COMPLETE STREETS POLICY

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code tit. II, ch. 431, art. VIII

in effect

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 431-801 Definitions.

Sec. 431-801. - Definitions. In addition to the definitions in section 431-100 of the Code, as used in this article the following terms shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this section: "Complete street" means a street or highway that is designed and operated as part of an interconnected multimodal transportation system to enable safe, reliable, efficient and equitable access for all users, in that pedestrians, users of personal mobility devices, transit riders, bicyclists, and operators of vehicles, motorcycles and motor vehicles of all ages, abilities, disabilities, races, genders, gender identities, incomes and socioeconomic status are able to safely and concurrently move on, along and across the street or highway. "Construction" shall mean the planning, supervising, inspecting, actual building, draining, and all expenses incidental to the construction of a street or highway, including reconstruction to a degree that new, supplementary, or substantially improved traffic service is provided, and significant geometric or structural improvements are effected. "Exception" shall mean to allow an activity in the roadway to which the complete streets policy established in this article is applicable to be done or performed without applying the complete streets policy in the planning, programming, design, and performance or construction of the activity. "Maintenance" shall mean the constant making of needed repairs to a street or highway to preserve a smooth surface and for adequate drainage, marked and guarded by protective structures for public safety and, as to bridges, means the constant making of needed repairs to preserve a smooth surface thereon and the safety and preservation of the bridge and its approaches, together with the substructure and superstructure thereof. By way of example, not of limitation, activities constituting maintenance are crack sealing, pot hole patching, strip patching, street sweeping, the clearing of drainage inlets and outlets, the repair or replacement of guardrails and the repair or replacement of traffic control signals, signs and markings. "Restoration and rehabilitation" means work required to return the existing structure (roadway pavement or bridge deck) to a suitable condition for an additional stage of construction (bridge deck protective system or resurfacing) or to a suitable condition to perform satisfactorily for a substantial time period. "Resurfacing" means the placement of additional pavement layers (including protective systems for bridge decks) over the existing (or restored or rehabilitated) roadway or bridge deck surface to provide additional strength or to improve serviceability for a substantial time period. "Transportation improvement project" means a capital improvement project involving the construction, reconstruction, resurfacing, or restoration and rehabilitation of a street or highway under the jurisdiction of the city. "Underserved neighborhoods" means those areas identified within the Transportation Equity Index developed as part of the transportation segment of the Comprehensive Plan of Marion County with the greatest need for alternative forms of transportation, taking into account areas with the following combined densities: persons below two hundred (200) percent the federal poverty level, adults aged 65 years and older, youth ages 10 through 17 years, zero-vehicle households, persons with limited mobility or mobility impairment, persons with limited English proficiency, and persons who self-describe as non-White/Caucasian. (G.O. 22, 2012, § 1; G.O. 25, 2022, § 2)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 431-802 Complete streets policy.

Sec. 431-802. - Complete streets policy. It shall be the policy of the city to develop a safe, reliable, efficient, integrated and connected multimodal transportation system that will promote access, mobility and health for all users, and will ensure that the safety and convenience of all users of the transportation system are accommodated, including pedestrians, users of personal mobility devices, transit riders, bicyclists, and operators of vehicles, motorcycles, and motor vehicles of all ages, abilities, disabilities, races, genders, gender identities, incomes and socioeconomic status, as well as authorized emergency vehicles, buses, commercial vehicles, trucks, trailers and tractors, freight providers and adjacent land users, while enabling access to destinations such as home, school, work, recreation and retail destinations. (G.O. 22, 2012, § 1; G.O. 25, 2022, § 3)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 431-803 Applicability and implementation.

