Washington, DC – In 2015, the City of Little Rock made a formal commitment to safer streets that work for everyone by passing a Complete Streets policy. Now, this policy has been named one of the best in the nation from last year.

The Best Complete Streets Policies of 2015, an annual ranking from Smart Growth America’s National Complete Streets Coalition released Tuesday, evaluated all 82 Complete Streets policies passed in 2015. Little Rock’s policy came in at eighth best in the nation, with a score of 85.6 out of a possible 100.

An ordinance passed by Little Rock City Directors led to the adoption of a Complete Streets Policy that calls for the development of a safe, reliable, efficient, integrated and connected multimodal transportation system that ensures the safety of all anticipated users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, persons with disabilities, freight haulers, and motorists. Projects large and small that include new construction as well as retrofits, maintenance activities, and repaving will allow the City to adopt best practices and produce context-sensitive designs. 

“To be among the Top 10 in the nation for our Complete Streets policy is gratifying because it tells us we are on the right path to doing what’s best for our citizens,” City Manager Bruce T. Moore said. “We are eager to turn policy into practice and implement these concepts in our street projects.”

“A Complete Streets approach is about helping everyone stay safe on the road—no mater if they’re walking, biking, taking transit, using an assistive device, or driving,” said Emiko Atherton, Director of the National Complete Streets Coalition. “Passing a Complete Streets policy is one of the best actions communities can take toward achieving these goals, and hundreds of communities across the country now have these kinds of policies in place. What’s even more exciting is that the language of these policies continues to improve — and that means streets that work better for everyone.”

Mayor Mark Stodola will be one of the featured speakers during a kickoff webinar for this new analysis. This free webinar will take place this afternoon from noon – 1 p.m., and can be joined online or by phone.

The City of Reading, Pa., passed the best-written policy of 2015, scoring an unprecedented perfect 100. Nationwide, a total of 898 Complete Streets policies have been passed by 843 separate jurisdictions, including municipalities, counties, metropolitan planning organizations, state agencies, and states.

See more information about the winning policies, evaluation criteria, and the full rankings at http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/best-complete-streets-policies-of-2015.

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Smart Growth America is the only national organization dedicated to researching, advocating for, and leading coalitions to bring better development to more communities nationwide. From providing more sidewalks to ensuring more homes are built near public transportation or that productive farms remain a part of our communities, smart growth helps make sure people across the nation can live in great neighborhoods. For additional information, visit https://smartgrowthamerica.org/.