Image courtesy of www.bostoncompletestreets.org |
As cities across the country jump on the Complete Streets bandwagon (it's public transportation, after all), they're on the hunt for good examples of Complete Streets documents: why reinvent the wheel, when it's hard enough trying to reinvent the street? One lovely model that any city would do well to emulate is Boston's Complete Streets website.
The site, clearly designed by someone who knows how to do these things, includes a number of features that set it apart from typical municipal websites:
- Interactive graphics, like the one pictured above, provide detailed information and pictures about complete streets concepts
- Social media components are integrated into every aspect of the site, encouraging users to tweet, share, and subscribe to stay informed about Complete Streets projects
- Contact information is easy to find--including direct phone numbers and emails of several staff members responsible for implementing Complete Streets policies, not just the generic (or non-existent) email addresses available on typical sites, that rarely provide an easy connection to an actual person
- Definitions of key terms in the Complete Streets vision are provided up front, so users are less likely to get lost in a morass of planning jargon
- A dedicated page highlights opportunities for public participation, and includes a "pitch" describing why users should get involved with Complete Streets issues