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Hennepin County > Projects and initiatives > Complete and Green Streets

Complete and Green Streets

In 2023, Hennepin County formally adopted a Complete and Green Streets Policy. Initially developed in 2009 as a Complete Streets Policy, Hennepin County was the first Minnesota county to adopt a policy of its kind. The county recognized then, as it does now, the importance of addressing the needs of all people walking, rolling, biking, and using transit, as well as those driving, when planning, designing and maintaining county roads. In the update, the county evolved its policy to include green infrastructure elements into its roadway projects.

  • Hennepin County Complete and Green Streets policy (PDF)

Senior professional engineer, KC Atkins

kc.atkins@hennepin.us

Phone: 612-596-0354

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2023 updates

To better understand the public’s shifting transportation needs and priorities, Hennepin County held eight stakeholder group listening sessions in 2022. County roads connect towns in the more rural areas and are major roadways of businesses and frequent use in urban and suburban areas. Therefore, a Complete Streets Policy for Hennepin County must balance these different needs in a thoughtful, cohesive way that balances flexibility for different uses with the county’s strong commitment to create roads that make its goals related to safety, climate action and disparity reduction  achievable.

The policy has been updated to build upon the county’s foundation for planning, designing and maintaining Complete Streets, but also to include Green Streets. Green Streets incorporate green infrastructure elements that can reduce pollutants found in water, improve air quality and provide green elements between parks and open spaces. The county recognizes that vegetated boulevards can separate space between pedestrians, bicyclists and motor vehicles, which can help calm vehicle traffic and improve safety conditions on the roadway. This makes the two plan and design principles complementary for a unified policy for county roadways. 

In addition, the policy has been updated to include a modal priority framework to guide transportation decisions. The modal priority framework established tiers to assess needs on a roadway, such as the safety and accessibility for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users, while still considering the context sensitivity for people driving or hauling freight. The framework commences the planning and design process for roadway projects, and final decisions are determined based on the assessed needs of safety, accessibility, green infrastructure, engagement and context sensitivity.

These updates were approved by the Hennepin County board in October 2023. 

What is Complete Streets?

Complete Streets are designed, built and maintained to be safe and convenient for people of all ages and abilities — whether they are walking, rolling, biking, riding transit, or driving. 

Complete Streets look different depending on the built environment and location but may include:

  • Sidewalks or trails
  • Improved pedestrian crossings
  • Bikeways
  • Transit amenities
  • On-street parking
What is Green Streets?

Green Streets are designed, built and maintained to include sustainable principles and practices. Implementing Green Streets can reduce the impacts of urbanization and improve air and water quality, which can improve health outcomes for people. 

Elements of Green Streets are designed to capture rainwater at its source and can vary depending on the built environment and location context but may include:

  • Vegetation, such as trees, perennials and shrubs
  • Engineered systems, such as permeable pavement
  • Rain gardens
 
Why Complete Streets?

Hennepin County’s Complete and Green Streets Policy update is a unique opportunity because it aligns its transportation vision with key county goals and priorities:

  • The 2040 Comprehensive Plan includes the county’s Transportation Plan. The Complete and Green Streets Policy’s modal priority framework refined the county’s foundation and priorities for modal planning. Implementing the Complete and Green Streets Policy will work towards the goals of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan as well as to set the stage for the 2050 Comprehensive Plan. 
  • The modal priority framework developed as part of the Complete Streets and Green Streets Policy aims to mitigate existing transportation related disparities and prevent future disparities. The Safety Action Plan supports a Safe System Approach to reduce crashes and enhance safer conditions for all people, regardless of their mode of travel. As part of the modal priority framework, the Complete and Green Streets Policy established its commitment to safety and non-motorized modes of travel to impact transportation decisions.
  • Climate Action Plan aims to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. More than one third of Hennepin County’s greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation. The Complete and Green Streets Policy will improve the safety and accessibility of non-motorized transportation options, which can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing vehicle miles travelled. The Complete and Green Streets Policy will lead to the increase of employing green infrastructure that will improve the resiliency of the built environment. 
  • The ADA Transition Plan identifies the county’s path to achieving accessible facilities for people travelling along and across county roadways. The modal priority framework identifies accessibility as a key priority to guide transportation decisions. Upgrading the county’s pedestrian curb ramps will align with the Complete and Green Streets Policy and help the county meet its goal for full curb ramp and APS compliance by 2040. 
 
Tools and resources

Dashboard

Hennepin County will develop a Complete and Green Streets dashboard to track progress of Complete and Green Streets efforts.  This dashboard will be a public facing resource captures active and completed projects that includes performance metrics.

Related policy documents

View the Hennepin Cost Participation Policy (October 2020) (PDF)

Local Complete Streets policies

In addition to the county Complete Streets policy, many cities in Hennepin County have adopted city level Complete Streets policies or resolutions.

Each city worked to establish a Complete Streets policy to suit their needs:

  • Bloomington Complete Streets (PDF)
  • Brooklyn Center Complete Streets (PDF)
  • Champlin Complete Streets (PDF)
  • Edina Living Streets (PDF)
  • Golden Valley Complete Streets (PDF)
  • Hopkins Complete Streets (PDF)
  • Independence Complete Streets (PDF)
  • Maple Plain Complete Streets (PDF)
  • Minneapolis Complete Streets (PDF)
  • New Hope Complete Streets (PDF)
  • Richfield Complete Streets (PDF)
  • Robbinsdale Complete Streets (PDF)
  • St Louis Park Complete Streets resolution (PDF)
Contact information
  • K.C. Atkins
    Senior professional engineer
    kc.atkins@hennepin.us
    612-596-0354
  • Jessa Trboyevich
    Design division manager
    jessa.trboyevich@hennepin.us
    612-596-0373
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Related pages

  • Biking in Hennepin County
  • Walking in Hennepin County
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