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AN ORDINANCE relating to the concept of Complete Streets, which promotes roadways that are safe and convenient for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and motor vehicle drivers of all ages and abilities.
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PREAMBLE:
Complete Streets are roads that prioritize safety, comfort, and connectivity to destinations for all people who use the street network, particularly those from underserved communities facing historic disinvestment. Those roads serve: people walking, biking, using transit, and driving; children and older individuals; people with disabilities; and freight vehicles. Complete Streets balance the health and safety needs of all road users, reflect the function of the road, and respond to the different needs and service levels for urban and rural areas.
Designing roads with pedestrians in mind significantly reduces pedestrian risk. About one quarter of the population of Washington state does not drive, including people who cannot afford cars, and an increasing number of older adults. Whether they walk or bicycle directly to their destinations or to public transportation, those individuals require safe access to get to work, school, shops, and medical visits, and to take part in social, civic, and volunteer activities.
The development of a network of Complete Streets can improve pedestrian safety, increase the capacity of the transportation network, promote improvements in public health, and reduce carbon pollution from transportation.
The Federal Highway Administration ("FHWA") encourages local transportation agencies to adopt and implement policies to equitably evaluate, plan, and construct Complete Streets. FHWA support for Complete Streets includes a goal of increasing the proportion of federal aid funded transportation projects that are routinely planned, designed, built, and operated as Complete Streets.
King County has established policies in its Comprehensive Plan that support the development of Complete Stree...
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