San Antonio Complete Streets Coalition

The San Antonio Complete Streets Coalition includes a wide range of local leaders and passionate community groups with a shared common goal of adopting an updated complete streets policy for the City of San Antonio. A complete streets policy is a formal policy that supports the creation of a safe, equitable multimodal transportation network through the strategy of requiring that every road construction and reconstruction project makes a street safe and comfortable for all users, preferably with prioritization of investment in communities that have historically been underserved. The San Antonio Complete Streets Coalition meets on the last Tuesday of every month at noon on Zoom. Please let us know if you would like us to add you and your community group to our coalition!

Spoiler alert! The City of San Antonio adopted a new Complete Streets policy on September 24, 2024!

Complete Streets Navigation

What Are Complete Streets

Why Do We Need Complete Streets

What does a Complete Street look like?

Get Involved!

Events

Complete Streets in the News

What Are Complete Streets?

A complete street will accommodate all road users, regardless of age, ability, or mode of transportation. Complete streets might include sidewalks, bike lanes, cycle tracks, wide paved shoulders, special bus lanes, comfortable and accessible transit stops, frequent crossing opportunities, median islands, accessible pedestrian signals, sustainable roadway design, or curb extensions.

According to Smart Growth for America, the Complete Streets Policy Framework requires accountability to ensure that a policy produces tangible changes and prioritizes the needs of the most vulnerable users. For communities considering passing a new Complete Streets policy or updating an existing Complete Streets policy, an ideal Complete Streets policy includes the following 10 elements, each of which provide a range of points in the grading process: 1.) Establishes commitment and vision; 2.) Prioritizes underinvested and underserved communities; 3.) Applies to all projects and phases; 4.) Allows only clear exceptions 5.) Mandates coordination; 6.) Adopts excellent design guidance; 7.) Requires proactive land-use planning; 8.) Measures progress; 9.) Sets criteria for choosing projects; 10.) Creates a plan for implementation.

Why Do We Need Complete Streets?

A Stark Reality: The Escalating Crisis on Our Streets

San Antonio has witnessed a harrowing surge in pedestrian fatalities and crashes over recent years, underscoring an urgent need for comprehensive and localized Complete Streets policies. In 2020, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) reported a record-breaking number of pedestrian deaths, with the San Antonio Police Department recording 61 total casualties.

Spicer, B. (2022, June 24). Bicyclist struck in hit-and-run crash on north side, police say. *KSAT*.

According to a report by the San Antonio Report, subsequent years did not bring relief. In 2021 alone, the San Antonio area experienced 626 incidents of vehicles colliding with pedestrians, resulting in 88 tragic fatalities and 132 serious injuries. Additionally, cyclists faced perilous conditions with 312 reported incidents of vehicles striking them, leading to 8 fatalities and 22 serious injuries in the same year. This translates to an alarming average of 18 pedestrians and cyclists being struck by vehicles every week in the metro area.

San Antonio’s Ranking: A Call to Action

Smart Growth America. (2022). *Dangerous By Design 2022* (p. 27).

The urgency of addressing pedestrian and cyclist safety in San Antonio is further emphasized by its ranking in reports on metro area safety. According to Smart Growth America’s “Dangerous by Design 2022” report, not only has every single one of the 20 most deadly metro areas, including San Antonio, grown more deadly over the last decade, but also no area has improved its position by reducing its fatality rate. San Antonio, grappling with its own safety challenges, ranked 20th, signaling a critical need for transformative action in our street design and policy approach.

What does a Complete Street look like?

Complete Streets, as defined by Smart Growth America, are designed to provide safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders, regardless of age or ability. But Complete Streets have an added benefit—they can help communities address the climate crisis in a way that is resource-efficient, equitable, and community-oriented. This flexible approach to street design adapts to each community’s unique needs, incorporating features like sidewalks, bike lanes, and accessible transit stops. While designs vary, the consistent goal is to ensure every street offers a safe, convenient travel experience for everyone.

Sources: Salud America!, San Antonio Report, KSAT, ActivateSA (clockwise).

Complete Streets & The City of San Antonio

Over the course of a year (2023-2024), the San Antonio Complete Streets Coalition worked with the City of San Antonio Transportation Department on updating the city’s Complete Streets Policy. With the help of various citizen committees and stakeholder groups, the city has created an updated version of the policy which emphasizes accessibility, flexibility, and integrates focus areas such as Vision Zero (zero traffic deaths), green infrastructure, stormwater management, public transit, and diverse user needs.

Important milestones:

September 19, 2024: ADOPTED by the San Antonio City Council!
May 29, 2024: Approved by the Planning Commission and sent to the San Antonio City Council for adoption.
May 21, 2024: Approved by the City Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and sent to the San Antonio City Council for adoption.

For more details about the policy and what are the next steps for implementation, please visit the San Antonio Transportation Department’s Complete Streets webpage: https://www.saspeakup.com/completestreets

How our community got involved

Residents emailed their city council members in support of a new Complete Streets policy and participated in community meetings hosted by the City of San Antonio.

Members of the San Antonio Complete Streets Coalition spoke in support of Complete Streets and the Vision Zero Action Plan at City Council and the Planning Commission.

Residents and City of San Antonio staff participated in Street Audits on our local streets.

Community Organizations signed onto our San Antonio Complete Streets Coalition support letter.

SA Complete Streets Support Letter by ActivateSA