A national survey and roadmap on complete streets infrastructure asset management policy

Abstract

Complete Streets are being implemented across the US, and transportation agencies need to incorporate them into asset management systems cost-effectively maintain functionality. Although there has been a range of progress at the state level, many gaps need to be filled to include Complete Streets in asset management policies and improve practices, and there is no national guidance or comprehensive plan to achieve this. This study developed a roadmap to fill those gaps regarding infrastructure asset management. To create this roadmap, the study completed the following tasks: 1) develop and implement a survey supplement it with in-depth surveys with several agencies, 2) synthesize survey outcomes, 3) identify current statuses, challenges, and needs, and 4) develop a roadmap for Complete Streets infrastructure asset management. All 50 state transportation departments participated in the national survey. This paper synthesizes the outcomes of the surveys and literature review. The survey results showed that many agencies have some Complete Streets guidance (39/50), but only seven agencies have Complete Streets performance measures and no agency has bike/ped specific condition measures. The three primary challenges are: 1) inadequate funding related to organizational structure 2) the need for performance measures, and 3) the need for improved data accessibility, collection methods, and management techniques. The proposed Roadmap to Complete Streets Asset Management Policies includes pathways for 1) asset management performance measure development and 2) data collection and analysis. The roadmap organizes existing needs into a step by step framework for incorporating Complete Streets into infrastructure asset management programs and policies. Policy implications include the need for network-level performance measures and targets that the entire agency is responsible for, improved data collection techniques, and internal structural adjustments to encourage collaboration and data sharing within departments of transportation.