Summary
Complete Streetsimprovements can take years to design, fund, and build. Pop-up Complete Streets events showcasetemporary street treatments and provide community members with an immediate, tangible visualization of Complete Streets designs. Insummer and fall 2016, Active Transportation Alliance (Active Trans) held six pop-up events in suburban Cook County municipalities that were made possible with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Temporary facilities such as bicycle lanes, crosswalks, and roundabouts were created with materials like duct tape, tar paper, and paint. Residents of all ages came out for the events. Three municipalities are planning to construct permanent facilities.
“This just solves all my problems.” – School crossing guard explaining how Complete Streets facilities at a pop-up event at Skokie’s Niles North High School helped address traffic safety issues in front of the school.
Challenge
According to the CDC, physical activity improves health by lowering risk for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression and some cancers. Yet, 1 in 4 adults in suburban Cook Countyare physically inactive (Illinois BRFSS, 2012). Research shows that people who live in communities with facilities for walking or bicycling, or those that take public transit, are more likely to be physically active. Sidewalks, crosswalks, bicycle lanes, mid-block crossings, and other types of “Complete Streets” facilities, however,can take years to design, fund, and build. For communities that have adopted Complete Streets policies and understand the urgent need for safe streets for all users, the lag between the policy process and seeing changes on the ground can be frustrating for both municipality staff and community members.
Don’t even think about it,
complete the street!
Nicholas Armbruster, resident at pop-up event in South Chicago Heights, IL
Results
Over summer and fall 2016, six municipalities held pop-up events with Active Trans’ support.
While the development of Complete Streets policies can be a very dry, inside-baseball discussion of project delivery processes, pop-up events engage a broader audience in Complete Streets designs.Residents of all ages came out to the events.Participation varied with as little as 81 and as many as260 residents in attendance.Many noticed that the temporary facilities slowed traffic and made it safer to cross the street, and wanted to see similar facilities on other roads in their community.
In addition to the event providingresidentswith an opportunity to see the benefits of Complete Streets in their own community, the demonstration allowed Village staff to hear feedback on the facilities.For example, in the Village of Willow Springs, the Village Administrator witnessed young children enjoying the protected bicycle lane so much that they circled back to the start of the lane and rode through it again and again. This resulted in him asking Active Trans to leave the duct-tape bicycle lane in place for residents to continue to take advantage of it after the event.
Sustainable Success
Three of the six municipalities are now planning to construct more permanent facilities based on input they received at the pop-up event.Active Trans continues to work with eightsuburban Cook County municipalities to help make Complete Streets a reality, and has also started working with two more to advance a Complete Streets policy. As word has spread about the success of the pop-up events, staff has heard from municipalities and community groups who are interested in hosting similar events. While it’s too early to tell how the model will be replicated, the events this year have demonstrated that temporary demonstrations can be a powerful catalyst tobuild support for Complete Streets in suburban communities.
10/20/2016Active Transportation Alliance, Healthy HotSpot Success Story: Bringing Complete Streets to Life, page 2