WATS Hosts Public Forum on Complete Streets Plan for Dexter, Chelsea

CHELSEA — Reaching out to local residents in rural parts of western Washtenaw County, representatives from the Washtenaw Area Traffic Study (WATS) held a public forum Tuesday to answer questions on its proposed Complete Streets plan.

Complete Streets is a statewide initiative that encourages local municipalities to incorporate the needs of all users of roads — including pedestrians, bicyclists, seniors, people with disabilities and children — in developing transit projects that seek federal funding.

"For for too long, we've invested entirely on roads specifically for automobiles only," said Ryan Buck, senior transportation planner for WATS. "As we continue to plan and develop our transportation corridors, we have to make sure we've considered all modes of transportation. That includes bicyclists, public transportation vehicles and riders, freight and automobile traffic, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities."

Buck said the plan, which is available for public review online, can be tailored to individual communities.

"We're not saying that every municipality has to retrofit their corridors with bike lanes and bus stops," he said. "This is about thinking what the actual needs are in a specific community and then beginning to move forward.

"We understand that there is more of a need for automobile parking and pedestrian facilities in urban settings while still recognizing the need for connected wide, paved shoulders in rural communities to accommodate both bicycles and farm equipment," he said.

Chelsea Mayor Jason Lindauer said the Complete Streets initiative is crucial for rural communities.

"Having a plan to supply transportation in a city like ours is critical for senior mobility and independence, aging in place, green space preservation, development patterns and integrating vulnerable populations with schools and medical facilities," Lindauer said. "All of those things, when you talk about streamlining transportation development in Chelsea, are things we focus on.

"I think the main frustration with transportation and streets in general is that it's always a multiagency issue, and it's always long term in scope," he said. "What we have to keep in mind is that planning and funding is a decades-long issue."

Buck said Dexter is already ahead of other muncipalities in the planning process since it adopted a Complete Streets ordinance in November 2010.

According to Ann Arbor.com, the ordinance was developed by AARP and members of the Walking and Bicycling Task Force, which include the Michigan Department of Community Health, the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, the Michigan Department of Transportation and Consumers Energy.

The ordinance is meant to promote a safe network of access for all transit users.

“The goal of developing a Complete Streets ordinance and policy will be to continue planning, designing and engineering the village’s transportation network to serve all ages and abilities through the inclusion of all elements of transportation,” Allison Bishop, community development manager, told the website.

Buck said WATS will continue to take feedback on the proposed plan on its website through Friday. All comments will be considered in the plan's development before it is submitted to the WATS policy committee for approval.

For more information, visit miwats.org and click the "Complete Streets" link.