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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0392.006 2010-2012 J YOSHIMOTO . 4 JMtY%Oi i•'♦ . .::� �,��,,; •, Phone: (808)961-8272 COUNCIL MEMBER t.; Fax: (808)961-8912 Council District 3 �--►s Email: jyoshimoto co.hawaii.hi.us er44-. e'er'.` HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL County of Hawai Hawai`i County Building 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 1402 c=1, c^3 Hilo, Hawai`i 96720 -= CD c7 _ O .4.. --4 --I -- trJ C) n October 13, 2011 ›.= v — TO: Dominic Yagong, Council Chair and Members of the Hawai`i County Council FROM: J Yoshimoto, Council Member- '� SUBJECT: Additional Information Relating to Resolution No. 171-11 Attached is some information from the website of the National Complete Streets Coalition explaining in more detail what complete streets are and the key elements of a complete streets policy. JY/dwe Attachment Comm. No. Ref. To: Ref. Dote OCT 19 Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer Complete Streets » Complete Streets FAQ Page 1 of 2 0 'i to✓)01 L'oi^'tpI C S-1-Ytcs Coaji i o� What are "Complete Streets" and Complete Streets policies? Complete Streets are streets for everyone.They are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities must be able to safely move along and across a complete street. Complete Streets make it easy to cross the street,walk to shops, and bicycle to work.They allow buses to run on time and make it safe for people to walk to and from train stations. Creating complete streets means transportation agencies must change their approach to community roads.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.The National Complete Streets Coalition has identified the elements of an ideal Complete Streets policy to help you write one for your town. 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 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.Check out our`Many Types of Complete Streets'slideshow to see examples from across the country. Why do we need Complete Streets policies? Incomplete streets-those designed with only cars in mind-limit transportation choices by making walking, bicycling, and taking public transportation inconvenient, unattractive, and,too often,dangerous. Changing policy so that our transportation system routinely includes the needs of people on foot, public transportation,and bicycles means that walking, riding bikes,and riding buses and trains will be safer and easier. People of all ages and abilities will have more options when traveling to work,to school,to the grocery store, and to visit family. Making these travel choices more convenient, attractive,and safe means people do not need to rely solely on automobiles.They can replace congestion-clogged trips in their cars with swift bus rides or heart-healthy bicycle trips. Complete Streets improves the efficiency and capacity of existing roads too, by moving people in the same amount of space-just think of all the people who can fit on a bus or streetcar versus the same amount of people each driving their own car. Getting more productivity out of the existing road and public transportation systems is vital to reducing congestion. Complete Streets are particularly prudent when more communities are tightening their budgets and looking to ensure long-term benefits from investments.An existing transportation budget can incorporate Complete Streets projects with little to no additional funding, accomplished through re-prioritizing projects and allocating funds to projects that improve overall mobility.Many of the ways to create more complete roadways are low cost,fast to implement,and high impact. Building more sidewalks and striping bike lanes has been shown to create more jobs than traditional car-focused transportation projects. Where are complete streets being built? Many states and cities have adopted bike plans or pedestrian plans that designate some streets as corridors for improvements for bicycling and walking.More and more,communities are going beyond this to ensure that every street project takes all road users into account. Among the places with some form of complete streets policy are the states of Oregon, California, Illinois, North Carolina,Minnesota, Connecticut, and Florida.The City of Santa Barbara, California calls for"achieving equality of convenience and choice"for pedestrians, bicyclists,transit users, and drivers.Columbia,Missouri adopted new street standards to encourage healthy bicycling and walking.And the regional body that allocates federal transportation dollars around Columbus, Ohio has directed all projects provide for people on foot, bicycle, and public transportation. Check our interactive atlas to see all the jurisdictions that have formally committed to the Complete Streets approach. What are some of the benefits of Complete Streets? Complete streets can offer many benefits in all communities, regardless of size or location.The National Complete Streets Coalition has developed a number of fact sheets,which are available through our website. Complete Streets improve safety.A Federal Highways Administration safety review found that streets designed with sidewalks, raised medians, better bus stop placement,traffic-calming measures,and treatments for disabled travelers improve pedestrian safety. Some features, such as medians, improve safety for all users:they enable pedestrians to cross busy roads in two stages, reduce left-turning motorist crashes to zero,and improve bicycle safety. Complete Streets encourage walking and bicycling for health.The Centers for.Disease Control and Prevention recently named adoption of Complete Streets policies as a recommended strategy to prevent obesity.One study found that 43%of people with safe places to walk within 10 minutes of home met recommended activity levels;among individuals without safe place to walk,just 27%were active Complete Streets » Complete Streets FAQ Page 2 of 2 enough. Easy access to transit can also contribute to healthy physical activity:nearly one third of transit users meet the Surgeon General's recommendations for minimum daily exercise through their daily