Sec. 431-803. - Applicability and implementation. (a) The complete streets policy is applicable to: (1) Transportation improvement projects undertaken by the department of public works for the city. (2) Transportation improvement projects undertaken by any person other than the city (e.g., the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation). (3) Privately constructed streets and parking lots in Marion County. (4) Public utilities undertaking activities to construct, relocate, operate and maintain a public utility facility within the roadway of a street or highway which involves activities falling within the meaning of "construction" as defined in this chapter. (5) Franchisees undertaking activities to construct, relocate, operate and maintain a facility within the roadway of a street or highway pursuant to a franchise granted by the council pursuant to chapter 645 of the Code which involves activities falling within the meaning of "construction" as defined in this chapter. (6) Any other person authorized to use or occupy the roadway of a street or highway pursuant to a permit, encroachment license, operating agreement, or as otherwise may be established by the Code which undertakes activities to construct, relocate, operate and maintain a facility within the roadway of a street or highway which involves activities falling within the meaning of "construction" as defined in this chapter. (b) The city shall view the complete streets policy as integral to everyday transportation decision-making practices and processes and shall implement the complete streets policy: (1) By causing relevant departments, agencies, or committees to incorporate complete streets principles into all existing plans, standards, regulations and programs affecting streets or highways and the city's transportation network, including, by way of example not limitation, ReZone Indy, the Comprehensive Plan of Marion County, Transportation Equity Index, historic preservation plans, the transportation capital program, transit, pedestrian, bicycle and trail master plans, and an Art in the Right-of-Way Policy and a Tactical Urbanism Policy adopted by the board of public works. (2) By encouraging staff professional development and training on issues related to non-motorized forms of transportation through attending conferences, classes, seminars and workshops on the subject. (3) By identifying all current and potential future sources of funding for street and highway improvements. (4) By promoting inter-departmental project communication and coordination among city departments with an interest in activities that occur within the roadway of city streets and highways in order to better use fiscal resources, including establishment of a cross-departmental protocol for application of the complete streets policy. (5) By developing educational materials regarding complete streets principles and outreach processes which prioritize equitable and inclusive community engagement so that all users of the city's transportation system can understand and safely utilize complete streets project elements and to make such materials available on the complete streets web page required under section 431-807 of the Code (6) By fostering partnerships with the State of Indiana, neighboring communities and counties, developers, businesses and school districts to develop facilities and accommodations that further the city's complete streets policy and to continue such infrastructure beyond the city's borders. (7) By the department of public works approaching every transportation improvement project undertaken for the city as an opportunity to create safer, more accessible streets and highways for all users by applying the complete streets policy in its planning, programming, design, construction and maintenance. (8) By the department of public works and the department of business and neighborhood services requiring other persons undertaking a transportation improvement project to apply the complete streets policy in their planning, programming, design and construction of a transportation improvement project as a condition of approval of the project and the issuance of permits to construct the project. (9) By the department of metropolitan development and the department of business and neighborhood services requiring persons proposing to privately construct streets or parking lots to apply the complete streets policy in their planning, programming, design and construction of a street or parking lot as a condition of approval of the associated development project and the issuance of permits to construct the street or parking lot. (10) By the department of business and neighborhood services requiring all persons, public utilities and franchisees to apply the complete streets policy in their planning, programing, design and construction of facilities which such person, public utility or franchisee may have within the roadway of a street or highway as a condition of approval of permits for conducting activities in the roadway. (G.O. 22, 2012, § 1; G.O. 25, 2022, § 4)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 431-804 Exemptions; exceptions.

Sec. 431-804. - Exemptions; exceptions. (a) Exemptions. The following are exempted from application of the complete streets policy: (1) Construction undertaken by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) on streets or highways designated as part of the state highway system. However, where possible the department of public works should consistently advocate INDOT to consider complete streets principles and the effect of its projects on all users of city streets or highways, including those city streets or highways that cross or otherwise intersect with a designated state highway. (2) Construction undertaken by a municipality, municipal corporation or other political subdivision in Marion County on streets or highways under its jurisdiction. However, where possible the department of public works should encourage such municipalities, municipal corporations and political subdivisions to consider complete streets principles and the effect of their projects on all users of city streets or highways, including those city streets or highways that cross or otherwise intersect with a street or highway under their jurisdiction. (3) Maintenance performed by the department of public works on streets or highways under the city's jurisdiction which are determined, in writing, by the director of public works as being impracticable or inapplicable. (b) Exceptions. For any activity to which the complete streets policy applies, a request for an exception shall be determined by established departmental criteria and accompanied by supporting documentation and data demonstrating that application of complete street principles is unnecessary, unduly cost prohibitive, inappropriate because it would be contrary to public safety, or other available means or factors indicate an absence of need, including future need. Measures such as average daily counts of traffic, pedestrian or bicycle use of a street or highway alone shall not be justification for an exception to the complete streets policy. If granted, the exception shall be made in writing, and all documentation related thereto shall be publicly available. (c) The following are empowered to grant exceptions to the complete streets policy based on the criteria set forth in subsection (b) above: (1) For a transportation improvement project undertaken by the department of public works for the city, the director of public works may grant an exception. (2) For a transportation improvement project undertaken by any person other than the city, the director of public works may grant an exception. (3) For privately constructed streets and parking lots that are a part of a subdivision plat, the plat committee of the metropolitan development commission may grant an exception. (4) For privately constructed streets and parking lots that are not a part of a subdivision plat, the director of the department of business and neighborhood services may grant an exception. (5) For public utilities undertaking activities to construct, relocate, operate and maintain a public utility facility within the roadway of a street or highway which involves activities falling within the meaning of "construction" as defined in this chapter, the director of the department of business and neighborhood services may grant an exception. (6) For franchisees or any other person authorized to use or occupy the roadway of a street or highway pursuant to a permit, encroachment license, operating agreement, or as otherwise may be established by the Code undertaking activities to construct, relocate, operate and maintain a facility within the roadway of a street or highway which involves activities falling within the meaning of "construction" as defined in this chapter, the director of the department of business and neighborhood services may grant an exception. (d) Reporting on exceptions shall be done in accordance with section 431-807 of the Code. (G.O. 22, 2012, § 1; G.O. 25, 2022, § 5)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 431-805 Design standards.

