In early 2023, your MPO Transportation Policy Committee adopted a Complete Streets policy for our area. It is important for the MPO to have its own policy. An MPO Complete Streets policy means:

1. Better defined priorities, which will help the MPO make sure money gets spent in ways that develop more Complete Streets.
2. Better advocacy, because the MPO will get to make sure new projects adhere to Complete Streets standards.
3. Better transportation for all, by focusing on the safety and comfort of all possible users at every project phase – plan, design, build, and maintain.

A Complete Streets policy allows the MPO to address any possible trade-offs that may exist when different street users are prioritized over others.

Complete streets are safe and work well for everyone – whether they walk, bike, ride, roll, or drive. We build complete streets by thinking about:

• Everyone who might use the street (drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians, bus riders)
• What the area around the street looks like (urban, suburban, rural)
• How busy the street is (neighborhood, cross-town, regional highway)
• What destinations are nearby (schools, parks, shopping)

Because no two streets are the same, no complete street will look exactly like another. An urban complete street may include wide sidewalks, café tables, bike lanes, crosswalks and comfortable bus stops. A suburban complete street might have center medians, sidewalks, wide planting strips, and a buffered bike lane. In rural areas, a complete street may have a paved shoulder or a separated trail for biking and walking.