Complete Streets Committee

 A main task of this committee is to draft a Complete Streets policy that the City of Kingston’s Common Council can adopt. Members will assess barriers to Complete Streets in Kingston and provide education and outreach to the public to generate support for the policy.

What Are Complete Streets?

Complete Streets are thoroughfares designed, built and operated to enable convenient and ready mobility for all users of the transportation system - pedestrians, bikers, motorists and public transit riders of all ages and abilities. Achieving complete streets means that entire rights-of-way are structured to provide full and safe use of these facilities. Functional, inclusive public ways enable flexibility and choices as to how people pursue their activities of daily living. An environment that lends itself to all forms of transportation and activity can also aid community and economic development, including a healthier, less auto-dependent society.

For general background on Complete Streets and for a transportation planning primer, see:

• Complete Streets: Planning Safer Communities for Pedestrians and Bicyclists, by the Cornell Local Roads Program NY LTAP Center 
• Many Routes to Complete Streets, by David Gilmour, AICP
• Project presentation to the Common Council's Public Safety/Audit Committee in summer 2010
•  A Resident’s Guide for Creating Safe and Walkable Communities, 2009, by the Federal Highway Administration

Project Publicity

• Introduction to the Complete Streets Initiative, by David Gilmour, AICP, Healthy Kingston for Kids Newsletter, March 2010
• EDITORIAL: Low-Tech Transportation, Daily Freeman, April 21, 2010
• LETTER: The Streets of Kingston, by Gregg Swanzey, Emilie Houser and David Gilmour, Letter to the Editor, Daily Freeman,  May 4, 2010
• A Healthy City: Non-motorized transportation and acccess to fresh produce is key to reducing obesity, by Will Dendis, Ulster Publishing, April 2010
• It Takes a (Small) City: Tackling Childhood Obesity with Complete Streets, by Nadine Lemmon, Tri-State Transportation Campaign blog Mobilizing the Region

SWOT Analysis --

A Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis was generated as part of the early assessment and planning for the 'complete streets' part of the Healthy Kingston for Kids initiative. The SWOT analysis identifies themes, focuses, and possible ways to support complete streets and active living planning. The analysis was used in the development of a short-term complete streets strategy that defines ways that the project participants can work with the community in addressing complete streets. Click here to review the SWOT assessment

Code Audit --

The Complete Streets Committee performed a regulatory code audit (i.e. a structured review of municipal plans and regulations). The purpose of the audit was to identify how Kingston's existing land use rules and regulations are structured – especially the degree to which they either provide for positive growth and development, or hinder, a complete streets environment and healthy, active living. Click here to review the Code Audit

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