30 Sec. Sound Bites and Talking Points

• Each time a driver makes a trip by cycle instead of by automobile, not only the cyclist but society as a whole reaps the benefits.”
  ~Marcia D. Lowe, The Bicycle: Vehicle for a Small Planet
  
• The continued allocation of public space to cars instead of people exponentially takes us further and further from our sustainability goals of a liveable city where quality of life comes first.  ( ie parking structures, more and wider roadways mean fewer places for people)  We need to adopt a “Complete Streets” approach to street design that addresses the needs of all road users, not just cars.
• If the City of Santa Monica is going fulfill it’s goals for increasing multimodal transportation, SMPD must support that process by addressing the high rate of bike and pedestrian collisions with motor vehicles and developing a fact-based strategy for improvement (ie, target improvements at problem areas, etc).
• To increase bicycle ridership the city must  create a safe, well connected bikeway network throughout the city and step up the relatively inexpensive process of adding secure bicycle parking thought the city, and furthermore aggressively explore innovative bike parking alternatives such as bike corrals.
• A comprehensive Bicycle Action Plan must actively promote cycling in Santa Monica as an effective way improve traffic flow, air quality and to free up limited assets such as parking while reducing dependance on non renewable resources.
• Law enforcement should assist in the promotion of bicycling as a essential means of transportation though a sensitive enforcement of current laws.  Address the high rate of bike and pedestrian collisions with motor vehicles and develop a fact-based strategy to improve this (ie, target improvements at problem areas, etc).  Develop diverse encouragement programs to get more people cycling and assure that SMPD policies and operations support the city’s goals for cycling.
• We must facilitate and promote bicycle education programs for adults and children.  Santa Monica needs a safe cycling environment composed of an interconnected network of bike routes, with a reliable and transparent way to measure progress toward this goal.  Implement a track plan to measurement progress of bicycle usage, safety improvements, and bike parking utilization, etc.

Please add your ideas in comments or email them to Contact@SMSpoke.org