The Best New Complete Streets Policies, Ranked

After a pandemic hiatus, Smart Growth America has resumed creating an annual list of cities that are making the strongest commitments to improving street safety and making roads accessible and comfortable for everyone.

1 minute read

May 25, 2023, 9:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


After a four-year hiatus, Smart Growth America has released a list of the best Complete Streets policies in the country, highlighting the places that have made the most progress in improving street safety and access for all road users. 

Jared Brey describes the rankings in Governing, explaining that Smart Growth America defines ‘complete streets’ as “an approach to planning, designing, building, operating and maintaining streets that enables safe access for all people who need to use them, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities.”

The community at the top, rating a perfect 100 points, is Howard County, Maryland, whose Complete Streets policy emphasizes equity and “is focused on creating a network of roads and paths that accommodate likely trips throughout the county by car, bike, foot and transit, while acknowledging that ‘every street does not necessarily need to provide separate accommodations for every mode.’”

Brey adds that “Cities with high-ranking complete streets policies adopted in the last few years include El Paso, Tucson and Joplin, Mo.” See the source article for a link to the full rankings and an explanation of the method for selecting top policies.

Wednesday, May 24, 2023 in Governing

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

"Units for sale - contact your local realtor" sign in front of homes.

‘Displaced By Design:’ Report Spotlights Gentrification in Black Neighborhoods

A new report finds that roughly 15 percent of U.S. neighborhoods have been impacted by housing cost increases and displacement.

6 hours ago - Next City

Turquoise blue Pyramid Lake near Reno, Nevada.

Nevada and Utah Groups Oppose Public Land Sell-Off Plan

A set of last-minute amendments to the budget reconciliation bill open up over half a million acres of federally managed land to sales.

7 hours ago - Inside Climate News

Alpine Recreation Center sign in park in Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA.

More Than a Park: A Safe Haven for Generations in LA’s Chinatown

Alpine Recreation Center serves as a vital cultural and community hub in Los Angeles' Chinatown, offering a safe, welcoming space for generations of Chinese American residents to gather, connect, and thrive amidst rapid urban change.

May 19 - American Community Media

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.