Effect of Complete Streets Infrastructure and Design on Street Life

Complete streets policies are spreading throughout the United States, and this thesis explores their provides greater understanding of how complete streets style designs impact street life. Research for the thesis includes observations of street life at four locations with complete streets designs as well as interviews with residents, community advocates, municipal planners, and other project stakeholders. Observational research provides examples of how people interact in a complete streets environment, compared with control sites within the same neighborhood. This thesis found that complete streets style infrastructure effects street life through improved street safety, creating a welcoming environment and sense of place, and through economic development. The study of four street redesigns and interviews with project designers reveal implementation patterns and which parts of the street redesign were most effective in achieving their goals. The thesis concludes with a critique of complete streets design and implementation, yet proposes that they should be created where possible due to their positive impacts on safety for the most vulnerable street users.