Category Archives: action alert

Action Alert: Safety Projects Bergamot Area

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Follow up on Bergamot Area Safety Projects: Item 5A

Thank you all for your many letters to council — You were heard! 
Last night, the Santa Monica City Council unanimously approved the contract for the First/Last Mile Plan for Bergamot Station (Agenda, Item 5A;  Video, 2:59). After a decade-long public process the final hurdle for the project proved more difficult than expected (see video linked) despite a unanimous 6-0 vote that will allow the city to begin construction.

Here is a comprehensive write up on Santa Monica Next

Santa Monica City Council will consider approving these funded projects at tonights meeting Item 5A on tonights Council Meeting Agenda
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT. Can you attend tonights council meeting and testify as to your support?

Please join us with an email to Council  TODAY voicing your support for safer streets for all and to support our city’s commitment to Vision Zero — to protect vulnerable road users, like people walking and biking, with streets designed to be safer for everyone.

Easy one click email — please do add your comments and personal stories if you can!

Or use this “copy and paste / template”
send to:
gleam.davis@santamonica.gov, phil.brock@santamonica.gov, christine.parra@santamonica.gov, lana.negrete@santamonica.gov, jesse.zwick@santamonica.gov, Caroline.Torosis@santamonica.gov, oscar.delatorre@santamonica.gov, councilmtgitems@santamonica.gov, david.white@santamonica.gov, Anuj.Gupta@santamonica.gov, council@smgov.net,

bcc us at: info@SMSpoke.org 

Re: Support Item 5A, Stewart Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Safety Enhancement Project

Dear Santa Monica Mayor, City Council and City Manager:

I support the Bergamot Area Improvements the demonstrate the City’s commitment to safer streets for everyone. Please do not waver to prioritize improving bike and pedestrian infrastructure and Vision Zero and Award the Stewart Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Safety Enhancement Project. The City must continue the overwhelming community supported commitment to prioritize and protect vulnerable road users, like people walking and biking, with these collective projects that prioritize the design of safer streets for everyone. 

Please approve Item 5A and prioritize safer streets!


Action Item 16D: Improve Safety and Support Safe Routes to School funding. Email Council Today

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This Tuesday, 12/19, Santa Monica City Council proposes an opportunity to create funding for Safe Street Infrastructure and Safe Routes to School.

On Tuesday, at the request of safety champions Councilmembers Zwick, Davis, and Torosis, Santa Monica City Council will vote on item 16D potentially placing a measure on the November 2024 ballot to increase the parking facility tax while preserving free 90-minute parking in the downtown lots. This measure can help to address traffic congestion and with it the risk of traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Santa Monica.

Send an email to voice your support of the City Council Agenda Item 16D motion by Councilmember Zwick, Torosis and Mayor Davis to reduce traffic and improve safety. Click here to send your email

This measure would generate funding to be used to prioritize today’s youth and future generations by restoring essential resources to Santa Monica’s Safe Routes to School programs. Resources would fund safety-enhancing street infrastructure to protect children, elderly and disabled residents; add additional school crossing guards and traffic enforcement officers. Additionally funds would be used to address the deferred maintenance needs of the City’s downtown parking structures.

Join us in support of item 16D and help create a significant and positive impact for street safety and climate resiliency in Santa Monica with resources to fund safety-enhancing street infrastructure and protect the most vulnerable in our community, and all who live in or visit Santa Monica.

Easy One click to Email Council
We encourage you to personalize, add your own stories or comments – and please don’t forget to sign your name and add your zip code.

Council item emails: 
gleam.davis@santamonica.gov, phil.brock@santamonica.gov, christine.parra@santamonica.gov, lana.negrete@santamonica.gov, jesse.zwick@santamonica.gov, Caroline.Torosis@santamonica.gov, oscar.delatorre@santamonica.gov, councilmtgitems@santamonica.gov, david.white@santamonica.gov, Anuj.Gupta@santamonica.gov, council@smgov.net,

Safer Streets item 16C Unanimously Approved

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Thank you Councilmember Zwick, Torosis and Mayor Davis for Agenda Item 16C presented on the November 14th City Council Agenda to strengthen Santa Monica’s Vision Zero commitment to eliminate all preventable fatal and severe-injury crashes from Santa Monica’s roads. This action came on the heels of the recent fatal crash on Idaho Ave. October 27th where 69 year old Tania Mooser — our neighbor, mother, sister and retired teacher — was struck and killed while riding her bicycle. Two weeks later another bicyclist was struck and injured at the same intersection.
See more info here on the agenda item HERE

Councilmember Zwick, Torosis and Mayor Davis
Public Testimony

Adjournment in honor of Tania Mooser

Action Alert – Support Safer Streets in Santa Monica: Email Council Today!

