Local Stakeholders Convene for Complete Streets

Smart Growth America | October 29, 2019

Article Link: Local Stakeholders Convene for Complete Streets

A a roundtable hosted by U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (TN-9) in Memphis, TN last week about creating safer streets was almost prescient. Unlike some members of Congress who are still victim blaming (ehm, Rep. John Garamendi [CA-3]), Rep. Cohen is leading on this issue and proposing legislative solutions like the Complete Streets Act of 2019. The meeting brought together stakeholders from the state, county, and local governments as well as dozens of local advocates from organizations like BLDG Memphis, AARP, the Memphis Area Association of Realtors, and Innovate Memphis.

Throughout all of the questions and comments over the course of the next few hours, a few themes emerged.

1. The rise in deaths among people walking and biking is the result of consciously planning our communities to move vehicles quickly instead of moving people safely, and it’s only getting worse.
2. Local governments need help from the federal government in addressing this problem; after all, the feds helped create this crisis in the first place.
3. The Complete Streets Act of 2019 (introduced and sponsored by Rep. Cohen) would be a meaningful first step if passed.

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