St. Louis County's Complete Streets Policy connects the Community via Roads | Saint Louis County

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

The Department of Highways and Traffic is moving full speed
DSC00526ahead to implement its “Complete Streets” program.

Officially passed as a County Council ordinance earlier this year, “Complete Streets” has been on Highways and Traffic’s radar screen for several years. Generally speaking, “Complete Streets” commits St. Louis County – when funding, right-of-way ownership, pavement width, traffic volume and other key issues allow – to incorporating as many different transportation elements as possible in its road and street system. These ‘elements’ could include dedicated bike lanes, shared bike and motor vehicle lanes, pedestrian facilities for people with disabilities, sidewalks and bus pads.

“Not every street or road is a candidate for Complete Streets, but we enthusiastically embrace the Complete Streets philosophy: ensuring that our system is as user friendly to as many residents as possible,” said David Wrone, public information manager for Highways and Traffic and Public Works. “The ordinance passed by the County Council codifies and formalizes our commitment to that philosophy.”

Link: 

St. Louis County's Complete Streets Policy connects the Community via Roads | Saint Louis County

Image: 

MoBikeFed comment: St Louis County's Complete Streets policy is now a year old. St. Louis based Trailnet led a coalition of organizations from across the region in support of the new Complete Streets policy, which about a million county residents.

The St. Louis County Highway Department has historically been resistant to inclusion of bicycling, walking, and Complete Streets elements. Passing this new policy in January 2014 was a major turning point for the County--and one of the most important policy changes in support of bicycling and walking in Missouri in the past several years.

Kudos to the St. Louis County Council and the County Department of Highways and Traffic for taking a big step in the right direction, and to Trailnet and its allies for helping to make that step happen.