SENATE MEMORIAL 88

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2014

INTRODUCED BY

Cisco McSorley

A MEMORIAL

DECLARING FEBRUARY 11, 2014 "NEW MEXICO COMPLETE STREETS DAY" IN THE SENATE.

     WHEREAS, the term "complete streets" is described by the national complete streets coalition as roadways planned, designed, constructed, operated and maintained to enable safe and convenient access to all legal users of roads, streets and highways in a manner that promotes safe and efficient movement of people and goods whether by car, truck, transit, assistive device, foot or bicycle; and

     WHEREAS, in a complete streets neighborhood or town, children, the elderly and other residents who may not be able to use a private car have usable sidewalks, safe bicycle routes and public transit options to reach schools, stores and other destinations; and

     WHEREAS, in a complete streets neighborhood or town, commuters and shoppers have the reasonable and safe choice to use a private vehicle or to walk, bike or take public transit to reach their destinations; and

     WHEREAS, the national complete streets coalition includes multiple public interest groups such as the AARP, the national association of realtors and the American public transportation association, and a variety of practitioner organizations such as the institute of transportation engineers, the national association of city transportation officials, the American society of landscape architects, the American planning association and the association of pedestrian and bicycle professionals; and

     WHEREAS, the national complete streets coalition works for the adoption and effective implementation of complete streets policies at the local, state and federal levels; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico complete streets leadership team is a member of the national complete streets coalition; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico complete streets leadership team consists of over sixty members statewide and includes members with a diverse array of technical expertise, including transportation professionals, planners, engineers, public health professionals, medical professionals, bicycling advocates, landscape architects and liaisons from the department of transportation and the department of health; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico complete streets leadership team also includes members from a diverse array of communities, including representatives from tribal, urban and rural communities; and

     WHEREAS, vehicular and public transportation and bicycle and pedestrian modes of travel are integral to the New Mexico transportation system, and all transportation projects are opportunities to improve safety, access and mobility for all travelers; and

     WHEREAS, accommodations for all users need to be supported in all phases of transportation development, including planning, design, new construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, maintenance, assessment and operations of any state, county or local transportation facilities; and

     WHEREAS, the department of transportation's vision to "set the standard for a safe, reliable, and efficient transportation system", and its mission to "provide a safe and efficient transportation system for the traveling public, while promoting economic development and preserving the environment of New Mexico", aligns with inclusion of complete streets principles; and

     WHEREAS, the department of transportation has a critical responsibility for ensuring the safety of all transportation system users, and it participates in the New Mexico complete streets leadership team to provide technical assistance and guidance; and

     WHEREAS, providing multiple safe choices of travel has been demonstrated to foster vibrant downtown centers and commercial districts, attracting new private investment and leading to job creation, which further stimulates local economies and generates additional revenues for local governments in what is known as a virtuous economic loop; and

     WHEREAS, walkable communities are good for working families and cause property values to increase; and

     WHEREAS, residents who have more options for transportation to and from their work, school and shopping have lower monthly costs and therefore have more disposable income to spend in their communities; and

     WHEREAS, the department of transportation has a planning mandate for receipt of federal funding under United States Code Title 23, Section 135, which requires transportation planning to "provide for the development and integrated management and operation of transportation systems and facilities (including accessible pedestrian walkways and bicycle transportation facilities) that will function as an intermodal transportation system for the State and an integral part of an intermodal transportation system for the United States", as well as to "protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and State and local planned growth and economic development patterns"; and

     WHEREAS, the department of transportation is currently undertaking the planning process for development of the 2040 statewide long-range multimodal transportation plan that includes a framework and resource allocation that supports simultaneous evaluation and promotion of complete streets principles; and

     WHEREAS, the department of transportation's transportation system includes roads in rural, small town, suburban and urban areas; and

     WHEREAS, the department of transportation administers federal and state funds for all phases of transportation projects at the state, tribal, regional, county and local government levels; and

     WHEREAS, obesity in New Mexico has reached epidemic proportions and, according to the 2011 New Mexico behavioral health risk factor surveillance system, nearly sixty-three percent of New Mexicans are overweight or obese; and

     WHEREAS, "walkability" is the term used to describe a neighborhood that has safe sidewalks and biking routes and access to transit combined with desirable destinations, such as schools, stores, restaurants and enjoyable places for an evening stroll; and

     WHEREAS, studies have demonstrated that the walkability of a neighborhood has a direct and specific relation to the health of its residents because people with access to safe places to walk and cycle are more likely to meet recommended daily activity levels; and

     WHEREAS, one comprehensive study of walkability found that people in walkable neighborhoods engage in thirty-five to forty-five minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week and are substantially less likely to be overweight or obese than similar people living in low-walkability neighborhoods, and a separate, more focused study found that residents are sixty-five percent more likely to walk when they live in a neighborhood with sidewalks; and

     WHEREAS, easy access to transit can also contribute to healthy physical activity, and nearly one-third of transit users meet the surgeon general's recommendations for minimum daily exercise through their daily travels; and

     WHEREAS, a report prepared by the national conference of state legislatures found that the most effective policy for encouraging bicycling and walking is to incorporate sidewalks and bike lanes into community design, essentially creating complete streets; and

     WHEREAS, established resources are available for policy analysis and development as well as best practice design guidance for bicycle, pedestrian, transit and highway facilities; and

     WHEREAS, an ideal complete streets policy:

          A. includes a vision for how and why the community wants to complete its streets;

          B. specifies that the term "all users" includes pedestrians, bicyclists and transit passengers of all ages and abilities, as well as trucks, buses and automobiles;

          C. applies to both new and retrofit projects, including design, planning, maintenance and operations, for the entire right of way;

          D. makes any exceptions specific and sets a clear procedure that requires high-level approval of exceptions;

          E. encourages street connectivity and aims to create a comprehensive, integrated, connected network for all modes;

          F. is adoptable by all agencies to cover all roads;

          G. directs the use of the latest and best design criteria and guidelines while recognizing the need for flexibility in balancing user needs;

          H. directs that complete streets solutions will complement the context of the community;

          I. establishes performance standards with measurable outcomes; and

          J. includes specific next steps for implementation of the policy;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the right of all people to expect to be able to safely access and use roadways for transportation be recognized; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that February 11, 2014 be declared "New Mexico Complete Streets Day" at the senate; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of transportation, the secretary of health, the board of directors of the middle Rio Grande development council and the chair of the complete streets in New Mexico leadership team.

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