2. S. ORDINANCE 16-2025 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council to enact Section 901.23 Complete Streets of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Lakewood, to address the livability and safety needs of Lakewood by building upon efforts to promote an equitable multimodal transportation system. (1st read and referred to COW & PC 4/21/25; 2nd reading 5/5/25)
The passing of this ordinance is needed and long overdue. I strongly support this ordinance and look forward to the positive changes it helps bring to making our city streets safer for all who use them.
I strongly support the complete streets ordinance and urge council to pass and implement as fast as possible. Our roads are increasingly being overrun by drivers who have no regard for the safety of our community including our children who walk or bike to school. Every day is another encounter with dangerous drivers. Speeding, blowing through stop signs and looking at phones have been completely normalized. It is unacceptable to allow this to continue, especially as a community that claims to pride itself and markets itself on its pedestrian and bike friendly streets. We have to start controlling the cars on our roads and that starts with infrastructure.
While I support the goal of creating safer, more inclusive streets, I respectfully ask that you pause final adoption until key safety issues—particularly those related to high-traffic corridors like Bunts Road—are more thoroughly addressed.
This ordinance outlines a commitment to context-sensitive design, safety for all users, and prioritizing improvements that reduce serious crashes. However, the current plans for a two-way multimodal path on Bunts Road—one of the city’s highest-traffic streets with over 100 intersections and driveways—raise legitimate concerns about visibility, turning conflicts, and traffic volumes that remain unaddressed.
Adopting this policy without resolving these contradictions risks undermining the very principles the ordinance promotes.
Please ensure that this ordinance is implemented in a way that genuinely improves safety and reflects the realities of our busiest corridors. A brief pause now could result in a much stronger, more trusted outcome for the entire community.
I oppose passage of the Complete Streets plan until it has been thoroughly researched. City council has admitted they did not perform the proper due diligence before embarking on these plans. Many questions were never asked and many serious concerns about safety were not vetted at all. Do right by your constituents and give them a plan that has been well-researched.
As a Lakewood resident and mom of a toddler, I support this ordinance because it represents a critical step toward creating safer, family-friendly biking infrastructure. I bike around our community on my own & with my daughter almost everyday when weather permits, and often think about what it will be like for her to navigate these streets when she's older but still a kid. Unfortunately, many routes still feel unsafe for families like mine who want to choose biking for local trips. I envision a Lakewood that lives up to its bike friendly reputation, where parents can confidently allow their kids to ride independently for local trips as they grow up (as it's developmentally appropriate). Paint and helmets won't keep them safe from distracted drivers, they need protected opportunities to build their confidence and spacial awareness. I really appreciate the steps this council & this administration have made toward making this community safer for our little ones. I urge you to pass it.
I oppose this ordinance in its current form. While it creates a public process for Tier I projects, all final decisions rest solely with the City Engineer and Public Works, making community and Planning Commission input effectively optional. This undermines transparency and accountability.
Additionally, vague language like “context-appropriate,” “reasonable efforts,” and “sustainable materials” allows too much discretion without clear standards. Without binding criteria or clear definitions, this ordinance risks inconsistent implementation and fails to guarantee safer streets.
Also there is no defined funding source, maintenance schedule, or cost/benefit requirement for implementation. Without this, the city might find itself overcommitted to meet ambitious mandates without proper funding.
Also the ordinance is framed around “safer streets” but fails to require performance metrics or benchmarks for safety or crash reduction and no penalty for failing to deliver improved outcomes. This is not effective use of taxpayer money.
Lakewood deserves a transportation policy that values clear oversight, measurable outcomes, and meaningful community involvement.
Please amend ordinance 16-2025 to include binding public input, well defined terms, and accountable performance standards before adoption.
I am writing today to express my strong support for the Complete Streets Ordinance. Thank you for taking this important step to ensure that Lakewood’s streets are designed for the safety, comfort, and mobility of everyone in our community – people of all ages and abilities, whether they are walking, biking, using mobility devices, taking transit, or driving. I have seen firsthand how vital safe streets are for families through my involvement with the Hike & Bike program. This ordinance will strengthen the foundation for programs like Hike & Bike and for broader Safe Routes to School initiatives, allowing more children to travel actively and independently while easing traffic congestion and improving community health. I deeply appreciate the City’s commitment to making our streets safer, greener, and more equitable. Thank you for your vision and leadership in adopting this ordinance to build a more connected, welcoming, and livable Lakewood for generations to come.
