Getting There: Spokane’s ‘Complete Streets’ law updated to require more bike and pedestrian infrastructure

Pedestrians and bicyclists should get a boost in Spokane in the coming years after the city updated its “complete streets” law, requiring safety and access upgrades when streets are reconstructed.

The law passed in 2011, and while the potential for increased construction costs caused some pause amid the global recession, its recent update was approved unanimously earlier this summer, which local leaders believe indicate its success and popularity in the past 14 years.

Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown signed the update into law Wednesday, praising the leadership of Councilwoman Kitty Klitzke and Transportation Director Jon Snyder in shepherding the law more than a decade ago.

“Now, 15 years later, still guided by their leadership, I’m signing into law an update to that legislation that reaffirms our commitment to maintaining streets that are safely accessible to all,” Brown said.

There are many technical changes in the update, such as aligning the law with the city’s Bicycle Priority Network, Pedestrian Master Plan and state law, all of which city officials believe will make it easier to compete for infrastructure grant funding.

But there are two significant, practical changes. First, the city must prioritize creating access to sidewalks and bus stops for pedestrians and bicyclists during construction, with the goal of preventing people from having to take wide detours when roads are being constructed.

And perhaps most notably, the city has eliminated some of the exceptions that allowed it to avoid adding bike lanes and pedestrian improvements in projects. When the law was first created, the extra bike and pedestrian infrastructure wouldn’t have to be included if it made up 20% or more of a project’s total cost. That language has been removed, and future exceptions of any kind will have to be reviewed by the city’s Transportation Commission, likely ensuring more projects will get the Complete Streets treatment.

“We’ve made great progress on Complete Streets in the last decade, but this will hopefully help us accelerate that progress,” Snyder said in an interview.

During Wednesday’s signing, Klitzke argued the ordinance has been a “great example of how your city is working to improve our infrastructure and govern in a way that really works for the people, making the streets safer for everyone.”