Lake County Gazette

At their Sept. 12 meeting, Highland Park City Council members were presented a draft of a Complete Streets Policy for feedback. A Complete Street Policy is a plan or construction process that ensures that every driver, pedestrian, cyclist, and transit rider will be able to access a street safely. 

Joel Fontane, director of Community Development, talked about the importance of taking a variety of factors into account when planning new policies for streets and sidewalks in the city.

"When prioritizing projects, consider underserved populations to ensure lack of access to a car is not a barrier to travel, safety, health, employment, and housing," Fontane said. "In terms of project selection, how we're going to operationalize that is by identifying areas with high-need populations. And so census tracts where underserved or at risk populations meet or exceed count, they produce two different types of data that would aid our consideration of where those areas are in the city. City staff and community development will aid public works in that area, and we'll be working with them through the capital improvement process to have that information ready for their use in capital budgeting."

In 2012, the city adopted a bike-walk policy that was updated and expanded. With specific performance measures, this policy focuses on underserved users and best practices in all situations. The intent is to guide the city in future endeavors to create a safe and usable environment for everyone.

Council was told the city will not necessarily be completely repaving every road and pathway. In all future constructions, reconstructions, planning and zoning, and major rehabilitations, this will be a factor in planning and implementing. The city's sidewalk policy from last year will remain in effect, it won't be overridden, and it won't require an increase in budget.