Transportation Management Association of Chester County

Prioritizing safety and Complete Streets for Chester County

By Tim Phelps, Transportation Management Association of Chester County

planning scenarios. The Planning Commission states, “Complete Streets communities ensure that their streets prioritize safety over speed, balance the needs of different modes of transportation, and support local land uses,

On November 10, 2021, the Chester County economies, cultures, and natural environments.” Quinn Commissioners adopted a Complete Streets policy worked with the committee to educate them on the guiding to support safe bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure principles behind the policy, how it supports Landscapes3, throughout the county. Chester County’s Complete Streets the county’s comprehensive plan, as well as challenged Policy provides guidance for how streets may be planned, the committee on how Smart Growth America’s Ten designed, retrofitted, and maintained to facilitate travel in Elements of a Complete Streets Policy could dovetail into a safe, convenient, and comfortable manner for all users Chester County plans. Recommendations could then be regardless of their transportation mode. How best does the made to support non-vehicular users. sidewalk connect to crosswalks and to a bus stop? How In late July, the Planning Commission and the do you safely include bicycle lanes within the vehicular Commissioners held a public meeting to discuss a Complete travel lane? As the policy’s subtitle states, (It is) “A policy Streets Policy for Chester County, which welcomed more to develop an integrated and connected multimodal than 35 representatives from local municipalities, transportransportation system of Complete Streets that serve all tation organizations, stakeholder groups, and others from neighborhoods and populations in Chester County.” around the region. Chester County Commissioners Marian

As a car-centric society, when we envision our streets, Moskowitz and Josh Maxwell also attended the meeting, we typically only think about the needs of an automobile: noting the importance of Complete Streets in their opening Where is the closest free parking space? If the road is flat remarks. and straight, it is okay to “The simple addition of drive faster. sidewalks in communi-

As planners and elected “Every citizen has a right to travel ties where no sidewalks officials consider developments and redevelopments within the restraints of the existing exist will expand access to transportation networks for within our communities, road structure, which is why Chester people without cars,” said when applicable, other County hopes to implement Complete Moskowitz. “Providing for modes of transportation should be prioritized such Streets throughout our new and exist- active transportation facilities – such as sidewalks and as walking, biking, or mov- ing road structures.” bike lanes – will increase ing with assistive devices opportunities for physicallike wheelchairs and baby ly active travel, and create carriages. In these instances, we should be asking: Where healthier communities here in Chester County.” should I place a bus stop? Do I have the appropriate ramps “A complete streets policy for Chester County will help for strollers and wheelchairs? Is there a continuous high- to advance the ‘Live, Prosper, and Connect’ goals of quality sidewalk? Landscapes3, by encouraging better access to community

The Complete Streets project was spearheaded through a facilities and services to create more efficient transportation project team at the Chester County Planning Commission systems to service our thriving and growing communities,” (CCPC) and a working committee of municipal members Maxwell added. “We know connectivity is going to be so and community leaders. Brian Styche, CCPC director of important to the future economic health of our county, and environment and infrastructure, and Eric Quinn, CCPC we couldn’t be more proud that the Planning Commission Transportation Planner, methodically walked the com- is making this such an important goal of all our municipalimittee through Smart Growth America’s Complete Street ties to achieve.”

As a continuation of these efforts, Commissioner Maxwell joined Smart Growth America’s Active People, Healthy Nation Champions Institute. Here he has an opportunity to engage with other local elected officials from across the United States to gain the knowledge needed to effectively advocate for, and support, safer and more Complete Streets and bring best practices back to Chester County.

Styche, states that this is a great tool to help communities to implement and maintain Complete Streets in their community and understand exceptions, design standards and performance measures. Now is the time for communities to plan Complete Streets concepts and take advantage of PennDOT Multimodal Funding. How will your community help make safe connections for people who cannot or do not drive? The next time you are walking downtown shopping center parking lot, or walking in your neighborhood, look around at your built environment: How safe are you as a pedestrian? Can we do better?

Read more about the Complete Streets and other multimodal and bicycle policies at www.chescoplanning.org/ transportation . Multimodal funding can be found at www. penndot.gov/project and programs.