Sec. 431-805. - Design standards. (a) The city shall follow accepted or adopted design standards and use the best and latest design standards concerning complete streets principles available in its planning, programming, design and construction of transportation improvement projects. In recognition of context sensitivity, public input and the needs of many users, a flexible, innovative and balanced approach that follows other appropriate design standards may be considered, provided that a comparable level of safety for all users is present. (b) The transportation standards adopted by the board of public works shall include standards for application of the complete streets policy, and the department of public works shall regularly review and request that the board update the standards to incorporate the latest design guidance, standards and recommendations regarding complete streets. (c) The department of metropolitan development shall regularly review the street design standards of the subdivision control ordinance and any related regulations which apply to private construction of new streets and request updates to them to incorporate the latest design guidance, standards and recommendations regarding complete streets. (G.O. 22, 2012, § 1; G.O. 25, 2022, § 6)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 431-806 Performance measures.

Sec. 431-806. - Performance measures. (a) The city shall measure the success of the complete streets policy using, by way of example but not limited to, the following performance measures: • Total miles of bike lanes. • Linear feet of new sidewalks or other pedestrian accommodations. • Number of new curb ramps installed along city streets or highways. • Number of crosswalk and intersection improvements. • Percentage of transit stops accessible via sidewalks and curb ramps. • Rate of crashes, injuries, and fatalities by mode. • Percentage of private and public projects applying complete streets principles which are located within one-half mile of a school. • Percentage of private and public projects applying complete streets principles which are located in underserved neighborhoods. • Number of private and public projects for which exceptions to the complete streets policy are granted and the percentage of those granted exceptions located in underserved neighborhoods. • Other relevant measures as determined by the city. (b) Reporting on performance measures shall be done in accordance with section 431-807 of the Code. (G.O. 22, 2012, § 1; G.O. 25, 2022, § 7)

Indianapolis-Marion County Revised Code § 431-807 Reporting.

Sec. 431-807. - Reporting. (a) Complete streets web page. The city shall create a page on its internet website as a repository of information regarding the complete streets policy, including educational materials, design standards, reference materials and the reporting required by this section. (b) Performance measures reporting. The department of public works, the department of metropolitan development (on behalf of the plat committee) and the department of business and neighborhood services shall each create individual numeric benchmarks for each of the performance measures set forth in section 431-806 of the Code as a means of tracking and measuring the annual performance of the complete streets policy and shall post a report on each of the performance measures on the complete streets web page on an annual basis. The reports shall identify barriers and solutions to complete streets implementation for all performance measures. (c) Exceptions reporting. The director of public works, the director of metropolitan development (on behalf of the plat committee) and the director of business and neighborhood services shall each prepare a quarterly report summarizing all exceptions to the complete streets policy granted in the preceding quarter pursuant to section 431-804(b) of the Code and shall post the quarterly reports on the complete streets web page, with each reporting entity's annual report to be posted on the web page and submitted to the council. The annual reports shall be presented by the reporting entities to their respective council committees. (G.O. 22, 2012, § 1; G.O. 25, 2022, § 8)

Source: Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County, Revised Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIPUORSA_CH431STSIPUWA_ARTVIIICOSTPOFetched: 10/27/2026