What is a Complete Street?
Complete Streets is an approach to planning, designing, and building streets that enables safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities. This approach also emphasizes the needs of those who have experienced systemic underinvestment, or those whose needs have not been met through a traditional transportation approach, such as older adults, people living with disabilities, people who don’t have access to vehicles, and Black, Asian, Native, and Hispanic or Latino/a/x communities.
What does a Complete Street look like?
While Complete Streets are a process and approach to street design, there is no singular design prescription for Complete Streets. Each one is unique and responds to its community context. A complete street may include: sidewalks, bike lanes (or wide paved shoulders), special bus lanes, comfortable and accessible public transportation stops, frequent and safe crosswalks, median islands, accessible pedestrian signals, curb extensions, narrower travel lanes, roundabouts, and more.
The context and needs of users are different in rural, suburban, and urban communities, and streets will look different as a result, even when using a Complete Streets approach.
Does the CRTPO Have a Complete Streets Policy?
Yes. The CRTPO adopted its Complete Street Policy in November of 2024. Click the link below to read the adopted policy.
Does NCDOT have a Complete Streets Policy?
Yes. For more information about the NCDOT Complete Streets Policy, click the link below.
How does the CRTPO implement Complete Streets?
The CRTPO is committed to ensuring all roadway users are accommodated throughout our region. We also encourage our member jurisdictions to pursue roadways that utilize design standards consistent with NCDOT’s and/or local complete streets policies.
The CRTPO incorporates Complete Streets principles when allocating funds for the construction of new projects or improvements to existing infrastructure to create a safe multi-modal network for all users. It is incorporated into all aspects of planning to support a safe and accessible multi-modal transportation network. All projects should be designed for all ages and abilities.
Resources
Complete Streets Support
- 10 Elements of a Complete Streets Policy (National Complete Streets Coalition/Smart Growth America)
- NCDOT Complete Streets Policy
- USDOT/FHWA Complete Streets Guidance
- Complete Streets Ordinance Template
- Comprehensive Transportation Plan Report
Transportation Design Guides
- A Guide for Achieving Flexibility in Highway Design (AASHTO)
- A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, 7th Edition (Green Book) (AASHTO)
- Achieving Multimodal Networks: Applying Design Flexibility and Reducing Conflicts (FHWA)
- Bikeway Selection Guide (FHWA)
- Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach: An ITE Recommended Practice (ITE)
- Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities (AASHTO), latest edition
- Guide for the Planning, Design, and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities (AASHTO)
- Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (FHWA)
- NCDOT Roadway Design Manual
- Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) (United States Access Board)
- Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide (FHWA)
- Small Town and Rural Multimodal Networks (FHWA)
- Transit Street Design Guide (NACTO)
- Urban Bikeway Design Guide (NACTO)
- Urban Street Design Guides (NACTO)
- Designing for All Ages & Abilities: Contextual Guidance for High-Comfort Bicycle Facilities
- Don’t Give Up at the Intersection: Designing All Ages and Abilities Bicycle Crossings