What is the primary objective of complete streets policies?

• A. To maximize vehicle throughput and reduce travel times for cars
• B. To provide safe and accessible rights-of-way for pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, motorists, and people of all ages and abilities
• C. To prioritize freight movement over all other users
• D. To minimize pedestrian infrastructure to save costs

Answer: (B)

The key idea behind complete streets policies is designing and operating the road network to be safe and usable by everyone, not just drivers. It focuses on providing safe and accessible rights-of-way for pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, motorists, and people of all ages and abilities. This means features like continuous sidewalks, safe crosswalks, protected bike lanes or greenways, accessible transit stops, curb ramps, and thoughtfully designed intersections that slow traffic and improve visibility. The goal is inclusive mobility and safety across all modes and user groups, so streets support daily needs from walking a child to school to taking an elderly neighbor to a medical appointment.

This perspective runs counter to trying to maximize car throughput, prioritize freight over other users, or cut pedestrian infrastructure to save costs, because those approaches would undermine safety, equity, and multimodal access that complete streets aim to achieve.