City of St. Louis Bolsters Complete Streets Policy

Mayor Francis Slay today signed into law a revision of the City's Complete Streets policy to improve planning, design, and maintenance of transportation, road, sidewalk, and trail networks. The updated policy builds on a 2010 ordinance, which adopted Complete Streets principles within the City.

The new policy incorporates more City agencies to provide input across specialties into how to design, build, and maintain streets so that they are safer for any user with any ability.

"This policy moves us beyond the minimum requirements to a more proactive approach to making our streets safer and more convenient for pedestrians, cyclists, mass transit users, and motorists," Mayor Slay said. "I thank Alderman Scott Ogilvie for introducing these changes and to the aldermen who supported the bill. They understand that there are many ways other than a car to travel in our City. The City's top engineers will consider everyone -- not just those behind the wheel -- when it comes to designing and maintaining our streets."

"This policy moves us in the direction of a better balance between all transportation choices," Alderman Ogilvie said.  "Residents consistently express support for projects that make walking safer and more appealing."

The City's multi-department approach will help ensure that safe access and connections exist between neighborhoods and destinations. It also will help inform decision making across the City by educating more residents and leaders of the best options available. Complete Streets will be achieved through single or multiple elements incorporated into a particular project, and improvements will occur incrementally over time.

Members of the Department of Streets, Planning and Urban Design, Board of Public Service, Health Department, Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry, and the Office on the Disabled will form a Complete Streets Steering Committee to oversee the implementation of the policy. The plan includes identifying areas that are most deficient or dangerous for users based on injury and fatality data and the review of the latest City Pedestrian Safety Action Plan and Strategic Highway Safety Plan. This more targeted, data-driven approach will lead to more focused investment and improvements where they are needed most.

A 2014 policy shift in St. Louis County dovetails with the City's Complete Streets principles, which will help create more opportunities for collaboration and learning between the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County public works agencies.

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The City has also signed on to the United States Department of Transportation Mayor's Challenge for Safer People, Safer Streets. Mayor Slay is taking U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx's challenge to take action to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages and all abilities. The City's Complete Streets approach is number one on the Mayor's Challenge Activities. Other plans as part of the year-long challenge include:

• Identifying and addressing barriers to make streets safe and convenient for all road users, including people of all ages and abilities and those using assistive devices;
• Gathering and tracking biking and walking data;
• Using designs that are appropriate to the context of the street and its uses;
• Taking advantage of opportunities to create and complete ped-bike networks through maintenance;
• Improving walking and biking safety laws and regulations;and
• Educating and enforce proper road use behavior by all.

The Administration will update and inform both Secretary Foxx's office and the public as new pieces of the Challenge are implemented.