Kentucky safe routes to school network

Complete Streets Fact Sheet: Venues for Wellness in Kentucky

A complete streets policy ensures that roadways are designed to accommodate all users, including motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and public transportation users of all ages and abilities. When proper crosswalks, bike paths, sidewalks, and safety features are in a community, people can safely get from point A to point B while getting exercise at the same time. Complete streets does not mean that every road must have a sidewalk, bike lane, etc. It means designing streets to be more friendly to all modes of transportation in a context sensitive manner. Learn more at: http://www. completestreets.org.

turkey Foot rd, Ky 1303, Kenton County north Bend rd, Ky 237, Boone County

Why does KentuCKy need CompLete streets?

to increase physical activity:

  • Kentucky has the 7th highest rate of adult obesity and the 3rd highest rate of childhood obesity.1
  • Kentucky is the fourth most inactive state.

    to increase the safety of Kentucky roads for all users of the roadway:

  • In 2008, 9 percent of roadway fatalities in Kentucky were bicyclists or pedestrians, higher than the previous four years. 2
  • In 2004, over 50 percent of respondents of the Ky highway user survey stated the need for additional bicycle/pedestrian accommodations in Kentucky.3
  • In 2006, the Kentucky transportation Cabinet produced Kentucky’s Roadmap to Safer Highways, which fails to mention the need for reduction of cyclist and pedestrian traffic injuries and fatalities.

    to provide safe places for children to walk or bike to school and play in their communities:

• In 2007, only 72 percent of children living in Kentucky urban areas had sidewalks or walking paths in their neighborhoods, and only 46 percent of children in rural areas did. 4

CompLete streets BeneFIts

When streets are complete, individuals and families have the choice to use multiple modes of transportation. With fewer vehicles on roadways and more people choosing active transportation options, there can be multiple benefits:

  • reduced traffic congestion
  • reduced transportation costs for families
  • Increased physical activity
  • Increased safety
  • Contributes to livable communities
  • positively affects safe routes to school for children

    CompLete streets In KentuCKy

  • Complete streets can be implemented at the state or local levels through statute, written commitments, public ordinances and education of stakeholders.
  • In 2008, Louisville, Ky adopted a complete streets ordinance requiring new roadway construction to consider all users of the roadway.
  • Lexington, Ky is in the planning process of adopting a complete streets policy.
  • Although Frankfort, Ky does not have a complete streets policy, a local group of advocates produced a Bicycling and Walking plan. this lays the groundwork and is a precursor to complete streets.
  • In 2002, Kentucky transportation Cabinet adopted the Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel
    Policy Manual, which states that bicycle and pedestrian facilities will be considered if certain conditions are met. however, this internal policy does not require KytC to accommodate for all users.

    WhAt you CAn do:

  • Attend public meetings in your community on transportation issues and voice your concern for bicycle and pedestrian friendly streets in road projects.
  • Write or e-mail your council representative or mayor asking them to pass a complete streets ordinance in your community.
  • take a picture of a complete or an incomplete street or write a story of how this affects your community. pictures and stories help realize the importance of complete streets to individuals in communities and help build the case for complete streets. send to the Kentucky srts network organizer at Kentucky@saferoutespartnership.org.
  • spread the word to others about complete streets. share this document!

    ContACt

    Contact the Kentucky srts network organizer at Kentucky@saferoutespartnership.org.

resourCes:

  • the national Complete streets Coalition provides success stories, frequently asked questions, examples, and resources including sample presentations: http://www.completestreets.org.
  • Accommodating Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel: A Recommended Approach is a policy statement adopted by the united states department of transportation. usdot hopes that public agencies, professional associations, advocacy groups, and others adopt this approach as a way of committing themselves to integrating bicycling and walking into the transportation mainstream. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bikeped/design.htm.
  • America Bikes is an umbrella organization that advocates for bicycle funding and policies in the federal transportation bill. Complete streets is a key element of their platform: http://www. americabikes.org/completestreets.asp.
  • thunderhead Alliance’s national Complete streets campaign shows a map with states and local jurisdictions that have adopted complete streets policies: http://www.thunderheadalliance.org/ completestreets.htm.

    CompLete streets supporters

  • AArp
  • American Academy of pediatrics
  • American medical Association
  • Bikes Belong
  • Centers for disease Control and prevention
  • Federal highway Administration
  • Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeway Commission
  • Kentucky department for public health
  • Kentucky youth Advocates
  • Let’s move
  • partnership for a Fit Kentucky
  • robert Wood Johnson Foundation
  • safe routes to school national partnership
  • several local Kentucky communities, such as Louisville, Lexington and Frankfort

    endnotes

    1 Trust for America’s Health. (2010). “F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010.” Available at http:// healthyamericans.org/. Accessed July 2010.

    2 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2008). Traffic Safety Facts Kentucky 2004-2008. Available at http:// highwaysafety.ky.gov. Accessed September 2009.

    3 Langley. University of KY/College of Engineering. KY Highway User Survey.

    4 Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. (2007). 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health.Available at http:// www.nscdata.org. Accessed September 2009.