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Bishop Avenue

The city’s transportation committee on Tuesday had its first look at the final Complete Streets manual, which would serve as a guiding force to making our roadways friendlier to pedestrians and cyclists as well as motorists.

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Committee members are still mulling over the plan, so it won’t make it to the city council for adoption until January or February.

The initiative began in fall of 2011 with pilot projects covered by the 2012 bond program, including Bishop Avenue and Jefferson Boulevard.

The manual sets policies on the design process for pedestrian zones, traffic intersections and green space for different types of roads — all to be done in existing right of ways, using the road space we already have.

San Francisco-based urban planner James Daisa, who was on hand at the meeting, said Dallas actually has more road space than most major cities around the country. So, even if it’s hard to imagine one street corner accommodating walkers, bikers, scooters and drivers, we have the room to do it. Oak Cliff’s Better Block folks have proven that.

What’s left now is determining any policy ramifications this may have for Public Works and other facets of the city.