This document discusses best practices for complete streets. It defines complete streets as accommodating all modes of transportation, including vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians and others. It outlines national trends toward complete streets, GDOT policy supporting complete streets, and considerations for implementing complete streets in rural areas. Examples of complete streets projects in local communities are provided.

1. Waycross-Ware County
Transportation Planning
Coordinating Committee
Best Practices for Complete Streets
September 19, 2013

2. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Outline
• What are Complete Streets?
• National Trends
• GDOT Policy
• Implementing Complete Streets
• Rural Best Practices
• Local Projects

3. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
What are Complete Streets?
• Use public right-of-way to serve needs
of all modes of transportation
– Vehicles
– Bicycles
– Pedestrians
– Others
• Provide mobility, access and safety for
the travelling public

4. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
What are Complete Streets?
• Emphasizes safety, mobility, and
accessibility for all modes of travel
(including pedestrians, bicyclists,
transit riders, and motorists) and
individuals of all ages and abilities.

5. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
National Trends

6. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
National Trends

7. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
National Trends

8. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
National Trends

9. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
National Trends

10. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
National Trends

11. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
GDOT Policy
• It is the policy of the Georgia
Department of Transportation (GDOT)
to routinely incorporate bicycle,
pedestrian, and transit (user and
transit vehicle) accommodations into
transportation infrastructure projects
as a means for improving mobility,
access, and safety for the traveling
public.

12. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
GDOT Policy
• Responsibility to improve conditions and
opportunities for walking and bicycling
• Integrate walking and bicycling into
transportation systems.
• Benefits that walking and bicycling provide:
health, safety, environmental,
transportation, and quality of life
• Go beyond minimum standards to provide
safe and convenient facilities for these
modes

13. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Implementation
• Roadway Construction and
Reconstruction Projects
• Encourage Local Governments and
Regional Planning Agencies on local
projects and programs
– SRTS, TAP (TE), transit, etc.
– GDOT PDP required projects
– Does not apply to LMIG

14. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Design Principles
• Appropriate to the context and function of
the transportation facility
• Likely demand for bicycling and walking
• Safely cross intersections and travel along
roadways
• Future accommodation considerations
• 3R projects should consider bicyclists and
pedestrian facilities

15. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Warrants
• Standards vs. Guidelines (shall vs. should)
• Pedestrians (standards)
– Pedestrian generators (land uses)
– Evidence of pedestrian traffic
– High pedestrian crash rates
– Identified by local governments, RCs (through
adopted planning study)

16. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Warrants
• Standards vs. Guidelines (shall vs. should)
• Pedestrians (guidelines)
– Proximity to public institution
– Urbanized areas (50,000+)
– Pedestrian crashes
– Engineering/Planning analysis, public need

17. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Warrants
• Standards vs. Guidelines (shall vs. should)
• Bicycles (standards)
– Designated Bicycle Route
• US, State, Regional, Local
– Existing bikeway
– Bicycle travel generators (land use)
– Bridge width (23 USC 2.217 Part (e))
– High bicycle crashes

18. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Warrants
• Standards vs. Guidelines (shall vs. should)
• Bicycles (guidelines)
– Proximity to public institutions
– Connectivity of existing bikeways
– Bicycle crashes
– Engineering/Planning analysis, public
need
• 3R Projects
– Local request to re-stripe (w/limits)

19. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Appropriateness
• Low speed residential roadways
• Disproportionate impacts to adjacent
property
• Outside of construction limits
• Rural areas

20. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Urban Pedestrian

21. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Rural Pedestrian

22. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Urban Bicycle

23. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Rural Bicycle

24. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Rural Best Practices
• Typical Users
• Community Characteristics
– Central Business Districts/Downtowns
– Commercial/Industrial Corridors
– Residential
– Suburban
– Rural (Agricultural)

25. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Best Practices

26. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Central Business Districts
• Bike lanes should
be provided on
both sides of the
street
• Use sharrows when
ROW limits lanes
• Sidewalks on both
sides of the street

27. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Commercial/Industrial
• Separate bicycle
lanes with
pavement markings
• Sidewalks are a
critical means of
safe travel
– Allow for space for
public utilities

28. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Residential
• Wider lanes can
accommodate both
bicycles and motor
vehicles at low
volumes and
speeds
• Sidewalks on both
sides of the street

29. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Suburban
• Bicycle lanes along
arterial and
collector roads
• Sidewalks on both
sides of the street
– Allow for space for
public utilities

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Rural
• Bikeable shoulder is
ideal
– No pavement
markings
– Rumble strips with
breaks

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Local Examples

32. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Local Projects
• 0010293 – Hwy 122
– Bikeable Shoulders
• 0007664 – Hatcher Point Road
– Sidewalks

33. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Planning
• Consider adopting a Complete Streets Policy
• Follow local and regional plans
– Comprehensive Plan
– Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan
• Develop local ordinances that require
inclusion of bicycle/pedestrian facilities in
new developments
• Be Context Sensitive
– Not a one size fits all solution

34. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Bike Route Analysis
• Bicycle Route 10 and 20
• Video tour available on YouTube
• Recommendations
– Signage (directional and safety)
– Wider shoulders
– Designate Albany Hwy./Ave.
– Multi-use path along US 82 in Ware in
Brantley Counties

35. Valdosta – Lowndes Metropolitan Planning Organization
Questions
Corey Hull, AICP
chull@sgrc.us
www.sgrc.us/transportation