Strategic Reflection on Mobility, Gender, and Sustainable Development in Complete Streets: Here’s How

Abstract

As the aspirational Complete Streets movement sweeps North America with multimodal transportation policies and plans, communities need practice-ready tools that reinforce social inclusion and sustainable development through the movement’s implementation. Here we present two such tools: (1) gender analysis, which considers gendered experiences and roles in the context of Complete Streets so as to benefit diverse travelers with improved safety, transportation choices, support for caregivers, and more; and (2) an approach called SDG 360 Thinking, a holistic analysis of Complete Streets policy co-benefits, unintended harms, and trade-offs using the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We piloted these tools in workshops with community members and technical experts. Workshop participants gained new insights, made connections across sectors, took more inclusive and diverse perspectives, and made recommendations about Complete Streets policies. These tools are practical, easy to understand, and could be broadly impactful for communities.