Press
Stamford Now Has A Complete Streets Ordinance
In 2014, People Friendly Stamford advocated for the adoption of a Complete Streets Ordinance for the City. Members of PFS advocated to include a Complete Streets Ordinance as a strategy in the City's new Master Plan, we reached out to Board of Reps members, and held events to support this ordinance. The Board of Reps unanimously approved the Complete Streets Ordinance on Monday, January 5th, 2015!
Complete Streets are defined as roadways that are designed and operated to provide safe and convenient access to all users. Users are all people that use roadways, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation riders, and motorists and includes people of all ages and abilities, including children, seniors and individuals with disabilities.
The ordinance applies to transportation improvement projects within the public right of way in Stamford. Transportation improvement projects are defined as any public or private investment with the public right of way, regardless of funding source, including, but not limited to, new construction, reconstruction, alteration, and maintenance inclusive of road surfacing. The ordinance mandates the City Office of Operations to review all transportation improvement projects and explore opportunities to meet the needs of all users. Further, all transportation projects located within 1,000 feet of a school, commercial center, or bus stop shall include infrastructure designed to accommodate pedestrian centers.
However, the Complete Streets Ordinance will not apply where prohibited by law, such as interstate highways or pedestrian-only paths. Also, where the costs of these accommodations are excessively disproportionate to the need or probable use, the Director of Operations must document the rationale for exemption from the Complete Streets Ordinance. Finally, a Complete Streets Manual detailing the steps to implement this ordinance shall be adopted by the Office of Operations and approved by the Board of Representatives.
People Friendly Stamford will continue to advocate for the application of this ordinance to encourage and prioritize non-motorized transit users, which are considered vulnerable users (according to state’s vulnerable user bill), and establish roadways that accommodate all users in a context-sensitive manner.
Thank you to all for your support and effort to make Stamford more People Friendly! Our work is on-going and we look forward to continuing our bike and pedestrian advocacy work in 2015.