CHAPTER 5
Summary of Findings

This review of state DOT Complete Streets policies and survey of state DOTs point to an appreciation for and a commitment to maintaining active transportation features that are constructed as part of state highway networks and their connections to local roadway and trail networks. While several states have Complete Streets policies that include maintenance, few have evidence of much implementation, performance tracking, or changed practices. However, the work being done by those states addressing the issue of active transportation facility maintenance will provide new guidance, cost estimates, and more that can benefit all state DOTs.

Dozens of state DOTs have individually developed, implemented, and matured their own Complete Streets principles and programs based on best practices and local initiatives. States have refined their Complete Streets practices through other related initiatives, including context- sensitive solutions, practical design, community connections, sustainable transportation planning principles, and multimodal network development.

Published literature and survey data suggest that for many states, organizations and protocols have not been supportive of Complete Streets and that reorganization of the state DOT made a significant difference in implementation. In California, for example, the districts and headquarters needed to form new workflows and coordination tools. There are numerous functions at each DOT, each typically managed by its own team of specialists. The resulting silos and insular teams have been an impediment to implementation. It has been typical, and remains so in many states, for the bike and pedestrian functions to be performed by a single person or a small team, separate from the teams that develop projects.

Another typical organizational divide can be seen in how transportation planners within DOTs lead the bike and pedestrian or multimodal plans, while only design engineers contribute to the development of project plans and specifications. In Puerto Ricoʼs Highway and Transportation Authority, the key to success has been restructuring the design area because it has given a greater presence of urban planners in the design process. Similarly, in Hawaii, ongoing coordination across the Highways Division, including all district offices and branches, was cited as a significant contributor to its success. These issues of organization and communication are key to maintenance. Coordination between headquarters and districts is more important with maintenance than in design. In California, as described in the case examples, organizational changes have been made to better integrate maintenance staff into project design workflows. Integration and coordination among different departments and with districts is important for active transportation maintenance.

Several programs and new initiatives at FHWA are helping state DOTs and local governments improve upon policy, implementation, performance tracking, and making Complete Streets the default approach to roadway design. FHWA has launched various initiatives to support the inclusion of more connected, comfortable, and safer Complete Streets and assist DOTs in the evolution

of their respective Complete Streets programs. FHWA has also developed new funding programs for Complete Streets, as well as new guidance and tools, and delivered a detailed Complete Streets report to Congress in 2022.

5.1 Data Gaps and Further Research

It is important that the findings of this synthesis, and the best practices research being completed by different DOTs, local governments, MPOs, and universities, be used to stimulate discussion and prompt other DOTs to apply the transferable elements of the maintenance costs, equipment specifications, and training materials being developed in California, Maryland, and Washington State, and other states. Because this subject is little researched or discussed, it may be found that other resources are available and could be discovered in the coming years.

Future research needs can be summarized as follows:

• Municipal-level practices—Conduct a similar survey to assess municipal-level practices, which were not covered in this report. Because municipalities have maintained their own sidewalks, trail networks, and bike paths for many years, transferable lessons, equipment performance documentation, and robust cost data sets are expected to be available, which can be used by state DOTs in the maturation of their own programs. During their interview, Caltrans staff stated that from 2017 to 2021, local governments requested clarity and guidance on the maintenance of Complete Streets.
• Organizational structures and implementation barriers—Investigate how reorganization at DOTs (as seen in California and Puerto Rico) affects Complete Streets implementation and maintenance integration, focusing on the reduction of silos between specialized teams. The synthesis team suggests including an examination of maintenance-related roles at both district and headquarters offices in this investigation.
• Data gaps for active transportation infrastructure—Address the lack of comprehensive infrastructure data specific to this subject. The lack of comprehensive and consistent data for all modes challenges the development of appropriate management and design and maintenance programs. With better data, collected with good documentation and a purposeful exploration of alternative delivery methods, the science of maintaining active transportation can mature more quickly. For example, what considerations should be made when an agency is deciding whether to purchase or rent specialized equipment? Or, in a geographically large state, is it more efficient to purchase equipment for different districts or haul equipment among the districts?
• Asset management database development—Assess the state of asset management databases across DOTs to include active transportation features and explore how these inventories can support staffing and funding forecasts, maintenance schedules, and equipment procurement. States are at various stages of the development of asset management databases. Few have an asset management database that includes active transportation features. An inventory is a key ingredient needed to develop staffing and a funding forecast, requests for specific maintenance equipment, and the tracking of maintenance activities.
• Maintenance policy and practice—Explore more fully the actual implications for projects in construction now or recently constructed, as well as the legal issues associated with current policies, and the requirement for local government funds. Research and survey results reveal that state DOTs regularly require local governments to maintain sidewalks, bike paths, and other active transportation facilities and that some DOTs expect local governments and/or MPOs to contribute a portion of the design and construction cost for active transportation facilities. During the design process, local governments become aware of the costs to maintain active transportation facilities and the necessary equipment, and they may decline the

• agreement to maintain these facilities, which would result in removing them from the design plans. A similar request for local funds to build or maintain vehicular lanes on a highway would be preposterous. No state DOT would construct fewer lanes of a highway if the local government declined to maintain it.
• Legal issues—Examine those legal issues associated with a state not paying for the active transportation elements of a state transportation project because low-income populations often need these elements the most. Research can provide case examples of constructed projects where active transportation facilities were removed from the design plans because the state requested that local governments fund active transportation facilities and they declined to do so.

The findings of this study highlight both the progress and challenges that state DOTs face in maintaining active transportation facilities. While leading states like California, Minnesota, and Washington offer promising practices, the need for better staffing, equipment, funding, and data management is apparent across the board. Coordination between state and local governments remains essential, as does the continued development of asset management systems and standardized maintenance protocols.

With support from FHWA initiatives and the evolution of Complete Streets programs, state DOTs are well positioned to address these challenges. The insights from this report will help agencies refine their approaches, foster collaboration, and develop sustainable maintenance strategies that protect their investments and enhance safety for all users. By building on these efforts, state DOTs can ensure that Complete Streets are not only well designed but also well maintained, contributing to vibrant, connected, and resilient communities across the nation.