Complete Streets+

Kercheval Avenue

What are Complete Streets+?

Complete Streets are planned, designed and constructed for everyones safety. On these streets, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transit riders of all ages and abilities are able to safely move along and across streets.

There is no single design for all Complete Streets but they can include good sidewalks, crosswalks, speed humps, public lighting, bus shelters, and bike lanes. A ‘+’ is added to Complete Streets when they incorporate green stormwater management that reduces the flow of stormwater into the sewer system.

There are many different examples of Complete Streets+ in Detroit, including Livernois in the Avenue of Fashion.

Why Detroit needs Complete Streets+?

  • Reducing Speeding. One main benefit of Complete Street designs is they reduce speeding without the need for police enforcement. Speed humps, narrowed roadways, street trees, and other features encourage drivers to travel at the speed limit.
  • Saving Lives. Detroit has one of the highest pedestrian fatality rates among all US cities. Lives are saved with reduced speeding. When crashes occur, it is primarily the vehicle’s speed that determines whether people are killed or seriously injured, especially for vulnerable road users likes pedestrians and bicyclists.
  • Improving Health. Detroit has disproportionately high rates of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardio-metabolic conditions, all of which have stress- and physical inactivity-related causes. By providing active transportation options like walking and biking, Complete Streets can improve physical health and mental health.
  • Increasing Travel Choices. 22% of Detroit households don’t have vehicles and the high cost of car ownership (including insurance) makes them unaffordable. In addition, many younger or older residents cannot drive. Complete Streets provide more options for everyone to get where they want to go.
  • Helping Local Businesses. Complete Streets in retail areas are often called streetscapes. Improving streets and investing in local business development can make retail areas flourish. This also makes is easier for nearby residents to walk or bike to local businesses.
  • Handling Stormwater. When it rains, stormwater runs off paved roads into the sewer system. Climate Change is causing more major rain events where this runoff overwhelms the system and causes flooding. Complete Streets+ with green stormwater features like bioswales reduce road runoff and reduce the burden on the sewage system. We also recognize that the return on investment may not justify adding many small green stormwater features along every road. They’re expensive to build and maintain. Larger road stormwater features may more sense.
  • Addressing Climate Change. Motor vehicles that burn fossil fuels release greenhouse gas emissions that increase Climate Change. More Climate Change means more flooding and extreme heat events. Complete Streets encourage walking, biking, and public transit, which are the most effective means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They also can help reduce urban heat effects with increased street trees and more shade.

These talking points are included in this printable PDF, What are Complete Streets+.

Green Stormwater Infrastructure on Livernois Avenue in Detroit

Complete Streets Ordinance

We are working with Council member Latisha Johnson on a Detroit Complete Streets ordinance. This work is made possible in part to a grant from the Collaboration for Equitable Health and its partners: Bank of America, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and American Diabetes Association.

We want make sure the city of Detroit’s current Complete Streets efforts continue with future administrations. We’ve seen things change abrupty in Washington DC and we don’t want to see the same happen here. We need to continue building safe, healthy and green streets.

The current draft ordinance language simply requires a Complete Streets policy and a transportation plan similar to what we currently have in the Streets for People plan.

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