Moving towards the future: Complete streets policy in the u.s

Complete Streets policies aim to accommodate all modes of transportation by guiding planning efforts during the (re)design of streets and roadways. The design is to take into equal consideration vehicle drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and those using public transportation. This study builds on recent work in which concepts of Diffusion of Innovation Theory were applied to Complete Streets policies and policy adoption. In the present study, geospatial analyses were conducted to assess potential spatial autocorrelation that may exist for city, county/region, and state Complete Streets policy diffusion. City, county/region, and state Complete Streets policies enacted between 1971 and 2012 were mapped using ArcGIS 10.0 and analyzed for spatial autocorrelation using the Moran's I and Average Nearest Neighbor (ANN) spatial statistics. Data from 307 city policies, 60 county/region policies, and 29 state polices from the continental U.S. were analyzed. City policies were significantly dispersed from one another between 2000 and 2006. Thereafter, they were significantly clustered from 2007 forward. County/region policies were significantly clustered from 2010 forward. State policies were significantly clustered after 2009. City and county policies reveal a unique pattern of clustering along major US freeways I-95, I-94, I-70, and I-40. State-level policies are primarily east of the Mississippi River. Over time, Complete Streets policies have become clustered, providing further support that communities with policies inform adoption of policy by other nearby communities. These results are in accordance with Diffusion of Innovation Theory. Further spatial analyses may analyze potential relationships across policy levels (e.g., from county/region to state).