It seems that Milford is the first township in Oakland County to have passed a Complete Streets resolution.

According to the Spinal Column:

Milford Township Planning Commission members are reviewing design features as part of the township’s “complete streets” policy to make streets more friendly to pedestrians and cyclists.

This comes after the commission passed a complete streets policy resolution in January, which was then adopted by the Milford Township Board of Trustees in February.

The policy allows the Planning Commission to review all street plans to ensure all public and private street projects, including reconstruction, are built to follow the guidelines of the federal Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials to accommodate all users of the rights-of-way or private road easements.

“This allows the township to be more involved in street improvements with help from the county and state planning process,” said Milford Township Building Official Timothy Brandt.

The Township is also looking to “adopt a non-motorized transportation network plan.”

What’s interesting about this development is Michigan townships generally aren’t in the road business. They don’t receive state or federal road funds. They typically rely on their county or county road commission for road design, construction, and maintenance.

And to date, the Road Commission for Oakland County does not support Complete Street designs. How this gets resolved given the Township’s resolution remains to be seen.

One interesting note: the newest Road Commissioner for Oakland County is from Milford. From what we hear, he gets Complete Streets and might help push the organization forward.

An unnecessary exception?

Below is the Milford Township Complete Streets resolution, which includes this interesting exception:

Where non-motorized network improvements are contrary to the community’s intent to preserve areas having or perceived to have a low density pattern of development, being generally void of man-made improvements such as paved roadways, and exhibiting open Fields, farmland or woodlands as common elements of the visual landscape; and,

To us, this looks like unnecessary. Complete Streets are context sensitive. There is no singular design. Low density communities have designs that make sense for that area. Complete Streets are not incompatible with low density development nor open space preservation.

Perhaps this was added to allay fears that it would lead to paving roads and removing roadside trees for sidewalks.

And the Village of Milford?

Milford Township and the Village share the same planner, who has offered to help the Village with a Complete Streets policy. Tow Village Planning Commissioners attended a Complete Streets introduction last fall and “found it to be very informative” but that’s all we know.

Charter Township of Milford
Oakland County, Michigan
Resolution No.:
Resolution to Adopt a Complete Streets Policy

At a regular meeting of the Charter Township of Milford Board held on 2011 at which a quorum of the Board was present, the following preamble and

Resolution was offered by and supported by

WHEREAS a complete street is a safe, accessible, and convenient street for all users regardless of transportation mode, age, or physical ability; and

WHEREAS research has demonstrated that complete streets offer many benefits to communities, regardless of their size and location, including improving public safety and air quality, relieving congestion, fostering livable communities, and bolstering economic growth; and

WHEREAS Michigan recently became the 14U| slate to adopt complete streets legislation by signing into law Public Act 135, which amends Public Act 51 of 1951 governing the expenditure of state transportation funding, and Public Act 134 which amends the Michigan Planning Enabling Act; and,

WHEREAS PA 135 stipulates that before a city, village or township approves any project that affects a roadway or transportation facility under the jurisdiction of another agency, it shall consult with that agency and agree on how to address the respective complete streets policies before approving a non-motorized project affecting a transportation facility whether it is under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), or under the jurisdiction of the county or another municipality; and

WHEREAS PA 135 further stipulates that before MDOT submits its multiyear capital plan to the state transportation commission or a county road agency approves its multi-year capital plan, for any project that affects a roadway or transportation facility within or under the jurisdiction of a city, village, or township, the MDOT or county road agency shall consult with the affected city, village or township and agree on how to address the respective complete streets policies; and

WHEREAS the aforementioned consultation requirements do not apply if neither the agency proposing the projecl nor the affected agency has a complete streets policy; and

WHEREAS the Milford Township Planning Commission previously articulated their support for complete street initiatives or projects through the adoption of the Milford Community Master Plan on February 26, 2009;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that in order to improve the safety and efficiency of the transportation system located within the Charier Township of Milford and to promote the health and economic opportunities of its residents and visitors, it is the policy of the Township to encourage “complete streets” and, in furtherance of that policy,

IT IS ALSO RESOLVED until such time the Charter Township of Milford may adopt a non-motorized transportation network plan, the Township Planning Commission shall review all street plans to ensure all public and private street projects, including reconstruction projects, are built using guidance from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines and AASHTO (American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials) standards to safely accommodate all users of the right-of-way or private road casement, including pedestrians, people requiring mobility aids, bicyclists, skateboarders, and drivers and passengers of transit vehicles, trucks, automobiles and motorcycles, with [he following exceptions:

• Where their establishment would be contrary to public health and safety or would otherwise be prohibited;
• When the cost would be excessively disproportionate to its need or probable use, or burdensome to total infrastructure cost associated with the project;
• Where the length of the project does not permit a meaningful addition to the nonmotorized network;
• Where the provision of non-motorized facilities is environmentally unfeasible due to natural resource constraints;
• Where non-motorized network improvements are contrary to the community’s intent to preserve areas having or perceived to have a low density pattern of development, being generally void of man-made improvements such as paved roadways, and exhibiting open Fields, farmland or woodlands as common elements of the visual landscape; and,
• Where reconstruction of the right-of-way is due to an emergency.

Resolution Adopted

Tags: complete streets, Milford, RCOC

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 30th, 2011 at 11:54 pm and is filed under General bike news. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.