Complete Streets is a descriptor for the concept of designing and operating streets in a manner that makes them safe for ALL users, including bicyclists. The concept is implemented at the local, state and regional levels. Implementation is addressed with a wide range of elements including sidewalks, signage, street markings, bike lanes, marked shoulders, medians, pedestrians signals, modified vehicle travel lanes among others.
To sum it up, it’s an approach to make streets more friendly to ALL users, including bicyclists. Now, to take it further, The Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program is part of the Infrastruture Investment and Jobs Act that was passed by the US Congress. It grants funds to state Departments of Transportation. When a state DOT is granted these funds they are mandated to use 2.5% of them to create a Complete Streets grant program and Complete Streets design standards. If you followed the recent attempt in the Arizona legislature to prevent the AZ DOT from using highway funds to construct bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure you can understand why, if this were to become law, these federal funds may not then be available to the AZ DOT. Outwardly, an apparent foolish move. Apparently others thought so as well and it appears at this point that this legislative attempt has been defeated for the time being. Unfortunately, there is another legislative attempt affecting bicyclists. Which would outlaw the use of AZ rural freeways by bicyclists. The Adventure Cycling Association, which publishes long distance bicycle touring routes nationwide, has three routes in Arizona that use our rural freeways. This legislative effort has failed in the AZ senate.
