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Council member presses for ‘complete streets’ upgrades in 2025 repaving, flags sidewalks on Ridge and other gaps
Summary
A council member urged the city to implement its Complete Streets policy during the 2025 repaving program, highlighting neighborhoods without sidewalks (notably Ridge) and saying the council may consider an ordinance to require policy compliance or formal exemption process.
A council member at the Aug. 5 Oxford City Council meeting urged the city to follow its Complete Streets policy when repaving neighborhoods, arguing that some streets being resurfaced—such as Ridge—lack sidewalks and therefore are not safe for all users.
The speaker noted that the city’s comprehensive and transportation plans have repeatedly called for improved walkability and bikeability, and said the 2014 pedestrian-bicycle safety plan and the 2019 Complete Streets policy establish standards that the city should implement when repaving. "Would you send your 5 year old down the street at night walking in the middle of the street?" the council member asked, using the example to highlight safety concerns for children, people using mobility devices and cyclists.
The council member described a Parking and Transportation Advisory Board (OPTAB) recommendation made last December that the city either reallocate part of the 2025 repaving funds or commit to the improvements in a capital plan within two years. He said OPTAB flagged streets constructed in the 1950s and 1960s that were built without sidewalks and said some collector streets—citing Ridge as an example—serve dozens of properties and provide critical north–south connections.
Staff said the service department had estimated costs for full improvements and that installing sidewalks on both sides of a street would be expensive; the council member observed that one-sided sidewalks would be less costly and that there is an exemption/waiver process but that council should decide the policy’s level of enforcement. He said he planned to bring legislation to formalize a commission or opt-out recommendation in order to make the policy decision a council-level matter rather than an administrative one.
Councilors and staff acknowledged past progress—bike lanes, trail projects and other pedestrian improvements—but the council member urged officials not to use past accomplishments to avoid upgrading remaining gaps. City staff said they will continue working with OPTAB and the service department on cost estimates and implementation approaches; no final council vote or ordinance on complete-streets enforcement took place on Aug. 5.
Next steps: The council member said he will bring forward legislation to clarify how the Complete Streets policy is applied to repaving projects and to set a process for exemptions. Staff will continue cost estimation and coordination with OPTAB and the service department.
