Congressman Cohen Advocates Sharper Focus on Complete Streets Principles and Spending

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, today wrote to President Biden, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt about the continued need to advance Complete Streets principles to address dramatic increases in both driving and pedestrian fatalities. The Congressman asked them to keep Memphis in mind especially for Safe Streets For All Program Grants.

The letter reads in part:

“As you continue to oversee implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), I want to reiterate the importance and urgency of allocating more funding for Complete Streets. Throughout the country, traffic fatalities remain tragically and stubbornly high. Few places suffer like Memphis, which has some of the most dangerous roads in the nation. I urge you to keep Memphis and the needs of historically disadvantaged communities front of mind, especially as you oversee the Safe Streets for All Program grants. 

“Over the past decade, this country has seen a dramatic increase in the number of Americans killed while both driving and walking. Last year, more than 42,700 individuals died in preventable motor vehicle traffic crashes, and more than 7,500 pedestrians were struck and killed by motor vehicles.  This crisis on our roadways is even worse in Black and brown and low-income communities which are disproportionately impacted. The City of Memphis, which is in my congressional district, is a prime example. Memphis has recently been named the third deadliest city for pedestrians by Smart Growth America, ranked first as the ‘city with the worst drivers’ based on traffic fatalities as evaluated by ConsumerAffairs, and named the least bike-friendly city in the nation, ranking 50th out of 50 evaluated cities in a comprehensive study by real estate site Clever. These statistics are staggering and sobering.

“In a recent Op-Ed titled ‘American Road Deaths Show an Alarming Racial Gap’ by Adam Paul Susaneck, he details how Black and Hispanic pedestrians are killed at significantly higher rates than white pedestrians, which was evidenced by a recent study published by Harvard and Boston University. Given that the demographics of the population of the city of Memphis is 64.6 percent Black or African American, the City of Memphis is certainly experiencing these discrepancies first-hand. Unfortunately, poor safety design has led to disproportionate safety outcomes for communities of color. 

“That is why I have been a staunch champion of Complete Streets principles, as their efficacy is indisputable. Complete Streets, which are designed to provide safe and accessible transportation options for multiple modes of travel, as well as for people of all ages and abilities, can be instrumental in reducing traffic deaths. And, as outlined by Smart Growth America, a Complete Streets approach also emphasizes the needs of those who have experienced systemic underinvestment, or those whose needs have not been met through a traditional transportation approach, such as older adults, people living with disabilities, people who don’t have access to vehicles, and Black, Native, and Hispanic or Latino/a/x communities.

“I was encouraged that the IIJA, which I was proud to support, included several tools and resources to help communities build Complete Streets including my and Senator Ed Markey’s Complete Streets Act, which required that states and metropolitan planning organizations set aside 2.5 percent of their highway planning funding for designing Complete Streets projects and policies that will improve safety and accessibility for all users of the road. This is in addition to the provided funding for Complete Streets activities through Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants, the National Highway Performance Program, the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, and the newly created Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program. 

“It is also encouraging that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and many other safety stakeholders now acknowledge that better roadway design must be part of the safety solution. I was particularly pleased to see the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) release a report to Congress last year detailing its commitment to Complete Streets and describing its adoption of Complete Streets as its default approach for funding and designing the majority of federally funded roadways. 

“It is evident around the country and especially in my district that much more work needs to be done to reduce roadway fatalities. The recently announced Safe Streets for All award of $640,000 will certainly help the City of Memphis in developing a comprehensive Action Plan to significantly reduce roadway fatalities by 2050. But as the City moves forward with developing its plan, it will need the administration to be a steadfast partner and provide necessary resources so that the action plan can be properly implemented. Whether through technical assistance or additional federal funding, I respectfully request that Memphis be given priority from your administration as it pertains to the implementation of the Safe Streets for All grant. Additionally, with several years of funding remaining for the program, I request that Memphis be given top consideration for subsequent rounds of funding. 

“I am also hopeful that you will continue to identify opportunities where increased funding can be allocated to Complete Streets projects, especially as it pertains to the massive block grants that are provided to each state. Local communities and cities can only do so much with the current opportunities, and state transportation departments need additional incentives and resources to prioritize Complete Streets approaches to state-funded roadways. For example, in Tennessee, the state maintains 96,187 total highway miles, including 216 miles of state routes with designated bike lanes. We will never be able to truly move the needle on roadway fatalities without a coordinated effort. 

“I believe that all Americans deserve the freedom to move safely, and I am especially committed to improving the safety of the residents of the Ninth Congressional District. I sincerely appreciate your leadership and the work you are doing to help implement the IIJA across the country and am hopeful we can increase pedestrian safety for all of our nation’s road users.” 

See the entire letter here.

# # #