In recent years, a large part of the transportation debate in this region has been about bikes versus cars.

The seeming tug-of-war between modes really came to a head when DDOT installed the new median bike lanes on Pennsylvania Avenue, and even got play in the recent mayoral election in the District. But building complete streets is about much more than bike lanes.

In this video, Streetfilms takes a look at New York City’s complete streets transformation. If you haven’t been to the big apple lately, you might not recognize some of the spaces that have been transformed in recent years.

The District and many of the other jurisdictions in the region have made great strides toward opening our roadways to all modes over the past few years. Let’s hope that the region continues to follow the progressive example New York is setting.

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Tagged: bicycling, bike lanes, complete streets, ddot, new york, pedestrians, pennsylvania avenue bike lanes, roads, video

Matt Johnson has lived in the Washington area since 2007. He has a Master’s in Planning from the University of Maryland and a BS in Public Policy from Georgia Tech. He lives in Dupont Circle. He’s a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, and is an employee of the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. His views are his own and do not represent those of his employer.