Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Planning & Development Services

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Scott McCullough, Director
Date:	October 20, 2011
RE:	Complete Streets

Transportation 2030 recognizes the need for multimodal corridors that provide access for all users of all ages and abilities — motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users.

“Complete Streets” is a nationally recognized keyword referring to infrastructure that is designed, operated and maintained to enable safe and convenient access for multimodal transportation. Complete Streets are planned for the travel of all users: pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, as well as freight and automobiles regardless of age or ability. However, Complete Streets offers a flexible planning process that yields a context sensitive design. Complete Streets is not a singularly prescriptive design to fit all roadways. Complete Streets can vary based on context, topography, road function, the speed of traffic, local pedestrian and bicycle demand, and available right of way.

There is no one single defined feature of a Complete Street. It has a variety of components that address the varying travel needs of differing communities. Common components include sidewalks, bike lanes (or wide paved shoulders), designated bus lanes, accessible transit stops and facilities, frequent crossing opportunities, median islands, accessible pedestrian signals, curb extensions, green landscaping design and in some cases low impact development storm water features. Different intensities of roadways require differing components depending on the travel demands in a city or region. The main goal of a complete street is to balance safety and convenience for all users.

The City of Lawrence has historically implemented Complete Street design elements where feasible and when fiscally prudent to do so.  Downtown is an example of where bulb-outs, mid-block pedestrian crossings, bicycle/pedestrian regulations, etc. all create an environment where all users can function in comfort.  In areas of the city where the context is more suburban the design is altered to meet the demands of the corridor.

While Lawrence employs the concepts put forth in Complete Streets, the city lacks a policy that articulates the city’s practices and provides the expectation that such design elements will be used in the appropriate context and when feasibility and funding allows.

The proposed policy will be most valuable when completing major reconstruction projects of existing streets where, in the past, Complete Street design elements may not have been used or where the context and user demand has changed.  Because the city currently has appropriate street standards and other development regulations for new development, staff does not believe there will be any impact or additional cost to the development community by adopting the proposed policy.

Action Requested:  Receive draft policy and direct staff to prepare a resolution adopting the policy, if appropriate.