Overview
Project Update
The Streets Department and the Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities (MOTU) have recently updated the Complete Streets Handbook checklist, section 5 of the Handbook and wanted to share the revisions with you . The Streets Department and MOTU will be extending the comment period for the handbook until November 1st. We urge you to submit any and all comments to
ariel.ben-amos@phila.gov, in writing, between now and November 1st.
Checklists will be available at the appropriate counters for review from Oct 1. These checklists shall be distributed to all projects that meet the threshold for project review (see checklist). They will be distributed for informational purposes only. The revised Handbook will be made available on-line in early February.
Philadelphia has nearly 2,600 miles of streets, and every day Philadelphians use them to
walk, drive, bike, or ride transit. Some streets were first built in the 1600's and others laid
down in the 1950's. Our streets come in a diversity of widths and serve a variety of different
purposes. No matter when the pavement was first laid down, it is our responsibility to
ensure that our streets serve the needs of all Philadelphians today and in the future. In
2009, Mayor Michael Nutter issued an executive order, ensuring that the City's streets
would accommodate "all users of the transportation system, be they pedestrians, bicyclists,
public transit users, or motor vehicle drivers." In doing so he made a promise that all of the
City's streets would be designed, built, and maintained as "Complete Streets." The
Philadelphia Complete Streets Design Handbook should be used by City and State agency
staff, design professionals, private developers, community groups, and others involved in
the planning and design of streets in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Complete Streets Design Handbook illustrates preferred multimodal street
design and management practices within the City of Philadelphia and provides project
review checklists to ensure these designs and practices are applied to new, reconstructed
or redesigned City streets. The Handbook catalogues existing local policies and design
standards related to design of streets, sidewalks, intersections, and other elements in the
public right-of-way. It also provides recommended policies and practices where they did not
previously exist. All design treatments presented in this Handbook have been tailored to the
unique needs and dimensions of Philadelphia streets and provide flexibility for adaptation to
local contexts and unique circumstances. The Handbook encourages the use of
engineering judgment and provides flexibility for adaptation of designs to specific conditions;
however, the guidelines contained in this document should be followed wherever practicable
to create a street environment that promotes safety, comfort, and access for all users. All
designs remain subject to case-by-case Streets Department approval based on established City code, engineering standards and professional judgment.
The Philadelphia Complete Streets Design Handbook was developed through a
collaborative effort led by the Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities (MOTU) and a
Steering Committee including the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT),
Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC),
Southeastern Public Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Delaware Valley Regional Planning
Commission (DVRPC), Center City District, and University City District. Community groups,
business organizations, developers, and other stakeholders were also engaged in
development of the Handbook through interviews, focus groups, and reviewing draft
content.
Click the map below to visit the Complete Streets Interactive map
Download the Streets Design Handbook:
To download a low resolution version of the Complete Handbook, click here (8 MB).
To download a low resolution version of the the matrix, click here
To download a low resolution version of the the checklists, click here
To download the Complete Streets Policy, click here
To download the Complete Streets Bill, click here
For more information, questions, feedback
or to schedule a presentation for your community group, email Ariel Ben-Amos
Click here for a detailed overview of the Complete Streets Handbook.