The Complete Streets Act of 2009

Contact your member of Congress using our quick and easy form letter to show your support for making our streets safe and accessible to people of all ages and abilities. If your Senator or Representative has already signed on to the bill, you’ll be able to send a letter of thanks.

Senator Tom Harkin [IA] and Congresswoman Doris Matsui [CA-5] introduced the Complete Streets Act of 2009 in March. The bills will ensure that all users of the transportation system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users as well as children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities, are able to travel safely and conveniently on our streets.

In the Senate, we are proud to have Senator Carper [DE], Senator Specter [PA], Senator Leahy [VT], Senator Sanders [VT], Senator Begich [AK], Senator Whitehouse [RI], Senator Levin [MI], Sen. Nelson [FL], Sen. Klobuchar [MN], Sen. Cardin [MD], Sen. Durbin [IL], and Sen. Gillibrand as cosponsors on S. 584. Forty-three Members of Congress have signed on to H.R. 1443 as cosponsors:

Rep. Abercrombie [HI-2], Rep. Baldwin [WI-2], Rep. Blumenauer [OR-3], Rep. Boswell [IA-3], Rep. Boucher [VA-9], Rep. Boyd [FL-2], Rep. Braley [IA-1], Rep. Capps [CA-23], Rep. Carnahan [MO-3], Rep. Carson, [IN-7], Rep. Chu [CA-32], Rep. Clay, [MO-1], Rep. Cleaver [MO-5], Rep. Cohen [TN-9], Rep. Dahlkemper [PA-3], Rep. DeLauro [CT-3], Rep. Doyle [PA-14], Rep. Keith Ellison [MN-5], Rep. Eshoo [CA-14], Rep. Grijalva [AZ-7], Rep. Hirono [HI-2], Rep. Holden [PA-17], Rep. Holt [NJ-12], Rep. Lee [CA-9], Rep. Lipinski [IL-3], Rep. Loebsack [IA-2], Rep. Maloney [NY-14], Rep. Moran [VA-8], Rep. Napolitano [CA-38], Rep. Norton [DC], Rep. Polis [CO-2], Rep. Price [NC-4], Rep. Quigley [IL-5], Rep. Schauer [MI-7], Rep. Sestak [PA-7], Rep. Schiff [CA-29], Rep. Schwartz [PA-13], Rep. Sires [NJ-13], Rep. Stark [CA-13], Rep. Tsongas [MA-5], Rep. Tauscher [CA-10], Rep. Walz [MN-1], Rep. Welch [VT], Rep. Woolsey [CA-6], and Rep. Wu [OR-1].

Track the status of the bill, read the full bill text and check on co-sponsors for the House bill (H.R. 1443) and Senate bill (S. 584).

In May, Representative Matsui, joined by Representatives Carnahan [MO-3] and Sires [NJ-13], sent a letter to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) and Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR), urging incorporation of her complete streets legislation, H.R. 1443, in the 2009 transportation reauthorization bill the committee was drafting.

Representative Tauscher circulated a letter to representatives on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in early May. Eighteen representatives, including Rep. Tauscher, signed on to the letter, which requested committee leadership include complete streets as part of the transportation reauthorization bill. They are: Rep. Carnahan [MO-3], Rep. Sires [NJ-13], Rep. Baird [WA-3], Rep. Bishop [NY-1], Rep. Boswell [IA-3], Rep. Capuano [MA-8], Rep. Cohen [TN-9], Rep. Edwards [MD-4], Rep. Filner [CA-51], Rep. Hare [IL-17], Rep. Hirono [HI-2], Rep. Johnson  [TX-30], Rep. Lipinski [IL-3], Rep. McMahon [NY-13], Rep. Norton [DC], Rep. Perriello [VA-5], and Rep. Walz [MN-1].

The Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009 (STAA)

The House Transportation bill, The Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009 (STAA) (.pdf) was released in June by Representatives Oberstar (MN), Mica (FL), DeFazio (OR), and Duncan (TN) and was then passed by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Complete streets, termed “comprehensive street design policies and principles,” can be found in two places in the draft House bill: first, it directs the new Office of Livability to take steps to encourage States and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to adopt complete streets policies; and second, it revises federal code to require new projects receiving federal aid be consistent with “comprehensive street design policies and principles,” which must take into account the needs of all users of the transportation corridor.

We appreciate the potentially profound impact of this reform and are grateful for the leadership of Chairman Oberstar in including Complete Streets in the new bill. We look forward to working with him to strengthen the provisions in the Office of Livability by referring to language in the Complete Streets Act of 2009 (S 584/HR 1443). Specifically, we propose addition of the clear list of the elements that make a complete streets policy successful, including acceptable exceptions to the requirement. This list of elements was derived from the experiences of cities and states that are already working to implement complete streets, and would be a valuable addition to the authorization bill.

In addition to continuing to work with the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on STAA, we will continue to grow co-sponsorship for HR 1443 and S 584. The Complete Streets Act would require state and regional policy adoption, a process that fits the needs of the community and ensures more buy-in from agency and elected officials.

Take action! Ask your Senators and Representative to sign on to the Complete Streets Act of 2009. If they’ve already done so, you can thank them for their support of complete streets.

Transportation Bill Extended through December

Shortly before the draft House Transportation Bill was introduced, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced the Obama Administration’s preference for an 18 month extension of the current transportation bill (SAFETEA-LU). The Administration’s position to wait until spring 2010 to tackle passing a new transportation bill was supported by Senate Environment Public Works Committee Chairwoman Boxer [CA] and Ranking Member Inhofe [OK]. Days before SAFETEA-LU expired, a three-month extension of the current transportation law was approved by the House. This is much shorter than the Senate’s preference for an 18-month extension, which is currently awaiting a vote on the Senate floor. Both chambers put off an agreement for another month by adding an extension to spending bills.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES)

The US House of Representatives narrowly passed H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), last month. ACES is Congress’s first attempt to address the growing problem of climate change. The bill, now awaiting action in the Senate, requires States and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to address greenhouse gas reductions in their transportation planning, specifically by providing more ways for people to get around using public transportation, and by walking and biking. The term “complete streets” had been in the original version of the bill, but the language was changed to match the state and MPO planning language in STAA. In addition, states are allowed to use a small portion of the cap-and-trade auction revenues to pay for the matching funds on federally funded pedestrian, bicycle, and public transportation projects. Yesterday, the Senate Environment and Public Works committee examined the role that transportation can play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Secretary LaHood testified on the need to invest in transportation choices, such as public transportation, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities.

Your help is needed to build support for the Complete Streets Act of 2009!

Here are five things you can do:

1. Write to your legislators now, using our easy online tool, urging them to sign on as cosponsors. If your legislators have already signed on to the bill, you’ll have the opportunity to send a thank you note instead.
2. Call your in-district office to set up a meeting with your Member of Congress or their staff. Use GovTrack to find contact information for your Senator or Representative and get tips for scheduling a meeting on our resources page.
3. Call your Member’s DC office and ask to speak to the staffer working on transportation.
4. Fax a letter to your member’s office.
5. Spread the word - tell others about this federal action and how their support will make an impact!

Check out our resources section for talking points, sample letters, and more information about the bills.