Complete Streets
Friday, April 5, 2013 at 1:13PM
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An example of a complete streetComplete streets are roadways that accommodate and encourage many different types of travel, including biking, walking, and the use of public transportation. On low-traffic streets, a complete street may consist of improved sidewalks and a shared roadway for bikes and cars; higher-traffic areas will include separated bike lanes and bus pullouts. Planned complete streets will include Lincoln Boulevard and the Pequonnock River Trail.
Complete Streets aim to increase mobility, efficiency, and sustainability. Reducing the number of cars on the road will decrease emissions from individual transportation.
Complete streets will also ensure the transformation of underutilized areas into valued outdoor green spaces by making them more accessible, encourage green business practices, reduce vehicle trips and vehicle emissions, provide city workers with a wide range of transportation options, and foster community growth.
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An overhead view of Lincoln Boulevard and the surrounding streetsComplete streets aim to incorporate green infrastructure such as Bio-swales and rain gardens. These types of installations increase water quality and reduce the amount of contaminated runoff flowing into public waterways, thereby reducing pollution and treatment cost.
Increased vegetative cover will help lower the City’s temperature during the summer, improve respiratory health, and alleviate excessive stormwater flow.
Permeable pavement will also be incorporated into the complete street design. Contaminated rainwater will be able to flow to the ground, instead of into the Long Island Sound.
How would complete streets impact your daily travel habits? Let us know in the comments section!
Reader Comments (3)
As a Central HS teacher who bicycles to work, I'm glad to see Complete Streets initiatives being implemented in Bridgeport. Lincoln Boulevard (and Central HS) were developed in a vary car-centric era -- there are no sidewalks along Central's access roads, for example. Arrival by car is encouraged in the design of the grounds.
One benefit of the more pleasant walking/ bicycling design will be increased foot traffic to local restaurants and businesses on Capitol. I think Lincoln Boulevard residents will also benefit from more orderly and calm traffic while still retaining ease of access and movement. I will personally be using the bicycle lanes and walking after work to grab a sandwich or a coffee.
I think more students will choose to walk, and if covered safe bicycle parking is provided at CHS, car traffic will be reduced as students begin to use a safe facility to park their bikes.
As an EV owner, I would love to see EV charging stations as part of any school rennovation or construction project. UI's charging station at City Hall is great!
"Next steps" ideas: Most of the bicycle traffic to the Lincoln Boulevard area comes up from the Hollow and North Ave/Madison. Looking at traditional pedestrian and bicycle transit hubs like the train and bus station might help in planning further expansion and efficient implementation of bicycle routes and complete streets.
Cross-town and inter-town routes are also important and often overlooked in bicycle planning. Sharrows on Stratford/Connecticut aves would make sense, as this is a route for bicycle commuters in and out of town and the East End is a neighborhood with a high bicycle modal share. Likewise, a bicycle route up to Trumbill and over to Fairfield ought to also be considered in a city-wide complete streets plan.
Increased bicycle use and bicycle infrastructure is associated with greater traffic to businesses, increased property values, and decreases in crime.
Kudos to the Mayor's office and everyone involved in the B.Green initiatives! Park City deserves to rediscover its nickname.
I am all for better streets and more green. However, I don't see how not having access to my street from Lincoln is more "green". I now have to drive farther in order to get across what looks like a swimming pool in the middle of Lincoln - therefore using more gas in my car. Might be good for some residents but I personally think it is a stupid idea. It took 30 yrs for the city to pave my street - some of the city streets and sidewalks are impassible on my way to work thru the Eastside. Money should have been spent there - or tear down the empty dormant factories for Parks.
Definitely all of us prefer to go for the new one but if we look this point in a maturity manner then the old one is better for us. Because of its running condition, services given, financial soundness, less premium amount etc.
If we go for the new then we enjoy only the latest feature with more luxurious drive. It depends on person to person as every ones need and wants are differing from each other.