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Sioux Falls to Focus on Complete Streets; Accepts Safer People, Safer Streets Challenge

Jul 08, 2015

Sioux Falls to Focus on Complete Streets; Accepts Safer People, Safer Streets Challenge

The Sioux Falls City Council unanimously passed a resolution on July 7 to establish a vision for Complete Streets in Sioux Falls.

Mayor Mike Huether and other City leaders have also announced that Sioux Falls has joined more than 200 communities across the country to answer a challenge from the U.S. Department of Transportation to focus on safer people and safer streets.

“Sioux Falls is an active, vibrant city,” says Mayor Huether. “We are taking a progressive approach to make our streets better and safer for everyone, not just folks driving a vehicle. Taking a complete streets approach will maximize the taxpayer dollar and improve our quality of life by making it easier and safer to walk, bike, and use our transit system.”

A complete streets focus means that roadway projects are reviewed based on the needs of all users, according to Mark Cotter, Director of Public Works. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and users of public transportation.

“The City of Sioux Falls has already been moving in this direction,” says Cotter. “New projects like the Russell Street reconstruction and the Main Avenue road diet are great examples of streets in which all transportation modes are being considered. Formalizing this vision through a complete streets policy, and through participation in the Safer People and Safer Streets Challenge, provides an opportunity to assess progress and focus on the areas that need the most attention to improve safety in Sioux Falls.”

Cotter added that one benefit of taking a complete streets approach is the potential for cost savings.

“There are certainly health benefits to complete streets, as we encourage more walking and bicycling, but there are also financial benefits,” Cotter says. “This approach can create wise infrastructure investments, since retrofits to existing roadways and bridges can be very costly. Designing and constructing complete streets the first time around saves money in the long run.”

“The City team worked with several stakeholder groups to review the approach to complete streets that was the right fit for Sioux Falls,” says Jill Franken, Public Health Director, who served on the project steering committee. “The team included City of Sioux Falls Engineering, Planning, Parks and Recreation, Transit, and Health, and they will continue to work with both City partners and community partners to review potential complete streets projects and other activities throughout the year-long Safer People, Safer Streets Challenge.”

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx issued this challenge to communities across the country to promote safety for all road users. As bicycling, walking, and public transit have increased in popularity in recent years, pedestrian and bicyclist traffic deaths have steadily increased. In response, U.S. Department of Transportation issued a policy statement on bicycle and pedestrian accommodation outlining the federal government’s goals for improving road safety and emphasized the importance of involving local communities.

Participating communities are asked to advance safety goals through a series of activities over the next year, which include taking a complete streets approach, identifying and addressing barriers to making streets safe and accessible for all users, collecting biking and walking data in order to track trends and prioritize projects, and educating and enforcing proper road use behaviors by all.

Live Well Sioux Falls will continue to provide updates about Complete Streets and the Safer People, Safer Streets Challenge.  Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.