Crystal City adopts Complete Streets policy

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Crystal City adopted a Complete Streets policy August 24th, becoming the seventh Missouri city to do so.

The other six are Columbia, St Joseph, De Soto, Ferguson, Festus, and St. Louis. The East-West Gateway Council of Governments (St Louis region) has also adopted a Complete Streets policy.

Festus and Crystal City have been working methodically on a bicycle/pedestrian master plan, including a Complete Streets policy, for some time:

In the past few years Crystal City has been aggressive in pursuing infrastructure upgrades, such as new water taps, fire hydrants, curbing, and street overlays.  The city has had particular success securing STP grants through East-West Gateway, with three major projects planned over the next three years.  These projects all include major road resurfacing, placement of new sidewalks or replacement of deteriorated sidewalks, the creation of tree lawns where right-of-way is sufficient, and better stormwater management capabilities.  It should also be noted that the city had the foresight to team-up with Festus to create a joint Bike/Pedestrian Trail Master Plan to begin a process of upgrading the overall experience of our pedestrians and cyclists and to provide potential new avenues of non-motorized transportation for citizens to go to work.  These projects are critical to improving the quality of life for Crystal City residents and ultimately attracting a younger, adaptable and more affluent population.  Other communities in Jefferson County, such as DeSoto, have already adopted a Complete Streets policy and are enjoying positive press and a strong sense of community goodwill as a result of their hard work.

Our Proposal:  Crystal City should adopt a Complete Streets policy that will benefit all of our citizens-- young and old, today and tomorrow-- and work on this policy should begin now to prepare for the next wave of major road projects.  Additionally, Crystal City should explore a partnership with Herculaneum and Festus to broaden input, resources and implementation of a policy to better benefit our entire Tri-City region.

Complete Streets is becoming something of a movement in Missouri, with several cities adopting Complete Streets policies this year, and MoDOT surveys showing that a growing number of Missourians--a majority--support Complete Streets policies at the state level as well (see Figure 2, page 2 of MoDOT's Report Card from Missourians).

MoBikeFed's Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri includes goals for Complete Streets policies in Missouri municipalities, planning organizations, and the state as a whole.

MoDOT has been tracking Missourians attitudes towards accommodating bicycling and walking, and their current research shows that a majority of Missourians support inclusion of bicycle and pedestrian facilities in projects--even if the cost is up to 25% of the project, and even if doing so diverts funds from other projects.