What are Complete Streets Demonstrations?
Complete Street demonstrations are live, on-street events that temporarily convert a street into a walkable, bikeable neighborhood destination for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy. A Complete Streets demonstration is an opportunity to interactively show how the safety of all users can be taken into account while enhancing a neighborhood’s sense of place. In addition, Complete Street demonstrations often incorporate art and local culture/heritage into the project. This type of project is often called “Creative Placemaking” or “Tactical Urbanism.”
Pictured Above: Temporary bike lanes, curb extensions, and crosswalks are added to Marlboro Street in Keene to show residents how the street could be more “Complete”.
A demonstration day may involve temporarily widening sidewalks, painting crosswalks and bike lanes, creating outdoor seating and dining, installing trees, planters, pop-up businesses, lighting, “parklets” (i.e. mini parks that are about the size of a parking space), public art, and more. One source of inspiration for these event is the The Better Block Project, a grassroots initiative to create walkable, vibrant neighborhood centers.
Case Studies: Complete Streets Demonstrations in the Monadnock Region
The Monadnock Alliance for Sustainable Transportation has helped organize five Complete Streets demonstrations in the Monadnock Region in Keene, Swanzey, Hinsdale, Troy, and Jaffrey. Upcoming events are planning in 2017 in Walpole, Harrisville, and Winchester. Click on the link above to learn more!
Complete Streets Demonstration Resources
> Tactical Urbanist’s Guide to Materials and Design. This resource, created by Streets Plan Collaborative, was developed in order to provide materials and design guidance for projects that advance street safety and enhance placemaking efforts in both the short- and long- term. The materials and design guidance is organized by the type of project: demonstration (1 day-1 month), pilot (1 month-1year), and interim design (1-5 years). This resource also includes case studies from around the country.
> Tip Sheet: From Pop-up to Permanent. This post from the Alliance for Walking and Biking shares advice and tips from three people: Dave Campbell from Bike East Bay in California, Ian Sansom from the PEDS in Atlanta, Georgia, and Yvette Lopez-Ledesma from Pacoima Beautiful in California.
> How to Build a Green Bike Lane. Found on The Better Block “Tools for Better Blocks” page, this recipe includes a list of “ingredients” and step-by-step instructions for building a temporary green bike lane.
> Transportation 4 America’s Creative Placemaking Guide. Transportation 4 America released this guide to Creative Placemaking in early 2016. The guide is tailored to transportation planners, public works staff, and local officials, and it emphasizes the role of arts, culture, and creativity in the planning and design process for transportation projects.
> Project for Public Spaces “Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper” Webpage. The Project for Public Spaces is a nonprofit planning, design and educational organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that build stronger communities. Their Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper Transformations of Public Spaces page contains information and resources related to simple, short-term, and low-cost solutions for improving public spaces in neighborhoods and cities.
> The Better Block Project Website. The Better Block Project is a grassroots initiative to create walkable, vibrant neighborhood centers. To learn more, watch the video below: