Category Archives: #BikeSM

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

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.govphil.brock@santamonica.govchristine.parra@santamonica.govlana.negrete@santamonica.govjesse.zwick@santamonica.govCaroline.Torosis@santamonica.govoscar.delatorre@santamonica.govcouncilmtgitems@santamonica.govdavid.white@santamonica.gov, Anuj.Gupta@santamonica.gov, council@smgov.net,

17th Street & Michigan Avenue Ribbon Cutting

Where: 17th and Colorado (Metro lot)
Please join us Dec. 2nd at 9am to celebrate the completion of the newest addition to the Santa Monica protected bike network with a ribbon cutting ceremony and a morning full of free, family-friendly activities. Enjoy donuts, local musicians and performers, remarks from the Mayor, giveaways, and bike rides along the project.
See more about the event HERE!
Hope to see you there! 

Schedule:
9 a.m. Donuts, coffee and hot chocolate (while supplies last)
9:30 a.m.  Ribbon cutting ceremony

  Confirmed Speakers:

  • Mayor Gleam Davis
  • Director of Transportation Anuj Gupta
  • Chief of Police Ramon Batista
  • Santa Monica Spoke Director Cynthia Rose

10 a.m. Santa Monica High School Marching Band
11:15 a.m. Academia de Danza Ballet Folklorico Flor de Mayo
10 a.m. – noon Guided bike tours 

Keystone projects like this improve bike and pedestrian safety and promote sustainability to help combat climate change. The completion of the Safe Streets for 17th Street and Michigan Avenue project marks a milestone step towards advancing the city’s key strategic priority of fostering a Sustainable & Connected Community. In addition to promoting sustainability and multi-modal transportation, Safe Streets for 17th Street and Michigan Avenue advances the City’s commitment to a Clean and Safe Santa Monica, including the Vision Zero initiative, which is the goal of eliminating severe traffic injuries and deaths on city streets. This critical project builds upon community engagement and feedback including the adopted Bike Action Plan Protected Network Amendment, Pedestrian Action Plan, the Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway (MANGo) Plan, as well as the city’s Land Use and Circulation Element.
Click to see a list of more exciting Mobility Projects

Safer Streets item 16C Unanimously Approved

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!

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. 

The Engine Inside: Film Screening and Panel Discussion

Wednesday, September 6th at the Aero Theatre, (doors open at 6pm)
The event is FREE to ALL but you must register to attend
Free Bike Valet will be provided

Click image to view trailer

The Engine Inside follows six everyday people from vastly different worlds who dedicate their lives to a simple, 200-year-old machine. Their trials and tribulations reveal the bicycle’s unique power to change lives and help build a better world.

Covering many different global issues—from climate change and indigenous trauma to socio-economic inequality and more livable cities —The Engine Inside sparks hope and agency in everyone it touches.

Screening will be followed by a Live Panel Discussion with Jason Kligier, Mobility Manager at City of Santa Monica, Cynthia Rose, Director Santa Monica Spoke and
Cris Gutierrez, Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance.
The panel will be moderated by Ferris Kawar, Sustainability Manager, Santa Monica College.
See more info in our Calendar event HERE

The Details

  • Event starts: Wednesday, September 6 at 7pm PDT
  • Location: Aero Theater at 1328 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403

Free Bike Valet will be provided.

Walk or Ride, don’t drive if you can.
The Aero Theater is served by Big Blue Bus lines 18, 41, and 42.

Bring your reusable water bottle!
Water is provided by the City of Santa Monica’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment

This is a zero waste event!
Enjoy the concessions, but when finished, please discard sustainably at the Zero Waste stations