What Makes Complete Streets Projects Work?

This project will assess community reactions to complete streets projects that repurpose vehicular travel lanes or parking spaces for bicycle lanes, sidewalks or other pedestrian amenities, and/or transit-only or transit-priority lanes. The primary research goal is to better understand the decision-making processes – how and why cities have developed complete streets project proposals and engaged with stakeholders who may have competing interests and perspectives, such as local business owners, homeowner and community groups, bicycle and active transport groups, and public transportation agencies including Caltrans and relevant transit agencies. The project will explore whether and how stakeholder concerns overlap and align and where they do not, and how conflicts are addressed and resolved, when possible. The project will also explore whether stakeholder perspectives change over time (including after project completion). The primary research method will be to conduct case study research in a sample of communities which will vary by regional location and community type. The case studies will involve interviews of key stakeholders, a survey of local business owners, analysis of business revenue data, and document review. The findings will help planners and policymakers understand the political stakes and practical challenges involved in implementing complete streets projects, and how they can successfully be managed.

• Record URL:
  • https://ncst.ucdavis.edu/project/what-makes-complete-streets-projects-work

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $161,781.00
• Contract Numbers:

  DOT 69A3552348319

  DOT 69A3552344814

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

  University of California, Davis
  Davis, CA  United States 
• Managing Organizations:

  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

  University of California, Davis
  Davis, CA  United States 

  University of California, Davis

  1 Shields Ave
  Davis, California  United States  95616
• Project Managers:

  Cliff, Sydney

• Performing Organizations:

  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

  University of California, Davis
  Davis, CA  United States 

  University of California, Davis

  1 Shields Ave
  Davis, California  United States  95616
• Principal Investigators:

  Barbour, Elisa

  Volker, Jamey

• Start Date: 20260401
• Expected Completion Date: 20270331
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Complete streets; Decision making; Mobility; Stakeholders; Surveys
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Policy;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01985427
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: National Center for Sustainable Transportation
• Contract Numbers: DOT 69A3552348319, DOT 69A3552344814
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Apr 9 2026 2:32PM