Chapter 12.40
COMPLETE STREETS POLICY
Sections:
12.40.040 Complete streets infrastructure.
12.40.050 Goals to foster partnerships.
12.40.060 Best practice criteria.
12.40.070 Performance standards.
12.40.080 Context sensitivity.
12.40.010 Purpose.
The city of Sultan shall, to the maximum extent practical, scope, plan, design, construct, operate and maintain appropriate facilities for the safe accommodation of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, emergency responders, freight and users of all ages and abilities in all new construction, retrofit or reconstruction projects. Through ongoing operations and maintenance, the city shall identify cost effective opportunities to include complete streets practices. (Ord. 1376-22 § 1 (Att. A))
12.40.020 Definitions.
A. “Complete streets infrastructure” means design features that contribute to a safe, convenient, or comfortable travel experience for users, including but not limited to features such as: sidewalks; shared use paths; bicycle lanes; automobile lanes; paved shoulders; street trees and landscaping; planting strips; curbs; accessible curb ramps; bulb outs; crosswalks; refuge islands; pedestrian and traffic signals, including countdown and accessible signals; signage; street furniture; bicycle parking facilities; public transportation stops and facilities; transit priority signalization; traffic calming devices such as rotary circles, traffic bumps, and surface treatments such as paving blocks, textured asphalt, and concrete; narrow vehicle lanes; raised medians; and dedicated transit lanes.
B. “Complete street principles” means principles to provide appropriate accommodation for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and persons of all abilities, while providing safe operation for all users, including motorists. (Ord. 1376-22 § 1 (Att. A))
12.40.030 Exceptions.
Facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users and/or people of all abilities are not required to be provided when:
A. A documented absence of current or future need;
B. Nonmotorized uses are prohibited by law;
C. Ordinary maintenance activities designed to keep assets in serviceable condition (e.g., mowing, cleaning, spot repair, and surface treatments including but not limited to chip seal treatments, or interim measures for detours, haul routes, and street closures); or
D. Improvements solely to traffic signals or signage; provided, that such improvements shall consider the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as motorists, including mass transit users; or
E. The cost would be disproportionate to the current need or probable future uses; or
F. It is not feasible to attain the additional right-of-way needed; or
G. In instances where the city council has directed that the complete streets principles not be applied due to other special factors for a particular street or street segment. (Ord. 1376-22 § 1 (Att. A))
12.40.040 Complete streets infrastructure.
As feasible, Sultan shall incorporate complete streets infrastructure into existing public and private streets to create a comprehensive, integrated, connected transportation network that balances access, mobility, health and safety needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, emergency responders, freight and users of all ages and abilities, ensuring a fully connected, integrated network that provides transportation options. (Ord. 1376-22 § 1 (Att. A))
12.40.050 Goals to foster partnerships.
It is a goal of the city to foster partnerships with all Washington State transportation funding agencies including the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the Federal Highway Administration, Snohomish County, Community Transit, Sultan School District, citizens, businesses, interest groups, neighborhoods, and any funding agency to implement the complete streets chapter. (Ord. 1376-22 § 1 (Att. A))
12.40.060 Best practice criteria.
The public works director or designee shall modify, develop and adopt policies, design criteria, standards and guidelines based upon recognized best practices in street design, construction, and operations including but not limited to the latest editions of American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) while reflecting the context and character of the surrounding built and natural environments and enhance the appearance of such. (Ord. 1376-22 § 1 (Att. A))
12.40.070 Performance standards.
All projects in the city and city policies, design criteria, standards and guidelines shall follow best practices in planning, design, construction, and operations, including:
A. National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO):
1. Urban Street Design Guide;
2. Transit Street Design Guide;
3. Urban Bikeway Design Guide;
4. Urban Street Stormwater Guide.
B. American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO):
1. A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets;
2. Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities;
3. Guide for the Planning, Design and Operations of Pedestrian Facilities.
C. Federal Highway Association (FHWA):
1. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD);
2. PEDSAFE: Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System;
3. Bikeway Selection Guide;
4. Incorporating On-Road Bicycle Networks Into Resurfacing Projects.
D. Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE): Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach.
E. U.S. Access Board: Accessibility Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way.
This section of the complete streets policy may be revised following updates to the city’s comprehensive plan. The updates should be completed by the public works department to ensure that the listing of design standards and guidelines are maintained with modern best practices.
The technical design standards required for state or federally funded projects will supersede local requirements in this policy if there is an actual conflict between the local and state or federal standards and if funding will be impacted by adherence to the local standard. (Ord. 1376-22 § 1 (Att. A))
12.40.080 Context sensitivity.
The city shall align land use and transportation goals, policies, and code provisions to create complete streets solutions that are appropriate to individual contexts and neighborhood character; that best serve the needs of all people using streets and the right-of-way; and that support the policies of the comprehensive plan. Context-sensitive design allows roadway design decisions to be more flexible and sensitive to community values, and to better balance economic, social, and environmental objectives. The city shall take a flexible, innovative, and balanced approach to creating context-sensitive complete streets that meet or exceed national best practice design guidelines. This includes a shift toward designing at a human scale for the needs and comfort of all people and travelers, in considering issues such as street design and width, desired operating speed, hierarchy of streets, mode balance, and connectivity. Since community values and resources vary from project to project, context-sensitive solutions should be defined with the local community. Furthermore, design criteria shall not be purely prescriptive but shall be based on the thoughtful application of engineering, architectural, urban design principles, and maintenance. (Ord. 1376-22 § 1 (Att. A))