The City of Columbia is modernizing its streets plan to make walking, biking and public transit in the city safer and more sustainable.
The city’s current policy, the Complete Streets policy, is more than two decades old. It originated in 2004, and Public Works Department officials say they want to finalize the updated policy by summer of 2026.
According to Allison Anderson, an Engineering Supervisor with the Public Works Department, the city is updating the policy after receiving a Federal Highway grant to reexamine the Columbia roadway system.
McKenzie Ortiz is an Advocacy Coordinator for Local Motion, a nonprofit advocating for safe and accessible transportation and transit. She said safer transit should be a priority in the new policy.
“Our city has changed a lot since then and right now, our streets are not safe or accessible for all road users,” Ortiz said. “We would really like to encourage people to feel safe enough to take public transit in Columbia, as opposed to just relying on a single vehicle.”
The Missouri Department of Transportation reported a 16% increase in Missouri pedestrian deaths in 2024, a record number for the state.
In addition to bike lanes, Local Motion is suggesting physical dividers to separate pedestrians and cyclists from cars to create a safer environment. Ortiz added that speed limits should be slower so that if a crash happens, it is less likely to be fatal.
The updated policy would also improve sustainability. Ortiz said that by improving safety and public transportation, less people will drive in personal vehicles - reducing their carbon emissions.
Local Motion also wants the policy to increase the number of routes and frequency of stops for buses to make the system more convenient and accessible.
“Our routes are so limited and they’re 90 minutes apart, so it's hard for people to get where they need to go quickly and feel connected to the rest of the city,” Ortiz said.
The Public Works Department’s next step is to host a community engagement event for public input on the policy.
“They’re stepping out to do more public outreach about the existing policy and how their modes of transportation are throughout town and what they’d like to see,” Anderson said.
The city is soliciting public input through handing out surveys and local events like the Homebuilders Show and Earth Day. The outline of the policy will also be posted on the Columbia BeHeard website where residents can post feedback on policy ideas.
