The City County Council is considering a motion that would adopt a Complete Streets ordinance. This ordinance would encourage transportation projects that would allow for safe passage for all modes of travel.
A good example from my own history is located on the south side, where I used to live when I first moved here in 1999. This intersection was only about a block away from my apartment complex, but there were no sidewalks that led from the apartments to the intersection. I still walked here from time to time, but I am stubborn. Sidewalks would have made for a more pleasant and safe journey. The sidewalks that are in place are shown in red:
Urban Indy would like to add its voice to the Complete Streets movement. Adopting this would help our city right a few of its past wrongs with regards to transportation options, as well as (hopefully) not allow them to happen again in the future. The plan has been sent to the Public Works Committee, which next meets at 5:30, June 21st. I hope that our city can join the 300+ other communities that officially recognize Complete Streets.
Nice article to support complete streets…..
http://www.indystar.com/article/20120618/OPINION12/206190308/Good-street-design-can-help-reduce-obesity?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|IndyStar.com|s
Adoption of this should include adoption of the Multi-Modal Design Guidelines, created four years ago and long ago “adopted” by the IRTC and the MDC, to provide guidance on how to actually implement “Complete Street” projects. It’s ALL in the implementation. Without design guidelines or standards, DPW will continue to waste money by doing projects like West 38th Street with unattractive, unsafe, and seldom used curb-adjacent sidewalks. And they’ll say, “People can walk on it, bike on it, and board/alight a bus from it, so there you have a ‘complete street'”.
Man, I wish this had been around for the recent repaving up East St from Prospect to Washington. It would look fantastic with boulevards in the middle, curb bump outs, and some better sidewalks.
Last year, sidewalks were added all the way up the east side of Keystone to past Sarah Shank and west along the south side of Hanna. This year, the sidewalks are extending up Keystone to Pleasant Run Pkwy, as well as a repaving job on the Keystone.
The sidewalks on Keystone are rather bizarre, as they angle first to the left, then to the right, while also going up and down at each driveway. Nice to have sidewalks but they seemed to be designed by someone with a drinking problem. And they have mailbox posts, street lamp post and fire hydrants embedded in the concrete. On trash day, it’s almost unnavigable because the only place to put those 96 gallon containers is right in the walkway.
The new Hanna sidewalk is a beautiful example of doing it the right way. It arcs gracefully around light poles instead of leaving them smack in the middle, and is mostly level.
Also, over on Arlington by the Pleasant Run golf course, the ugly metal guard rail-infested sidewalk has been ripped out and replaced. Finally,after 50 some years, this is an inviting place to walk again. Lots of people seem to agree, as there are always people out there now.
Just a reminder that the Public Works committee meeting for tomorrow has been cancelled.
Zach
Thanks Councillor Adamson. Is there a reason for the cancellation?
The next Public Works committee is July 12th at 5:30 pm in room 260 of the City County Building. Heard that due to a short agenda, the June meeting was cancelled. Thanks for supporting CS!
This policy is overdue and needs to be adopted as soon as possible. My biggest worry is that these will be enacted as recomendations and that political will can circumvent some projects. It will be interesting to read the final adopted text