The Washington Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity will bring two national complete streets experts to Tacoma April 26 to lead a workshop integrating local and national expertise to identify how to more effectively implement the city’s complete streets policy.

The City of Tacoma adopted a Complete Streets policy in 2008, and built upon it by passing a resolution adopting Complete Streets design guidelines in November 2009. The policy aims to create road networks that are safe and inviting for pedestrians of all ages and abilities, transit users and operators, bicyclists, and drivers.

The National Complete Streets Coalition, in cooperation with the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals, have created workshops to help communities design, build and maintain complete streets.

In Tacoma, the day-long workshop will help key decision makers, public agency staff, and other stakeholders assess existing policy and decision-making process outcomes, determine how to strengthen them, and identify how to measure their effectiveness in achieving multiple community goals. The workshop is being sponsored by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Washington State Department of Health, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, and Bicycle Alliance of Washington.

“This workshop will better enable Tacoma’s multifunctional team of public works and planning staff to implement the Complete Streets Guidelines and principles on all our future projects,” said Diane Wiatr, Mobility Coordinator for the City of Tacoma. “The technical engineering and design lessons learned at this workshop will be demonstrated on future roadway projects. The entire community will benefit from this workshop as Tacoma consistently builds user-friendly Complete Streets.”

For more information, visit http://www.cityoftacoma.org/planning .