The passing of this ordinance is needed and long overdue. I strongly support this ordinance and look forward to the positive changes it helps bring to making our city streets safer for all who use them.
I strongly support the complete streets ordinance and urge council to pass and implement as fast as possible. Our roads are increasingly being overrun by drivers who have no regard for the safety of our community including our children who walk or bike to school. Every day is another encounter with dangerous drivers. Speeding, blowing through stop signs and looking at phones have been completely normalized. It is unacceptable to allow this to continue, especially as a community that claims to pride itself and markets itself on its pedestrian and bike friendly streets. We have to start controlling the cars on our roads and that starts with infrastructure.
While I support the goal of creating safer, more inclusive streets, I respectfully ask that you pause final adoption until key safety issues—particularly those related to high-traffic corridors like Bunts Road—are more thoroughly addressed.
This ordinance outlines a commitment to context-sensitive design, safety for all users, and prioritizing improvements that reduce serious crashes. However, the current plans for a two-way multimodal path on Bunts Road—one of the city’s highest-traffic streets with over 100 intersections and driveways—raise legitimate concerns about visibility, turning conflicts, and traffic volumes that remain unaddressed.
Adopting this policy without resolving these contradictions risks undermining the very principles the ordinance promotes.
Please ensure that this ordinance is implemented in a way that genuinely improves safety and reflects the realities of our busiest corridors. A brief pause now could result in a much stronger, more trusted outcome for the entire community.
I oppose passage of the Complete Streets plan until it has been thoroughly researched. City council has admitted they did not perform the proper due diligence before embarking on these plans. Many questions were never asked and many serious concerns about safety were not vetted at all. Do right by your constituents and give them a plan that has been well-researched.
As a Lakewood resident and mom of a toddler, I support this ordinance because it represents a critical step toward creating safer, family-friendly biking infrastructure. I bike around our community on my own & with my daughter almost everyday when weather permits, and often think about what it will be like for her to navigate these streets when she's older but still a kid. Unfortunately, many routes still feel unsafe for families like mine who want to choose biking for local trips. I envision a Lakewood that lives up to its bike friendly reputation, where parents can confidently allow their kids to ride independently for local trips as they grow up (as it's developmentally appropriate). Paint and helmets won't keep them safe from distracted drivers, they need protected opportunities to build their confidence and spacial awareness. I really appreciate the steps this council & this administration have made toward making this community safer for our little ones. I urge you to pass it.
Opposition to Complete Streets Ordinance
I oppose this ordinance in its current form. While it creates a public process for Tier I projects, all final decisions rest solely with the City Engineer and Public Works, making community and Planning Commission input effectively optional. This undermines transparency and accountability.
Additionally, vague language like “context-appropriate,” “reasonable efforts,” and “sustainable materials” allows too much discretion without clear standards. Without binding criteria or clear definitions, this ordinance risks inconsistent implementation and fails to guarantee safer streets.
Also there is no defined funding source, maintenance schedule, or cost/benefit requirement for implementation. Without this, the city might find itself overcommitted to meet ambitious mandates without proper funding.
Also the ordinance is framed around “safer streets” but fails to require performance metrics or benchmarks for safety or crash reduction and no penalty for failing to deliver improved outcomes. This is not effective use of taxpayer money.
Lakewood deserves a transportation policy that values clear oversight, measurable outcomes, and meaningful community involvement.
Please amend ordinance 16-2025 to include binding public input, well defined terms, and accountable performance standards before adoption.
I am writing today to express my strong support for the Complete Streets Ordinance. Thank you for taking this important step to ensure that Lakewood’s streets are designed for the safety, comfort, and mobility of everyone in our community – people of all ages and abilities, whether they are walking, biking, using mobility devices, taking transit, or driving. I have seen firsthand how vital safe streets are for families through my involvement with the Hike & Bike program. This ordinance will strengthen the foundation for programs like Hike & Bike and for broader Safe Routes to School initiatives, allowing more children to travel actively and independently while easing traffic congestion and improving community health. I deeply appreciate the City’s commitment to making our streets safer, greener, and more equitable. Thank you for your vision and leadership in adopting this ordinance to build a more connected, welcoming, and livable Lakewood for generations to come.