Updated Feb. 1, 2012: The story has been updated to reflect the fact that SOMbike members and cycling advocates had requested shoulder striping for Tuscan Road, not bike lanes or sidewalks.

A policy to make streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians could be adopted by the Maplewood Township Committee this year.

After a presentation about the NJ Dept. of Transportation's Complete Streets policy on Thursday night at the main library, Maplewood leaders indicated that they agree with the concepts behind the policy and would be moving to adopt it formally in a resolution.

Complete Streets was adopted as an internal policy by NJDOT in 2009 to ensure that transportation planners and engineers consistently design, construct and maintain state or federally funded roadways to provide safe access for pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users of all ages and abilities.

"I look forward to discussing the elements of a resolution that would show Maplewood’s continuing commitment to Complete Streets," said Deputy Mayor Kathy Leventhal.

But Leventhal and Committeeman Jerry Ryan were quick to point out that they felt the town had already been proactive in adopting Complete Streets concepts.

"Maplewood is fortunate to already have sidewalks, and improvements on Springfield Avenue which include Complete Streets features," said Leventhal. "The implementation of our Bikeway, will bring more aspects to our town."

"Maplewood is actually pretty far along on the notion of Complete Streets," added Ryan. "For example, we have a municipal bicycling network, with a bicycle master plan that was developed with extensive citizen input and which is rolling out in the spring. I and my colleagues have spent a lot of time talking with other communities and with state officials on this, including at the last League of Municipalities conference. I'm confident that we'll see Maplewood discussing and adopting a Complete Streets policy this year."

However, some cycling advocates in the audience felt that the town had not been sufficiently aggressive. Kirk Sohr of SOMbike told Patch that he felt the town had lost an opportunity with the repaving of Tuscan Road in 2011. At the time, SOMbike had asked the town to include shoulder striping in the project. Committeeman Jerry Ryan told Patch that Tuscan Road was too narrow to add shoulder striping. He also said that bike lanes and the cost of adding sidewalks was prohibitively expensive. Ryan said that, for these reasons, Tuscan Road was not included in the municipal bicycling network.

At Thursday's meeting, Sheree J. Davis of NJDOT's Bureau of Commuter & Mobility Strategies discussed how Complete Streets is coming to towns in New Jersey like Hoboken, Montclair and Jersey City. She explained the Complete Streets concept, which considers the needs of all citizens — meaning those traveling on foot and by bicycle as well as those in motor vehicles — when transportation decisions are made.

"We put some streets on a 'road diet,'" explained Davis, who showed examples of urban, rural, and suburban streets that had had car lanes taken away, bike lanes added, center medians expanded or added, and crosswalks implemented or striped.

Showing changes to one street, Davis remarked, "This is very safe — where a person can walk."

Responding to visuals of center medians and street paving in Newark, one audience member asked, "Is it expensive?"

"Yes," said Davis, referring to the Newark project, "but striping is not. Infrastructure is. There's a lot you can do cheaply."

In response to a question from Ryan, Davis said that the state would not require towns to adopt Complete Streets in order to be eligible for road or transit funding, but that the state would encourage towns to adopt the policy. However, there was no state aid directly attached to the adoption of such a policy.

Davis noted that the Complete Streets concept had already been adopted in 314 jurisdictions and in 25 states.

"You're talking about quality of life and not having to get in your car," said Davis.

"Is there anybody opposed to Complete Streets?" an audience member asked.

"Most people we talk to embrace this. They understand this," said Davis.

Davis' presentation was sponsored by Two Towns for Complete Streets, the South Orange/Maplewood Bicycle Coalition, and SOMA on FOOT.