New Federal Policy Statement Endorses Complete Streets

At last week’s National Bike Summit, the Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood made news by enthusiastically offering support toward multi-modal transportation systems.

A few days after his impromptu table-top speech, LaHood presented a new federal policy standard on what agencies large and small ought to do to integrate all forms of transportation together in future projects. This new policy explicitly states that:

The DOT policy is to incorporate safe and convenient walking and bicycling facilities into transportation projects. Every transportation agency, including DOT, has the responsibility to improve conditions and opportunities for walking and bicycling and to integrate walking and bicycling into their transportation systems. Because of the numerous individual and community benefits that walking and bicycling provide — including health, safety, environmental, transportation, and quality of life — transportation agencies are encouraged to go beyond minimum standards to provide safe and convenient facilities for these modes.

This is definitely a sign of good things to come.