[Adopted 2-24-2016 by Ord. No. 11-2016]
[Amended 7-18-2016 by Ord. No. 24-2016]
The Township of Livingston's Complete Streets Policy promotes a comprehensive, integrated, connected multimodal transportation network by providing connections to bicycling and walking trip generators such as employment, education, residential, recreational and public facilities, as well as retail and transit centers. The policy is built around 10 main goals and establishes a priority action plan to address pedestrian, bicyclist and transit accommodations.
Goals are as follows:
A. 
Create a comprehensive, integrated, connected multimodal transportation network by facilitating connection to bicycling and walking trip generators such as employment, education, residential, recreational and public facilities, as well as retail and transit centers.
B. 
Provide safe and accessible accommodations for existing and future pedestrian, bicycle and transit facilities.
C. 
Develop procedures for Township officials to evaluate transportation projects, major site plan reviews and redevelopment plans, and to ensure that adequate consideration of bicycle, pedestrian and transit needs are incorporated into the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of projects.
D. 
Transportation facilities constructed for long-term use shall anticipate likely future demand for bicycling and walking facilities and not preclude the provision of such future improvements.
E. 
Designs shall address the need for bicyclists and pedestrians to cross corridors, as well as travel along them, in a safe, accessible and convenient manner; therefore, the design of intersections, interchanges and bridges shall anticipate use by bicyclists and pedestrians.
F. 
Bicycle and pedestrian facilities shall be designed and contracted to the best currently available standards and practices including the New Jersey Roadway Design Manual, the AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, AASHTO's Guide for the Planning, Design and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities, the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices and others as related.
G. 
Provisions shall be made for pedestrians and bicyclists when closing roads, bridges or sidewalks for construction projects as outlined in NJDOT Policy #705, Accommodating Pedestrian and Bicycle Traffic During Construction.
H. 
Improvements shall also consider connections for trail crossings and areas or populations groups with limited transportation options.
I. 
Improvements shall comply with Title VII, Environmental Justice, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and complement the context of the surrounding community.
J. 
Improve health and reduce rates of several chronic diseases (i.e., diabetes and heart disease) by incorporating physical activity into our daily lives with an increase in bicycle and pedestrian activity.
[Added 7-18-2016 by Ord. No. 24-2016]
Exemptions to the Complete Streets Policy shall be documented with supporting data that indicates the reason for the decision and are limited to the following:
A. 
Pedestrian and bicycle facilities shall not be required where they are prohibited by law.
B. 
Where scarcity of population, travel and attractors, both existing and future, indicate an absence of need for these accommodations, they shall not be required.
C. 
Where detrimental environmental, safety or social impacts outweigh the need for these accommodations, they shall not be required.
D. 
Proposed bike lanes and sidewalks shall have connections to adjoining Township and county roads. Bike lanes and sidewalks with no planned connections may not be considered.
E. 
In any project, should the cost of pedestrian, public transit, and/or bicycle facilities cause an excessive increase in project costs as determined by engineering estimates, that would have to be funded with local tax dollars, then and in that event, approval by the Council must be obtained for same prior to bidding of the project.
F. 
The safety or timing of a project may not be compromised by the inclusion of complete streets.
The complete streets priority action plan is an accompaniment to Livingston's Complete Streets Policy and has been developed to identify priority actions and improvement areas for decision-makers, and Town engineering and planner managers to focus their attention and propose complete street alternatives in adherence to the policy.
A. 
Work with the Township of Livingston School District to encourage walking and bicycling to school policies for school-aged children.
B. 
Encourage and facilitate complete streets improvements on roadways owned and maintained by Essex County and the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT). This will include, but is not limited to, the identification of roadway segments/intersections with particularly challenging bicycle, pedestrian and motor vehicle circulation and the facilitation of redesign concepts or processes that support complete streets.
C. 
Identify and collaborate with Town staff in pursuit of grants and outside funding programs that may facilitate development of complete streets infrastructure in Livingston Township.
D. 
Implement complete streets improvements during publically funded development on the Township roadways shown in Attachment A[1] to the maximum extent feasible. Level A streets shall be given highest priority and consideration, followed by Level B streets, and sidewalk improvements only shall be considered on Level C streets. Several streets noted in Attachment A are owned and maintained by Essex County; the Township shall encourage the county to fund complete streets improvements during their annual roadway resurfacing program to the maximum extent practical on these noted roadways, such that a continuous complete street pathway is created through the Township.
(1) 
Improvements may include accommodations for bicyclists, pedestrians and transit users such as sidewalks, bicycle lanes of travel, bicycle racks, bicycle-safe inlet grates, traffic calming measures, pavement markings, crosswalks, pedestrian-actuated traffic signals with pedestrian signal heads and pushbuttons, signage, ADA improvements, shade trees, planters, environmental enhancements, transit shelters, public seating, and trash and recycling receptacles.
(2) 
Publically funded transportation and land use projects on the above streets consisting only of sidewalk repairs, microsurfacing, creak sealing, large area pavement repairs, bicycle facility roadway markings, striping or signage, installation of bike racks or street furniture and installation of ADA curb ramps shall not be required to install additional complete streets improvements.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said attachment is on file in the Township offices.
E. 
Promote al fresco dining throughout the Township to engender the community and encourage pedestrian activity.
F. 
Mandate that safe access is maintained for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users and delivery vehicles with detour routes provided as necessary, during both public and private construction.
G. 
Require public works employees to consider complete streets policies during their maintenance activities. Employees shall be expected to:
(1) 
Complete street cleaning of the entire street surface from the roadway to the curb; and
(2) 
Ensure that snow plowing does not push snow into crosswalks, blocking access. Blocked crosswalks shall be cleared as soon as possible.
H. 
The Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment shall promote bicycle and pedestrian improvements during their review of commercial, retail, office, and multifamily residential land uses.