Thanks to the leadership of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, the state budget that was adopted on June 8th includes a state-wide Complete Streets policy.

A “Complete Street” is a roadway designed for all road users, including bicyclists, pedestrians, wheelchair users, car drivers and bus riders. Sounds like a no-brainer, but in fact, many roads today, even in cities, are designed as incomplete streets, suitable for use only by automobiles and trucks – no sidewalks, no cross walks, no bike lanes, no place for a bus to pull over. This causes all sorts of problems, including bikes riding 2 feet from 50 mph traffic, bikes on sidewalks, pedestrians jay-walking to get to a bus-stop with no sidewalk going to it, and people in wheelchairs riding in the gutter.

The Wisconsin Complete Streets policy will require every road project that receives state money to be designed with bikeways and sidewalks. There are a few loopholes, but they are not too bad. All in all, a good bill.

Click here for more information on Complete Streets.