Smarth Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition just put out a report called “The Best Complete Streets Policies of 2012.” Below is an excerpt from the Executive Summary:
Communities across the country are making roads safer and more accessible for everyone who uses them, and more communities are using these strategies now than ever before.
In 2012 nearly 130 communities adopted Complete Streets policies. These laws, resolutions, executive orders, policies and planning and design documents encourage and provide safe access to destinations for everyone, regardless of age, ability, income, ethnicity or how they travel. In total, 488 Complete Streets policies are now in place nationwide, at all levels of government. Statewide policies are in place in 27 states as well as the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Forty-two regional planning organizations, 38 counties and 379 municipalities in 48 states have also adopted policies that allow everyone to safely use America’s roads. The policies passed in 2012 comprise more than one quarter of all policies in place today.
The National Complete Streets Coalition examined and scored every policy passed in 2012
based on 10 elements of the policy language: Vision and intent; All users and modes; All projects and phases; Clear, accountable exceptions; Network; Jurisdiction; Design; Context sensitivity; Performance measures; and Implementation next steps. These elements refine a community’s vision, provide clear direction and intent, complement community needs, and grant the flexibility needed to create an effective Complete Streets process and outcome.
Ten cities have led the way in crafting comprehensive policy language. Our ranking of top
Complete Streets policies is intended to celebrate the communities that have done exceptional work in the past year. They are:
1 Indianapolis, IN Chapter 431, Article VIII score: 89.6
2 Hermosa Beach, CA Living Streets Policy score: 85.6 (tie)
2 Huntington Park, CA Resolution No. 2012-18 score: 85.6 (tie)
4 Ocean Shores, WA Ordinance No. 916 score: 84.8
5 Northfield, MN Resolution 2012-017 score: 83.2
6 Portland, ME Complete Streets Policy score: 80.8
7 Oak Park, IL Complete Streets Policy score: 80.0
8 Trenton, NJ Resolution No. 12-121 score: 78.4
9 Clayton, MO Bill No. 6294 score: 75.2 10 Rancho Cucamonga, CA Ordinance No. 857 score: 73.2
Locally, the City of Saratoga Springs’ Complete Streets Policy landed a respectable 64 score in the review. The Saratoga Completes Streets Policy is a template being used by a citizens working group in Troy as they begin work on drafting langauge for a policy to be voted on later this year. Both Troy and Glens Falls passed complete streets resolutions in January of 2013.
The Creating Healthy Places to Live, Work and Play program of Capital District Community Gardens (CDCG) has partnered with three corner stores in Troy, Alaway Grocery and Deli, Midtown Market, and 15th Street Store to offer a wide selection of fresh fruits and vegetables for sale at affordable prices. All three stores were excited to join CDCG’s program because of the opportunity it provides them. Each of the three stores expressed a long-held interest in selling fresh fruits and vegetables but explained that they could not move a high enough volume of produce to make offering fresh foods viable. The problem for small store owners is that, in order to buy produce at wholesale prices, they need to buy wholesale amounts. CDCG’s program offers a produce brokerage service for store owners. CDCG buys wholesale boxes of produce and breaks them into part boxes for store owners without raising the price to retail levels. Store owners are able to offer only what they can sell and at affordable prices.
