Livable Streets Advocacy TrainingKansas City RegionOctober 10, 2011

Livable Streets Advocacy TrainingOctober 10, 2011 Agenda

4:00 - 4:20 Welcome and Introductions4:20 – 4:50 Livable Streets 101

4:50 – 6:30 Advocacy training and next steps6:30 – 7:00 Walkability Audit (outside)

7:00 – 7:30 Working with Local Governments7:30 – 8:00 Lee’s Summit – a case study

Livable Streets 101

What is a Livable StreetBenefits of Livable StreetsWhat are We Asking For?

The Complete Streets MovementMissouri Livable Streets

What is a Livable Street

What is a Livable Street?

Livable Streets consider the needs all users: • Pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, car

drivers, truck transport• Seniors, children, people of all abilities and

means

Common Livable Streets Elements• Sidewalks• Bicycle

facilities (lanes and routes)

• Trails• Crosswalks• Paved

shoulders• Curb cuts• Transit

connections• Street trees

Livable Streets Are Flexible

• Urban • Suburban• Rural• Large/small

city• Busy street• Quiet street

Different names – same thing:• Livable Streets• Complete Streets• Comprehensive Street Design• Routine accommodation (of

bicycling, walking, transit)

Two meanings of “Complete”

• Individual Complete Streets: Each street must be complete – meet the needs of all users

• Complete System Connectivity: We also need complete, connected travel networks for people who walk, bicycle, use transit

Source: www.enterstageright.com, Dan Jennings

What does Livable Streets not mean?

• Congestion and gridlock• A street

designed for only one mode• A bicycle path

or sidewalk on every street

Source: www.enterstageright.com, Dan Jennings

Benefits of Livable Streets

What are the benefits of Livable Streets?

• Livable Streets are healthy. They get people physically active, which leads to healthier residents including students, workers.

• Livable Streets promote transportation choices. For those who can not or choose not to drive, Livable streets provide a safe space for non-motorized modes.

• Livable streets support economic development efforts. Walkable retail encourages lingering, spending. Properties closer to trails sell faster, for more.

Livable Streets promote improved health and well-being.

• Nationally and in Missouri, childhood obesity is on the rise with 14% of Missouri high schoolers and 30% of adults considered obese.

• Obesity increases risk of chronic diseases including Type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

• The presence of sidewalks is positively associated with physical activity

0.79 0.81 0.83 0.85 0.87 0.89 0.91 0.93 0.9518.5

20.5

22.5

24.5

26.5

28.5

30.5

32.5

34.5

% Driving

% O

bese

Source: Trust for America's Health, "F as in Fat,“ and U.S. Census

Livable Streets provide more transportation choices.

• About 1/3 of Missourians cannot drive because they are too young (under 16), too old (some over 65), have a physical disability or live in chronic poverty.

• Creating sidewalks and transit connections for these residents provides access to jobs, retail, social and recreational amenities.

Courtesy www.pedbikeimages.org

Livable streets support economic vitality.

• Large businesses consider the overall health of a community when deciding where to locate or expand.

• Properties located adjacent to trails sell quicker and for more.

• Businesses favor healthier employees as they lose fewer workdays to sickness.

Livable Streets Are Kind to the Budget

Livable Streets means spending existing budget and resources with different, better priorities--more productive, more inclusive, more community oriented

Far cheaper to include Complete Streets elements up front than add later

Bicycle & pedestrian projects are typically far cheaper than road projects (by several zeros . . . )

Want to take a walk?

What are We Asking/Advocating For?

• Adopt a written Livable Streets policy:oOrdinanceo Resolutiono Internal policy

• Update internal policieso Streets plano Zoning code &

regulationsoDevelopment codeo Funding/budgeto City Comprehensive Plan

• Engage Citizenso Citizens Committeeo Engage citizens about

Complete Streets in project planning

• Individual projectso PlanningoDesigno ConstructionoMaintenance

What are We Asking/Advocating For?

An ideal Livable Streets policy: Is adoptable by all agencies to cover all roads. Applies to both new and retrofit projects, including

design, planning, maintenance, and operations, for the entire right of way.

Specifies that ‘all users’ includes pedestrians, bicyclists and transit passengers of all ages and abilities, as well as trucks, buses and automobiles.

Makes any exceptions specific and sets a clear procedure that requires high-level approval of exceptions.

Includes specific next steps for implementation of the policy.

Sample policies online at – CompleteStreets.org Changing Policy– MoBikeFed.org/CompleteStreets

All Agencies:Transportatio

n Planning happens at

several levels

• Local• Regional• State

Agencies• Federal

The Complete Streets Movement

Complete Streets MovementNationwide:• 283 jurisdictions have adopted

Complete Streets policies• 25 states, Puerto Rico, D.C.• Growing rapidly

Complete Streets MovementIn Missouri & Kansas:• 22 Complete Streets

Policies in MO & KS:cities, counties, metro planning agencies, Missouri General Assembly

• Compared w/ 4 in 2008• 7 in the KC metro area;

5 of the 9 largest cities• The 6 largest cities in MO have adopted Complete

Streets; over 1.1 million people• Mid-America Regional Council policy (2010)• Missouri & KC are now national Complete Streets

leaders

Complete Streets Policies in our RegionKansas City

region:• KCMO• KCK• Mid-America Regional

Council (KC MPO)• Independence• Lee’s Summit• Johnson County• Blue Springs• Leawood• Roeland Park

MO & KS:• Missouri General

Assembly• St. Louis• St. Louis MPO• Topeka• St. Joseph MPO• Columbia• Springfield• De Soto, Festus, Crystal

city, Herculaneum, Pevely• Elsberry• Ferguson

Missouri Livable Streets

What is Missouri Livable Streets?• An MU Extension

project• Advocacy trainings,

outreach– Sedalia, Jefferson City, St. Louis

County, O’Fallon, St. Louis, Warsaw, Kirksville, Crystal City, Springfield, Kansas City . . .

• Statewide media campaign

• Technical assistance– Livable Streets Design

Manual– Advocacy Manual

• Education and training to design professionals

Missouri Livable Streets works through a stakeholder-driven process to identify best practices and available resources for livable streets and deliver these to interested Missouri communities.

Courtesy www.pedbikeimages.org , Laura Sandt

Missouri Livable Streets support

• American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

• Centers for Disease Control Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) award

• Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS)

• University Outreach and Extension• Missouri Council for Activity and Nutrition

Livable Streets Resources CompleteStreets.org

LivableStreets.Missouri.edu MoBikeFed.org/CompleteStreets KanBikeWalk.com

BikeWalkKC.org/CompleteStreets

Trailnet.org PedNet.org

Send e-mail to Livablestreets@missouri.edu with subject Subscribe ‘Livable Streets’ list for monthly updates on policies, programs and champions.

The Challenge of the 20th Century was making our country accessible for automobiles– From 0 miles paved roads in 1900 to over 2

million miles in 2000– From 0 cars per household in 1900 to one car

per household by 1950 to one car per driver by 2000

The Challenge of the 21st Century is making our country accessible to humans again . . .