CLAYTON • Advocates for more bike-friendly and pedestrian-friendly St. Louis County roads are urging the County Council to pass comprehensive “Complete Streets” legislation similar to ordinances in the city of St. Louis, Ferguson and other cities around the state and country.
A “Complete Street” is “designed with all users in mind — motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, the elderly and the disabled,” according to the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation.
The bill will be up for final passage this week and appears to have the votes to pass.
Trailnet, a local bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organization, has been lobbying for the ordinance.
“This will make it easier for people to walk or bike to the grocery store, to the park or work or school,” said Rhonda Smythe, Trailnet policy and advocacy manager. “It’s for people from 8 to 80, moms with strollers and people using mobility assistance devices.”
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The measure calls for more bicycle and pedestrian lanes, better lighting on roads, crosswalks, street trees, sidewalks, refuge islands, signals, accessible curb cuts, traffic calming and other measures to encourage safer streets.
This doesn’t mean that every St. Louis County road will have a bicycle lane or the other elements. Backers say the Complete Streets enhancements would come into play when the county is resurfacing or making other improvements on roads or building a new road. No cost estimates are included with the legislation.
Two committees — one made up of county departments and another of residents and advocacy groups — will assist in implementing and monitoring the progress.
Builders of private roads and parking lots in unincorporated parts of county also will be asked to incorporate elements of Complete Streets.
The requirements do not affect municipal or state-owned roads.
Trailnet, Paraquad, an advocate agency for people with disabilities, and municipal leaders have worked with County Councilman Pat Dolan of Richmond Heights on the bill. In addition to Dolan, other sponsors are council members Steve Stenger of South County and Hazel Erby of University City.
Dolan said that Complete Streets would result in more collaboration on paths and trails between county and municipal governments and better connections for trails in different jurisdictions.
Dolan said that the county highway department initially had reservations but now is participating in the planning.
For several weeks, a parade of residents and representatives of organizations committed to walking, bicycling and safe roads have spoken in support of a “Complete Streets” policy at County Council meetings. No one from the public has spoken against it.
Some advocates criticized an earlier version of the bill, which required the county to “consider” Complete Streets elements. A revised version that advanced last week makes that mandatory.
At the council meeting last Tuesday, Barbara Stewart of Chesterfield told the council that voters twice had approved taxes for Great Rivers Greenway because they support a system of connected trails. Great Rivers is a tax-supported agency that is building a series of connected trails around the region.
She said Complete Streets “would promote community, raise awareness and increase property values. From the safety issue, so many roads don’t have room for both bicycles and cars and even walkers.”
Dolan said that the bill has broad support from municipalities, mayors, businesses and residents. The trails, he said, could improve local economies and the transportation system.
“The people of St. Louis County have shown us in surveys by the Planning Department that this is what they want,” Dolan said.
Margaret Gillerman is a reporter for the Post-Dispatch.
