HB0398eng 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0398 Engrossed LRB102 03973 HEP 13989 b

AN ACT concerning transportation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Complete Streets Act.

Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Advisory Board" means the Complete Streets Advisory Board.

"Department" means the Department of Transportation.

"Multimodal" means the various modes of travel or transportation, including travel by motor vehicle, bicycling, and walking.

"Multimodal planning" or "multimodal transportation planning" means plans concerning the improvement of the various modes of transportation in terms of safety, access, and mobility for users.

"User" or "users" means pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation vehicles and their passengers, motorists, transporters of commercial goods, persons with disabilities, older adults, and children.

Section 10. Transportation planning requirements.

(a) Vehicular, public transportation, bicycle, and pedestrian modes of travel are integral to the transportation system, and the Illinois Department of Transportation shall view all transportation improvements as opportunities to improve safety, access, and mobility for all travelers.

(b) All transportation projects receiving federal or State funds shall work to improve safety, access, and mobility for users of all ages and abilities, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation vehicles and their passengers, motorists, transporters of commercial goods, persons with disabilities, older adults, and children.

(c) Accommodations for all users shall be included in the planning, design, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations of any State, county, or local transportation facility receiving funds from the Department. The Department shall aim to create a safe, comprehensive, integrated, and connected network to accommodate all users in a manner that is suitable to the rural, suburban, or urban context.

(d) The Department shall use the latest and best design standards as applied to bicycle, pedestrian, transit, and highway facilities, including the latest editions of the following resources:

(1) A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets;

(2) Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach: An ITE Recommended Practice;

(3) Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities;

(4) Guide for the Planning, Design, and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities;

(5) Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines; or

(6) other relevant State, federal, or local guidelines.

(e) The Department may provide assistance to and coordinate with local and regional agencies in developing and implementing complementary Complete Streets Initiative policies. In the development of projects within municipal boundaries, the Department and the municipality shall share expertise in multimodal transportation planning.

(f) The Department shall modify its procedures, documents, training systems, and performance measures in a timely manner to ensure that the needs of all users of the transportation system are included in all phases of all projects. The Department shall create an implementation plan, including a schedule and a public, local, or regional government outreach plan, in consultation with the Advisory Board.

(g) The provisions of subsections (c) and (d) concerning facilities shall not be required if the Department determines, with respect to a highway, road, or street, that:

(1) use of the transportation facility by pedestrians, bicyclists, or other users is prohibited by law;

(2) the cost of new accommodation would be excessively disproportionate to the need or probable use; or

(3) there is a demonstrated absence of future need as determined by factors, including current and future land use, current and projected user volumes, population density, and crash data.

(h) The Department shall consult local and regional plans and leaders in assessing any further necessary exceptions to the provisions of this Section.

(i) Documentation on any granted exemption shall be made publicly available and shared with the Advisory Board.

(j) This Section applies to transportation projects for which a preliminary design has been completed on or after September 1, 2022.

Section 15. Advisory Board.

(a) There is created the Complete Streets Advisory Board within the Department for the following purposes:

(1) providing education and advice to counties, municipalities, interest groups, and the public concerning safety, access, and mobility across the various modes of transportation; and

(2) making recommendations to the Department on restructuring procedures, updating design guidance, providing education opportunities to employees, and establishing new measures to track success in multimodal planning and design.

(b) The members of the Advisory Board shall be appointed by the Governor and shall include the following members:

(1) one representative from the Department;

(2) one representative from the Illinois Department of Public Health;

(3) one licensed engineer with expertise in transportation;

(4) one representative from the Illinois Chapter of the American Planning Association;

(5) one representative from the Illinois Association of County Board Members and Commissioners;

(6) one representative from the Illinois Municipal League;

(7) one representative from the Illinois Office of AARP;

(8) one representative from an organization advocating bicycling as a mode of travel;

(9) one representative from an organization advocating walking as a mode of travel;

(10) one representative from an organization representing persons with disabilities;

(11) one representative from an automobile or trucking transport organization;

(12) one representative from an organization advocating on behalf of children; and

(13) any other interested party as determined by the Governor.

(c) Members of the Advisory Board shall be appointed to a term of 4 years and shall serve without compensation.

(d) The Advisory Board, in coordination with a representative or representatives of the Department, shall prepare a report on the status of the implementation of the Complete Streets Initiative as outlined in Section 10 of this Act. The report shall include the following information:

(1) a summary of specific actions taken by the Department in the preceding year to improve safety, access, and mobility of roadways for all users;

(2) any identified statutory recommendations to facilitate implementation of the Complete Streets Initiative;

(3) modifications made to or recommended for protocols, guidance, standards, or other requirements to facilitate implementation of the Complete Streets Initiative;

(4) the status of the development of multimodal performance indicators;

(5) information collected from agencies on the percentage of trips made by foot, bicycle, and public transportation, together with the target level of the use of these modes;

(6) crash statistics by mode, age, type, location, and other relevant factors; and

(7) other related information that may be requested by the Governor.

(e) The Advisory Board shall submit its initial report and recommendations to the Governor, the Department, and the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2023, and annually on January 1 of each subsequent year.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.