complete streets : making Delaware safe for physical activity

In recent years, public and private organizations have focused on how the design of communities such as roads, sidewalks, bike lanes and parks affects public health. The physical or built environment is a major contributor to an individual’s health. As more communities are designed primarily for transportation by automobile, there are less opportunities to walk or bike to places close to home.

Complete streets are roadways designed to include pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and public transit users of all ages and abilities. They include features like sidewalks, medians, raised crosswalks, bike lanes and special bus lanes. Complete streets promote active living by making it possible to travel to destinations on foot, by bike or public transportation.

To see how communities can be designed to make physical activity a part of daily routines, view the slideshow below.

Complete streets improve pedestrian safety. A study cited by the National Complete Streets Coalition found that designing the street in a pedestrian-friendly manner by redesigning intersections and sidewalks and installing raised medians reduces pedestrian risk by as much as 28%. Complete streets also promote physical activity by creating safe routes to school for children.

A growing body of research indicates that children are more physically active if they can walk or ride a bike from home to school or other locations. There are over 100 complete streets policies across the country, including in the state of Delaware. Download our Complete Streets brief to learn how Delaware counties and towns can make healthy changes.

For more information on complete streets, visit the National Complete Streets Coalition’s website at www.completestreets.org.