CONNECT Communities make move toward Complete Streets 

The Congress of Neighboring Communities (CONNECT) passed a resolution on Thursday, April 2, laying out the intent of the Congress’ 38 communities to work towards a Complete Streets approach to transportation planning.

This is the first Complete Streets resolution in Southwest Pennsylvania, and is an important step in the region. It lays out a vision and gives a framework for how the individual municipalities can work towards Complete Streets policies and enshrine these values into law.

Complete Streets are streets for everyone. They are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transportation users of all ages and abilities are able to safely move along and across a complete street.

CONNECT is an organization that promotes cooperation and collaboration between the City of Pittsburgh and the 37 municipalities that comprise our region’s urban core. They provide a formal structure for dialogue among the communities that comprise the economic and political powerhouse of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

CONNECT helps to coordinate the activities of the 38 municipalities through: advocating for and voicing the collective interests of the nearly 690,000 residents; developing and enhancing ways the 38 municipalities work together to deliver important public services; and maintaining a forum for the discussion, deliberation and implementation of new ways to maximize economic prosperity for Western Pennsylvania.

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Below is the language of the resolution.

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Resolution 15-12

WHEREAS new funding for multimodal transportation projects was made available by the Transportation Funding Bill (Act 89) passed on November 25th, 2013; and

WHEREAS in Resolution 11-19 CONNECT resolved to work with PennDOT to develop projects that can take advantage of smart transportation funds; and

WHEREAS the densely populated communities of Allegheny County’s urban core are uniquely positioned to successfully take advantage of comprehensive, intermunicipal, and multimodal transportation planning and development options that focus on walkability, bicycle, and transit accessibility; and

WHEREAS a complete streets policy ensures that projects are planned and designed to meet the needs of all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists and transit passengers of all ages and abilities, as well as trucks, buses and automobiles.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that CONNECT shall work with its municipalities and complete streets advocates and experts such as Bike Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group (PCRG), Allegheny County and Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) to create model complete streets ordinances.

BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED that CONNECT shall work with said partners to educate municipal leaders and staff on the economic and community benefits of complete streets policies and shall advocate for the adoption of complete streets ordinances in CONNECT member municipalities.

 

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