Lawmaker: ‘Roads belong as much to legs and pedals as they do to wheels’
OLYMPIA – Share the road. Everyone. That means you. And you, and you, and you. And yes, you.
State Rep. Jim Moeller is again prime-sponsoring a legislative measure to set up a “Complete Streets program that aims to keep everyone in the loop when it comes to using our streets.”
Moeller’s House Bill 1071 would direct the Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a Complete Streets Grant Program. The department would be required to consult with local jurisdictions prior to any design work when constructing or making major repairs to city streets that are part of a state highway.
“When you’re talking about this concept of ‘complete streets,’” Moeller explained, “you’re talking about designing and operating streets in a way that guarantees safe and reliable access for everyone – and that includes pedestrians, bicyclists, public-transportation users, and motorists.
“I simply want us to emphasize that our roads belong as much to legs and pedals as they do to wheels.”
Moeller, who is a member of the House Transportation Committee where the measure is awaiting a public hearing, said that “Complete Streets reflect the fact that we should design our built environment to enable people to be more active.
“Although it’s obviously true that many cities are already built out, the grant program in this legislation will, first of all, allow opportunities for making those city streets much more efficient, and, second, improve the infrastructure for all users.”
Moeller’s legislation states:
Urban main streets should be designed to provide safe access to all users, including bicyclists, pedestrians, motorists, and public transportation users. Context sensitive design and engineering principles allow for flexible solutions depending on a community’s needs, and result in many positive outcomes for cities and towns, including improving the health and safety of a community. It is the intent of the legislature to encourage street designs that safely meet the needs of all users and also protect and preserve a community’s environment and character.
A similar proposal backed by Moeller cleared the House Transportation Committee last session, but the 2010 bill didn’t make it out of the full House.
Representatives from the Transportation Choices Coalition, the Bicycle Alliance of Washington, Feet First, Bike Me, a coalition of statewide groups working to end childhood obesity, and other organizations testified for the bill in committee last year.