Mich. Complete Streets named 'winning campaign'

The Washington, DC-based Alliance for Biking & Walking announced its 2011 Advocacy Awards on March 10 and listed the successful passage of a Complete Streets law in Michigan as the "Winning Campaign of the Year."

Complete Streets policies require safe routes and facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians be included in transportation infrastructure development projects.

Here's how the Alliance summed up the effort in Michigan:

"At the start of 2010, Michigan had just one local complete streets ordinance. By the end of the year, there were more than 20 communities with complete streets policies and the governor had signed a new statewide complete streets law.

"That incredible and rapid transformation was sparked and spurred by advocates from the League of Michigan Bicyclists, who helped to create a powerful Michigan Complete Streets Coalition with 105 diverse member organizations. That powerful, unified voice led to the passage of a statewide complete streets bill, the adoption of policies in a number of communities and a new priority within the state Department of Transportation to plan streets that safely accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians."

In conclusion, the Alliance said of Michigan, "Thanks in large part to this winning campaign, the state that spent the last century focused on all things automotive is now leading the way in the Great Lakes region."

According to the National Complete Streets Coalition, 14 states have passed Complete Streets legislation and another 23 have similar policies in place. Michigan joined Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota in making Complete Streets a state law.