The National Complete Streets Coalition, a program of Smart Growth America, announced on February 18th that Portsmouth NH ranked 7th in the country for its quality Complete Streets policy, passed by the City Council in October 2013.
The concept of Complete Streets means that when a road or street is built or re-built, it takes into consideration all those who will or could be using it. This differs from the “traditional” method of designing for cars and trucks, then adding on amenities for pedestrians and bicyclists if there is time, room, or money.
Incorporating sidewalks and bike lanes encourages walking and bicycling. This is healthier, but it also means that those who do not drive have better, safer access to groceries or services or jobs – or even public transportation.
Plan NH congratulates Rick Taintor and his team in the Portsmouth Planning Department for their vision and determination to break from the usual and start to forge a new future for Portsmouth.