travels. Complete Streets can lower transportation costs for families.Americans spent an average of 18 cents of every dollar on transportation, with the poorest fifth of families spending more than double that figure. In fact,most families spend far more on transportation than on food.When residents have the opportunity to walk, bike,or take transit,they have more control over their expenses by replacing car trips with these inexpensive options.Taking public transportation,for example,saves individuals$9,581 each year. Complete Streets foster strong communities. Complete Streets play an important role in livable communities,where all people- regardless of age,ability or mode of transportation-feel safe and welcome on the roadways.A safe walking and bicycling environment is an essential part of improving public transportation and creating friendly,walkable communities.A recent study found that people who live in walkable communities are more likely to be socially engaged and trusting than residents of less walkable neighborhoods. Additionally,they reported being in better health and happier more often. How can I get a Complete Streets policy adopted in my community? Advocating for Complete Streets means working with your neighbors and local policymakers, including elected officials and government staff. Talk with them about particularly problematic and unsafe streets:schools that have no sidewalks out front, bus stops that are not accessible for people in wheelchairs, missing crosswalks by the grocery store, and no safe routes to bicycle to work.Work together to identify ways to make these places safer and more attractive and present your ideas to others.Make your case and show examples of what your streets could like. For great strategy ideas,check out the free"Power of 25"presentation made by Peter Lagerwey. This website has many resources to help you.You can modify and use our introductory presentation in your community,show it at PTA and neighborhood association meetings and to your local chamber of commerce.See the Changing Policy tab for information on developing a good policy and finding other local advocates. We also have answers to many questions on how to implement a policy. The National Complete Streets Coalition offers interactive full-dav workshops led by national experts to help communities establish a common vision for their streets;develop an appropriate Complete Streets policy that builds on local expertise; and implement Complete Streets policies by identifying ways to change and streamline the everyday transportation decision-making process. Need transportation planning and engineering professionals who are ready to help design and construct complete streets?Our Complete Streets Partner firms can offer the expertise and dedication you need. http://www.completestreets.org/complete-streets-fundamentals/complete-streets-faq/ 10/13/2011 Complete Streets »Policy Elements Page 1 of 2 C ' ELEME Regardless of a policy's form, the National Complete Streets Coalition has identified ten elements of a comprehensive complete streets policy, as discussed below. For examples of strong policy language,see our report Complete Streets Policy Analysis 2010:A Story of Growing Strength (.pdf), that assessed the strength of policies adopted through the end of 2010. An ideal complete streets policy: • Includes a vision for how and why the community wants to complete its streets • Specifies that 'all users'includes pedestrians, bicyclists and transit passengers of alt ages and abilities, as well as trucks, buses and automobiles. • Applies to both new and retrofit projects, including design, planning, maintenance, and operations, for the entire • right of way. • Makes any exceptions specific and sets a clear procedure that requires high-level approval of exceptions. • Encourages street connectivity and aims to create a comprehensive, integrated, connected network for all modes. • Is adoptable by all agencies to cover all roads. • Directs the use of the latest and best design criteria and guidelines while recognizing the need for flexibility in balancing user needs. • Directs that complete streets solutions will complement the context of the community. • Establishes performance standards with measurable outcomes. • Includes specific next steps for implementation of the policy Sets a vision A strong vision can inspire a community to follow through on its complete streets policy.Just as no two policies are alike,visions are not one-size-fits-all either. In the small town of Decatur, GA,the Community Transportation Plan defines their vision as promoting health through physical activity and active transportation. In the City of Chicago,the Department of Transportation focuses on creating streets safe for travel by even the most vulnerable-children,older adults, and those with disabilities. Specifies all users A true complete streets policy must apply to everyone traveling along the road.A sidewalk without curb ramps is useless to someone using a wheelchair.A street with an awkwardly placed public transportation stop without safe crossings is dangerous for riders.A fast- moving road with no safe space for cyclists will discourage those who depend on bicycles for transportation.A road with heavy freight traffic must be planned with those vehicles in mind.Older adults and children face particular challenges as they are more likely to be seriously injured or killed along a roadway.Automobiles are an important part of a complete street as well, as any change made to better accommodate other modes will have an effect on personal vehicles too. In some cases, like the installation of curb bulb-outs, these changes can improve traffic flow and the driving experience. All projects For many years, multi-modal streets have been treated as 'special projects'requiring extra planning, funding, and effort.The complete streets approach is different. Its intent is to view all transportation improvements as opportunities to create safer, more accessible streets for all users,including pedestrians,cyclists,and public transportation passengers. Under this approach,even small projects can be an opportunity to make meaningful