Streets policies in place, and are working to improve accessibility as opportunities present themselves – without additional funding.
St. Louis County’s 2013 Strategic Plan calls for a Complete Streets ordinance to be adopted as one part of a multi-prong approach to enhance mobility and connectivity.
In 2010, MoDOT public opinion polling found that 53% of Missourians agree with the statement, “Up to 25% of each project’s funds should be spent to add bicycle/pedestrian facilities at the expense of other projects. The newly released 2013 survey from the National Association of Realtors shows support of the general public as well:
A neighborhood with a mix of houses, stores and businesses that are easy to walk to is preferred over a neighborhood with houses only that requires driving to stores and businesses (60 percent to 35 percent).
There is a wider divide among those who have moved in the last three years or are planning to move in the next three years. Recent movers prefer the walkable community by 20 points (58 to 38 percent), almost identical to the walkable community preference expressed by those who plan to move in the next three years (+18 points, 57 to 39 percent).
Privacy from neighbors remains at the top (86 percent important), along with sidewalks and places to take walks (80 percent important) and high quality public schools (74 percent important).
There is also a need for more safe routes for riding bikes to work and shopping. Almost half (48 percent) say there is too little safe bike routes, compared to 41 percent who say there is the right amount.
We will keep you informed on the progress of this important legislation. Thank you for your interest and support in making St. Louis a better place to live, work, and play.
