Wisconsin passes complete streets!

Complete Streets Legislation
Wisconsin now joins only a few states to have passed Complete Streets legislation. This important legislation provides for accommodation of bicycle and pedestrian facilities in new or reconstruction road projects.

What are Complete Streets?
Complete streets 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.

What do Complete Streets policies do?
Complete streets 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.

The Many Types of Complete Streets.
There is no one design prescription for complete streets. Ingredients that may be found on a complete street include: sidewalks, bike lanes (or wide paved shoulders), special bus lanes, comfortable and accessible public transportation stops, frequent crossing opportunities, median islands, accessible pedestrian signals, curb extensions, and more. A complete street in a rural area will look quite different from a complete street in a highly urban area. But both are designed to balance safety and convenience for everyone using the road. Below, we showcase the variety of options in creating roads that are safe for all users, regardless of age, ability, or mode of transportation.

The Wisconsin Complete Streets law:
SECTION 1918gr. 84.01 (35) of the statutes is created to read: 84.01 (35) (a) In this subsection:
1. "Bikeway" has the meaning given in s. 84.60 (1)(a).
2. "Pedestrian way" has the meaning given in s.346.02 (8) (a).
(b) Except as provided in par. (c), and notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter or ch. 82, 83, or 85, the department shall ensure that bikeways and pedestrian ways are established in all new highway construction and reconstruction projects funded in whole or in part from state funds or federal funds appropriated under s. 20.395 or 20.866.
(c) The department shall promulgate rules identifying exceptions to the requirement under par. (b), but these rules may provide for an exception only if any of the following apply:
1. Bicyclists or pedestrians are prohibited by law from using the highway that is the subject of the project.
2. The cost of establishing bikeways or pedestrian ways would be excessively disproportionate to the need or probable use of the bikeways or pedestrian ways. For purposes of this subdivision, cost is excessively disproportionate if it exceeds 20 percent of the total project cost. The rules may not allow an exception under this subdivision to be applied unless the secretary of transportation, or a designee of the secretary who has knowledge of the purpose and value of bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, reviews the applicability of the exception under this subdivision to the particular project at issue.
3. Establishing bikeways or pedestrian ways would have excessive negative impacts in a constrained environment.
4. There is an absence of need for the bikeways or pedestrian ways, as indicated by sparsity of population, traffic volume, or other factors.
5. The community where pedestrian ways are to be located refuses to accept an agreement to maintain them.