Action 2: Adopt Leading Bicycle-Friendly Policies
Local municipalities should adopt a Vision Zero Action Plan, a Bicycle Master Plan, and a Complete Streets Policy.
Main St/US Route 62 in Hamburg, NY is a case study of an outstanding Complete Streets redesign in a rural village in upstate NY. (Photo: Brendan Bannon for the New York Times)
About This Action
Communities in and around Ithaca have stated their desire to see increased bicycle use in their comprehensive plans, but more guidance is needed to understand the steps they need to take to reach these desired goals. Local municipalities should demonstrate their commitment to improved bicycling conditions by adopting three complementary policies: a Vision Zero Action Plan, a Bicycle Master Plan, and a Complete Streets Policy applicable to all capital road projects.
Vision Zero Action Plans and Bicycle Master Plans work together as the former sets the basic requirements for what our transportation system should be (it should let people get where they need to go without getting killed or injured), while the latter sets clear goals for what our transportation system will be. Vision Zero action plans should hone in on road improvements that will end the death or injury of vulnerable road users, such as people biking and walking (see Enforcement for more about Vision Zero), while Bicycle Master Plans should follow the guidelines set in Bicycling for Everyone’s Engineering chapter. Road projects should support the goals of at least one of the two plans, if not both, and community members can hold municipalities accountable to the commitments made in these plans.
Policies should also be implemented to help realize these plans. Complete Streets reviews should be conducted for all capital projects to ensure that accommodations for all transportation modes are considered when (re)-building streets. A well-crafted Complete Streets policy adapted to meet the needs of each municipality in and around Ithaca will methodically change our road network to adapt to the increased walking, bicycling, transit, carsharing, ride-hailing, and delivery needs it is already experiencing. A Complete Streets Training is currently being offered by the New York Bicycling Coalition at low-to-no cost through a grant from NYSERDA and the NYS Department of Health.
San Francisco Bay Area Families for Safe Streets is a group organized with help of Walk San Francisco to push for traffic law changes in line with Vision Zero. (Photo: phoca2004)
Let’s Make It Happen
This action, which is really three separate policies in one, should be implemented by municipalities across Tompkins County. Municipal staff, elected leaders, advocacy groups, and community members need to work in sync to enact each of these parts.
Are you a municipal staff member, elected official, or appointee that wants to start the process for some of these policies? Contact us for support on how to get moving.
Are you an engaged community member or organizer that wants your municipality to start making policy changes to improve bicycling? Reach out to us and we can connect you to the appropriate people in charge.
All Evaluation and Planning Actions
