New York Highway Law Section 331 - Consideration of complete street design.

331. Consideration of complete street design. (a) For all state, county and local transportation projects that are undertaken by the department or receive both federal and state funding and are subject to department of transportation oversight, the department or agency with jurisdiction over such projects shall consider the convenient access and mobility on the road network by all users of all ages, including motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transportation users through the use of complete street design features in the planning, design, construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation, but not including resurfacing, maintenance, or pavement recycling of such projects.

(b) Complete street design features are roadway design features that accommodate and facilitate convenient access and mobility by all users, including current and projected users, particularly pedestrians, bicyclists and individuals of all ages and abilities. These features may include, but need not be limited to: sidewalks, paved shoulders suitable for use by bicyclists, lane striping, bicycle lanes, share the road signage, crosswalks, road diets, pedestrian control signalization, bus pull outs, curb cuts, raised crosswalks and ramps and traffic calming measures; and recognize that the needs of users of the road network vary according to a rural, urban and suburban context.

(c) This section shall not apply if it has been determined and set forth in publicly available documents that one of the following exists:

(i) use by bicyclists and pedestrians is prohibited by law, such as within interstate highway corridors; or

(ii) the cost would be disproportionate to the need as determined by factors including, but not limited to, the following: land use context; current and projected traffic volumes; and population density; or

(iii) demonstrated lack of need as determined by factors, including, but not limited to, land use, current and projected traffic volumes, including population density, or demonstrates lack of community support; or

(iv) use of the design features would have an adverse impact on, or be contrary to, public safety.

(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the department or agency with jurisdiction over a project to expend monies in accordance with subdivision (a) of this section that exceed the amount of state and federal funding for complete street design features.


Last modified: February 3, 2019