Sioux Falls, SD (KELO-AM) Sioux Falls City Council has been asked to make city streets safer, healthier, and friendlier by adopting what's called a 'Complete Streets' policy.
The goal of Complete Streets is to have safe, comfortable and convenient access for people whether they are walking, driving, bicycling, or taking public transportation.
Mary Michaels with the Sioux Falls Health Department told Council Tuesday that costs due to collisions were reduced by $18 million in just one year in cities that have adopted this coordinated approach.
Michaels says a good example of Complete Streets is the changes made on Maine Avenue in downtown Sioux Falls, making it one-way and adding easier parking.
The National Complete Streets Coalition says that too many city streets are designed only for speeding cars, or worse, creeping traffic jams. The Coalition says over 700 agencies at the local, regional and state levels have adopted Complete Streets policies.