improvements. In repaving projects,for example, an edge stripe can be shifted to create more room for cyclists. In routine work on traffic lights,the timing can be changed to better accommodate pedestrians walking at a slower speed.A strong complete streets policy will integrate complete streets planning into all types of projects, including new construction,reconstruction, rehabilitation, repair, and maintenance. Exceptions Making a policy work in the real world requires developing a process to handle exceptions to providing for all modes in each project. The Federal Highway Administration's guidance on accommodating bicycle and pedestrian travel named three exceptions that have become commonly used in complete streets policies: 1)accommodation is not necessary on corridors where non-motorized use is prohibited,such as interstate freeways;2)cost of accommodation is excessively disproportionate to the need or probable use;3)a documented absence of current or future need.Many communities have included their own exceptions,such as severe topological constraints. In addition to defining exceptions, there must be a clear process for granting them,where a senior-level department head must approve them.Any exceptions should be kept on record and publicly-available. Creates a network Complete streets policies should result in the creation of a complete transportation network for all modes of travel.A network approach helps to balance the needs of all users. Instead of trying to make each street perfect for every traveler,communities can create an interwoven array of streets that emphasize different modes and provide quality accessibility for everyone.This can mean creating bicycle boulevards to speed along bicycle travel on certain low-traffic routes;dedicating more travel lanes to bus travel only; or pedestrianizing segments of routes that are already overflowing with people on foot. It is important to provide basic safe access for all users regardless of design strategy and networks should not require some users to take long detours. All agencies and all roads http://www.completestreets.org/changing-policy/policy-elements/ 10/13/2011 Complete Streets »Policy Elements Page 2 of 2 Creating complete streets networks is difficult because many agencies control our streets.They are built and maintained by state, county,and local agencies,and private developers often build new roads.Typical complete streets policies cover only one jurisdiction's roadways,which can cause network problems:a bike lane on one side of a bridge disappears on the other because the road is no longer controlled by the agency that built the lane.Another common issue to resolve is inclusion of complete streets elements in sub-division regulations,which govern how private developers build their new streets. Design criteria Communities adopting a complete streets policy should review their design policies to ensure their ability to accommodate all modes of travel,while still providing flexibility to allow designers to tailor the project to unique circumstances. Some communities will opt to re- write their design manual. Others will refer to existing design guides,such as those issued by AASHTO, state design standards, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines. Context-sensitive An effective complete streets policy must be sensitive to the community context. Being clear about this in the initial policy statement can allay fears that the policy will require inappropriately wide roads in quiet neighborhoods or miles of little-used sidewalks in rural areas.A strong statement about context can help align transportation and land use planning goals,creating livable,strong neighborhoods. Performance measures The traditional performance measure for transportation planning has been vehicular Level of Service(LOS)-a measure of automobile congestion. Complete streets planning requires taking a broader look at how the system is serving all users. Communities with complete streets policies can measure success through a number of ways:the mites of on-street bicycle routes created;new linear feet of pedestrian accommodation;changes in the number of people using public transportation, bicycling, or walking(mode shift); number of new street trees;and/or the creation or adoption of a new multi-modal Level of Service standard that better measures the quality of travel experience.The fifth edition of Highway Capacity Manual,due out in 2010,will include this new way of measuring LOS. Cities like San Francisco and Charlotte have already begun to develop their own. Implementation Taking a complete streets policy from paper into practice is not easy, but providing some momentum with specific implementation steps can help.Some policies establish a task force or commission to work toward policy implementation.There are four key steps for successful implementation: 1)Restructure procedures to accommodate all users on every project;2)Develop new design policies and guides; 3)Offer workshops and other training opportunities to planners and engineers; and 4) Institute better ways to measure performance and collect data on how well the streets are serving all users. DOWNLOAD: elements of an ideal Complete Streets policy(.pdf) http://www.completestreets.org/changing-policy/policy-elements/ 10/13/2011 Complete Streets » Green Streets Page 1 of 2 .,su l/ a At L o a 5 �4.. j 1 Communities across the country are realizing the'green' potential of their streets.Making our transportation system more sustainable involves many policies and practices that minimize environmental impact and create streets that are safe for everyone, regardless of age, ability,or mode of transportation. Complete streets are a natural complement to sustainability efforts, ensuring benefits for mobility, community, and the environment. Many elements of street design, construction, and operation can work in favor of achieving both complete streets that work for all travelers and 'green'streets that serve environmental sustainability. Of particular concern are drainage and stormwater runoff issues too common in traditional streets. Optimal stormwater management looks beyond simply