The characteristics of complete streets and complete street networks. How completes streets create complete places

1. Complete Streets, Complete Places
Norman W. Garrick
University of Connecticut

2. New Generation Manuals
for Urban Streets

3. Chicagoans experience city life through its streets.
We must build and maintain our roads
for healthy business districts, vibrant neighborhoods, and high quality of life
– and move away from the narrow perspectives of the past.
We must measure success on safety, choices, and livability.
Gabe Klein, Commissioner, CDOT
http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/cdot/Complete%20Streets/CompleteStreetsGuidelines.pdf
Released
April 2013

4. Storrs, CT
2011

5. Storrs, CT
2011

6. Storrs, CT
2011

7. Storrs, CT
2013

8. Storrs, CT
2013

9. Storrs, CT
2013

10. Storrs, CT
2013

11. Why do we need Complete Streets?
 Economic vitality and viability
 Traffic safety
 Travel choices
 Sustainable access and travel

12. Three Patterns for Complete Streets
1. Connected and Complete Street Network
Complete streets function as part of a connected and complete street
network with different types of streets serving different functions
2. Convenience, Comfort and Safety for Vulnerable
Road Users
Complete streets are convenient, safe and comfortable for all, but especially
for vulnerable road users
3. Sense of Place
Complete streets are places. Never just conduits for travel

13. Element 1
Design Connected and Complete Street Networks

14. Street Networks

15. versus
Risk of Severe Injury or Fatality*
Chance of being Severely Injured
30% Higher
Chance of being Killed
50% Higher
*Given that an injury occurred

16. Odds of Dying in a Road Accident
based on Intersection Density*
1 in 200
1 in 500
*Given that an injury occurred

17. Percentage of People Walking, Biking or Taking Transit

18. Percentage of People Walking, Biking or Taking Transit
Effect of Intersection Density for Gridded Network

19. Designing Connected Networks
www.cnu.org/sites/www.cnu.org/files/sustainable_street_network_principles_op.pdf

20. Characteristics
of a Complete Street Network
1. High Level of Connectivity at
 Neighborhood
 City-wide
 Regional Scale
1. Frequent Intersections
2. All streets are walkable and Crossable
3. Wide variety of street types (Boulevard, Avenues, Streets, Lanes)

21. Element 2
Design for Vulnerable Road Users

22. Who are the Vulnerable Road Users?
A vulnerable user is anyone who takes to the street without armor
- Stephen Plowden

23. http://technogreatideas.blogspot.com/2008/09/strange-and-unusual-armoured-vehicles.html
Invulnerable Road Users
Complete streets mean that we shouldn’t have to be armored to feel safe on the roads

24. Vulnerability of Different Types of Road Users
Chance of Dying if Injured in Road Accident
Source: Bicycle Safety and Mode Choice (Garrick 2008)
Based on 24 California Cities

25. Chance of Pedestrian Fatality vs. Impact Speed
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dft.gov.uk/foi/responses/2005/nov/203040message/paperaboutthedepartments20302445

30. Street Design Factors affecting Speed
 Street cross-section Design
 Intersection and Crossing Design
 Relationship to Land and Building

31. Typical Elements of Sidewalk Zone

33. Context Sensitive Solutions in Designing Major Urban Thoroughfares for Walkable
Communities
Typical Width on Urban Thoroughfares
9 to 12 ft
Width of All
Elements vary
depending on
Context
7 to 8 ft Next to Parking
We Need > 5 feet
> 7 is probably too much

34. Radius
Radius
Radius of Return

38. Element 3
Design Streets as Places

39. Norman W. Garrick
Traditional street in Kingston, Jamaica

40. Newer street in Kingston, Jamaica

41. Willimantic, CT

42. Washington, DC

43. Charleston, SC

44. Buffalo, NY

45. Charleston, SC

46. Storrs, CT
2011

47. Storrs, CT
2011

48. Storrs, CT
2011

49. Storrs, CT
2013

50. Storrs, CT
2013

51. Storrs, CT
2013

52. Storrs, CT
2013