“Complete streets” is a nationwide design effort to ensure that the streets and roads of cities and towns are available to everyone. Throughout the United States, cities, counties and states are asking their planners and engineers to build road networks that welcome all citizens. Both the City of Durango and La Plata County have picked up the charge and incorporated “complete streets” into their comprehensive and strategic plans. The policy’s underlying principles are:

• Complete streets are designed to enable safe access for all users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities must be able to safely move along and across a complete street.

• Creating complete streets means changing the policies and practices of transportation agencies.

• A complete-streets policy ensures that the entire right of way is routinely designed and operated to enable safe access for all users.

• Agencies must ensure that all road projects result in a complete street appropriate to local context and needs.