I was pleased to see, per IndyStar columnist Matthew Tully in today’s Indianapolis Star, that Indianapolis is considering a Complete Streets ordinance:
Complete Streets is a transportation policy framework in which road networks are built with the needs of ALL system users in mind, including automobiles, bicyclists, pedestrians, wheelchair users, public transit users, users of all ages and abilities, etc., and is focused in making our cities, towns, and neighborhoods more safe, healthy, and livable. This is obviously a major policy shift from traditional public works engineering principles that are geared around moving as many cars from one point to another point.
The Complete Streets Coalition provides additional information about the benefits of complete streets policies, and provides some model policy language.
Indianapolis is not in the vanguard, however, with its Complete Streets. Several other Indiana cities have already passed their own Complete Streets ordinances:
- The City of Carmel passed its complete streets policy in 2010. The policy can be found here: Carmel Multi-Modal System Plan.
- The City of Columbus passed its complete streets policy in 2010 as well. The policy can be found here: Columbus Thoroughfare Plan
- And Bloomington passed its complete streets policy back in January of 2009. The policy can be found here: Bloomington Complete Streets Ordinance
