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Legislature adds bridges to county Complete Streets oversight, requires written findings from Public Works
Summary
The Ways and Means Committee approved legislation requiring the Department of Public Works to provide a written explanation when it decides not to include a designated bike and pedestrian lane on bridge projects, adding bridges explicitly to the county's complete streets review process.
The Ways and Means Committee voted Sept. 10 to amend the county's bicycle and pedestrian policy to make bridges an explicit part of complete-streets considerations and to require written explanations when Department of Public Works (DPW) projects omit designated bike or pedestrian lanes.
Legislator Stewart, sponsor of the change and a member of the trail advisory committee, told the committee that current county safe-streets policy and the existing bike-and-pedestrian policy did not explicitly reference bridges. The proposed legislation would require DPW to appear before the legislature or provide a written explanation describing the feasibility and need for a designated bike and pedestrian lane when a bridge is built or renovated.
"When I initially brought this idea forward, I did receive some pushback from the administration, saying that a designated bike and pedestrian lane is not necessarily required on all bridges," Legislator Stewart said. He said the requirement was narrowed so that short or remote bridges with low traffic would not automatically require a lane; instead DPW would submit a written explanation, not necessarily design drawings, of why a lane is or is not required.
Legislator Nolan, who chairs Public Works, told the committee the transportation committee had voted unanimously in favor and that the amended language removes the need for full designs while preserving oversight. "When I say we altered the language, so that a design is not required, but a written explanation is," Stewart said.
The county administration and DPW staff said bridges have been considered under existing environmental compliance checklists and Complete Streets policy reviews, and DPW indicated willingness to provide additional backup documentation on decision-making. DPW staff noted the policy dates to 2009 and suggested a more comprehensive review may be timely.
The committee adopted the resolution by unanimous voice vote.
The change requires DPW to add a short written justification to project backup when it decides a designated bike or pedestrian lane is not feasible, giving the legislature added oversight without mandating lanes on every structure.