removing rainfall as quickly as possible,which risks negative environmental impacts associated with both stormwater quality and quantity,like polluted runoff,sedimentation,and bank erosion. Instead it focuses on efforts to retain and treat-or even eliminate-runoff at the source through cost-effective green infrastructure, improving water quality and complementing complete streets efforts. Pavement Wide streets are problematic for mobility and ecology-they can be unpleasant or,worse, unsafe,for anyone traveling along or across via foot or bicycle and the large swaths of impervious pavement necessitate expensive drainage and treatment systems that can have harmful effects on water quality and quantity. Drainage facilities can affect pedestrians,bicyclists, and public transportation users in various ways as well. Poorly maintained systems create puddles that splash pedestrians and those waiting in bus shelters and that are hazards for bicyclists, hiding potential cracks that could spell rough spills. When a complete streets policy is carefully followed,considering community context and needs,the issues of too-wide streets can be addressed while also increasing access for all travelers.Many communities are narrowing travel lanes,swapping one automobile lane for two bike lanes(a'road diet'),or taking other measures to provide safe space for bicyclists,pedestrians, and public transportation-without widening roads. In some cases,this can mean including only one sidewalk, as it did on residential 2nd Avenue in Seattle, Washington where a relatively low volume of pedestrians and slow vehicular speeds made this solution possible. Some cities are investing in pervious surfaces, such as pervious asphalt and concrete,pervious pacers,and reinforced gravel pacing, can be used on complete streets once it has been determined the surfaces will not compromise pedestrian and bicyclist access and safety. Furthermore,communities can look to maximize pavement albedo(reflectivity)to reduce the urban heat island effect, improve air quality, increase pavement durability, and improve nighttime illumination. Landscaping Landscaping elements that help curb stormwater runoff-bioswales, planters, rain gardens, and street trees-are mutually beneficial for mobility and ecology.Such green elements are increasingly found to be important deterrents of crashes and injuries, and contribute to a more comfortable and visually interesting environment for all users. When redesigning streets, project managers can include plants and trees (most likely requiring amended soils)to clean runoff and manage stormwater at the site.Traffic-calming elements like chicanes, islands, and curb extensions-all popular in creating complete streets-provide site opportunities for bioswales, street trees, and rain gardens. Centrally located in Seattle,the Taylor 28 residential mixed-use project included a zero-discharge streetscape with each planting area serving as a rain garden. Curb extensions are home to some of these rain gardens,and also help to slow traffic, allowing bicyclists a safer ride. Numerous trees reduce the heat island effect and offset CO2,while widened sidewalks and increased pedestrian features make the street friendlier to those walking by. Such improvements complement the City's own complete streets policy. Climate Of course,complete streets make their most basic contribution to green streets by providing space along the right-of-way for low-emission travel. In the United States,transportation is a significant source of greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions-in fact, it accounted for 28%of total U.S. GHG emissions in 2006.The largest source of transportation GHG emissions is personal cars and trucks. Complete streets policies are an essential tool in providing transportation choices beyond the personal automobile. Walking and bicycling for the shortest trips(less than 1 mile), rather than taking a car, could reduce CO2 emissions-a major GHG-by 12 to 22 million tons per year in the U.S. Replace the car with walking and biking for longer trips(1-3 mites),and the CO2 savings come to 9 to 23 million tons annually.Add in the benefits of access to public transportation ridership-which is already cutting CO2 by 37 million metric tons every year-and the environmental benefits of complete streets are astounding. Complete streets, in conjunction with green infrastructure,is a tremendous opportunity to improve the livability of our communities, both now and for future generations. DOWNLOAD: .pdf I .doc [all citations are available in the downloadable files] Additional Resources: Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Better Streets Policy it Plan City and County of San Francisco,California Right-of-Way Improvements Manual: Streetscape Design Guidelines-Green Streets City of Seattle, Washington http://www.completestreets.org/complete-streets-fundamentals/factsheets/green-streets/ 10/13/2011 Complete Streets » Green Streets Page 2 of 2 Living Streets Manual City of North St. Paul,Minnesota Designing Our Future: Sustainable Landscapes American Society of Landscape Architects Sustainable Streets Online Seminar Series University of California at Davis, Sustainable Transportation Center,2008 Cool Pavements The Heat Island Group at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Transportation's Role in Climate Change Transportation and Climate Change Clearing House, U.S. Department of Transportation Moving Cooler:An Analysis of Transportation Strategies for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Urban Land Institute,2009 Active Transportation for America Rails-to-Trails Conservancy,2008 The Broader Connection between Public Transportation, Energy Conservation and Greenhouse Gas Reduction(.pdf) ICF International, 2008 Green Streets: Dealing with Stormwater Runoff Net Green News Sustainable Design at High Point Redevelopment City of Seattle Street Edge Alternatives(SEA Streets) Project Street Improvements City of Seattle Green Street Program City of Portland Green Alley Handbook(.pdf) City of Chicago http://www.completestreets.org/complete-streets-fundamentals/factsheets/green-streets/ 10/13/2011