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UPDATE: Nov 15th — ITEM 16C PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

Support City Council Item 16C to Improve Street Safety

and strengthen Santa Monica’s Vision Zero commitment to eliminate all preventable fatal and severe-injury crashes from Santa Monica’s roads. This action comes on the heels of the recent fatal crash on Idaho Ave. October 27th where 69 year old Tania Mooser — our neighbor, mother, sister and retired teacher — was struck and killed while riding her bicycle. Two weeks later another bicyclist was struck and injured at the same intersection.

Send an email to voice your support of the City Council Agenda Item 16C motion by Councilmember Zwick, Torosis and Mayor Davis. Click here to send your email

Santa Monica has made great strides in advancing ambitious Vision Zero goals, yet more work remains to fully realize the initiative. With motion 16C the City Council directs the City Manager to work with staff to implement the following initiatives to improve roadway safety through what are commonly referred to as the three E’s of transportation safety: engineering, enforcement, and education.

  • Immediately initiate engineering analysis of outstanding community requests to upgrade intersections to all-way stops, with the intersections on Idaho Avenue to be prioritized.
  •  Develop and publish locally tailored City of Santa Monica guidelines for upgrading unsignalized intersections to all-way stop controlled intersections that further our City’s adopted goal of zero fatal and severe-injury crashes.
  • Upgrade the portal through which residents can report a dangerous intersection, allowing for staff to determine a variety of possible safety interventions, including all-way stops, traffic circles, and diverters. In all such analyses, the determination that furthers our City’s adopted goal of zero fatal and severe-injury crashes shall be recommended whenever possible.
  • Establish criteria for the use of “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop” warning signs at two-way stop-controlled intersections that are not recommended for conversion, and develop an installation plan and timetable for such signage on intersections that meet the criteria. 
  • Establish a regular meeting series between the Santa Monica Police Department and Department of Transportation to review traffic safety enforcement priorities, including locations and violations of highest concern, and capacity for reallocation of enforcement resources to priority areas and violations. 
  • Refresh the City’s popular “Take the Friendly Road” roadway safety messaging campaign and initiate a new push of community messaging, including, but not limited to, bus ads, public service announcements, digital media efforts, and physical collateral. 
  • Develop and submit a proposal in the upcoming biennial CIP process that evaluates and proposes safety countermeasures including the creation of “daylighting” zones to address illegal parking that obstructs sight-lines, with a focus on priority un-signalized intersections as identified in the 2022 Local Roadway Safety Plan. 
  • Identify shortfalls in resources, if any, required to implement these vital safety measures, and consider possible sources of funding needed beyond any CIP dollars requested per the above item, including, but not limited to, transportation impact fees, administrative fines for parking violations, the parking facilities tax, and any available grants. 

Continued Item for Safer Bike Lanes is back on the Council Agenda this week – email your support!

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Agenda item 16E was continued from the last council meeting when 4 council members shocked the community and voted no on a motion to extend the meeting past 11pm — without finishing the Agenda. We cannot ever remember a meeting where this occurred. Two former Santa Moinca Mayors weighed in on the shocking vote here:
Kevin McKeown | Denny Zane, plus a community opt-ed here.

Please join us – again- along with our Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance partners to support Santa Monica City Council Members Zwick, Torosis, and Mayor Davis’ Item 8K (formerly 16E) that proposes we prioritize timely and effective solutions to make our streets safe for everyone.

Click here to go see the full Council Agenda – now agenda Item 8K

Voice your support in directing the City to measures that prevent dangerous motor vehicle incursions into our current and future bike infrastructure. Please join us and send your support to Council in advance of the meeting Tuesday, September 26th with this “One click to Email Council.” We encourage you to personalize, add your own stories or comments – and please don’t forget to sign your name and add your zip code.

View our letter of support here

Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance is a collaboration of local and regional advocacy organizations and community members that together promote and support the implementation of our community’s shared goals of complete streets that are designed to be safe, equitable and welcoming to everyone.

Easy One click to Email Council
Feel free to personalize, add your own stories or comments – and please don’t forget to sign your name and add your zip code.

Council item emails:
gleam.davis@santamonica.gov, phil.brock@santamonica.gov, christine.parra@santamonica.gov, lana.negrete@santamonica.gov, jesse.zwick@santamonica.gov, Caroline.Torosis@santamonica.gov, oscar.delatorre@santamonica.gov, councilmtgitems@santamonica.gov, david.white@santamonica.gov, council@smgov.net