Complete Streets

What are Complete Streets?

Complete Streets are roads that “are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users”.

According to the National Complete Streets Coalition, (completestreets.org),  the concept of designing Complete Streets means that all users of the road, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities are able to safely move along and across a complete street.

By adopting a Complete Streets policy, communities direct their transportation planners and engineers to routinely design and operate the entire right of way to enable safe access for all users, regardless of age, ability, or mode of transportation. This means that every transportation project will make the street network better and safer for drivers, transit users, pedestrians, and bicyclists – making your town a better place to live.

So, what does a “complete street” look like?

There is no singular design prescription for Complete Streets; each one is unique and responds to its community.  In other words, it’s all about flexibility and context.  A complete street may include: sidewalks, bike lanes or wide paved shoulders, special bus lanes, comfortable and accessible public transportation stops, frequent and safe crossing opportunities, median islands, accessible pedestrian signals, curb extensions, narrower travel lanes, roundabouts, and more.  A complete street in a rural area will look quite different from a complete street in a highly urban area, but both are designed to balance safety and convenience for everyone using the road.

How do we get “complete streets” in Mississippi?

*We work to pass policies and ordinances throughout the state.   Did you know that Complete Streets policies have been passed in: Tupelo, Hernando, Columbus and Pascagoula?  Both Hattiesburg and Oxford are working toward policies as well.

We believe the best way to get more and more local Complete Streets policies passed is by educating people around the state.  To this end, Bike Walk MS and the MS Safe Routes to Schools Network has created the Mississippi Complete Streets Taskforce!

Mississippi Complete Streets Taskforce:

Members of the SRTS Mississippi Network & Bike Walk Mississippi have partnered together to form the Mississippi Complete Streets Task Force.  This group is open to any interested party and will primarily focus on educating citizens and municipalities statewide on the concept of Complete Streets and mobilizing them to pursue CS policies in their local communities.   The Mississippi Complete Streets Task Force will follow a step-by-step process to effectively engage citizens with the necessary tools to make their communities more accessible for all users:

Step 1: Education

Bike Walk Mississippi and the SRTS State Network will work with its existing partners statewide to create a Speaker’s Bureau.  This Speaker’s Bureau will include Bike Walk MS Staff & Board members, members of the Mississippi Safe Routes to Schools State Network and BWM affiliated volunteers from around the State.  “Train-the-Trainer” workshops will be sponsored by Bike Walk Mississippi and will equip each speaker with a “Complete Streets” Power Point presentation (and train them on how to give the presentation), we will also supply a “Complete Streets Fact Sheets” for handout purposes.  Each speaker will commit give 1-4 presentations annually to groups (Public officials, Neighborhood Associations, Chambers of Commerce, City Planners, rotary clubs, health organizations, pathways committees, colleges/universities, and other interested organizations across the state).

Step 2: Gathering Resources

Bike Walk Mississippi will work with members of the MS Safe Routes to Schools State Network to gather additional resources to support the promotion of Complete Streets policies in communities across the state.  We will work together to gather Complete Streets policy language used in Mississippi’s policies (Tupelo, Hernando and Columbus) as well as common “best-practices” used around the Nation.   These resources will be used as a follow-up for communities and groups that want to move forward on implementation of Complete Streets in their own communities.   These resources will put together as a “Toolkit” and made available to the public through Bike Walk Mississippi’s website.

Actions:

• Developing CS toolkit (Power point, Fact Sheet, Policy Examples, Actions)
• We hope to hold a Training Webinar at the end of May for presenters

Step 3: Assisting Communities through the Complete Streets Process

Once the Complete Streets Toolkit has been complied, Bike Walk Mississippi and the SRTS State Network will work to partner one-on-one with communities looking to adopt local Complete Streets policies, resolutions or ordinances.  We will continue to encourage local communities, regardless of their level in the process, by promoting their efforts and their successes through our website, newsletters and social media outlets.

Actions:

• Make a list of each target community in Mississippi:
• Establish “low hanging fruit” and communities that are in the most need for CS policies/ordinances

Step 4: Statewide Complete Streets Policy Creation and Implementation

Once we have completed Steps 1-3 listed above and have successfully created an environment of empowered and educated citizens, Bike Walk Mississippi and the SRTS State Network will work together to map out a list of existing supporters and power brokers throughout the state to move toward encouraging our legislature to begin crafting Complete Streets legislation on the statewide level.

Actions:

• As we empower local citizens through CS education, we hope to have more Complete Streets Policies & ordinances passed in local cities throughout Mississippi.  After we have spend a significant educating and growing both support and demand, we will pursue CS Statewide Legislation.