The Long View is Santa Monica City Manager Rick Cole’s blog. It’s a place to share his thoughts on the future of Santa Monica. It explores the complexities of our times and promotes the wellbeing of this remarkable community.
Be excited to engage in shaping the future of our city in new and exciting ways with Santa Monica Talks, the City’s Blog. Make sure your voice is heard – stay tuned for opportunities.
Back in August 2015, the Santa Monica City Council in a town hall type meeting considered a host of possible policy and project initiatives with pubic input.  This culminated in the adoption of five priorities that are expected to have the greatest affirmative effect on our communities safety, wellbeing, prosperity, quality of life and sustainability.
Most were pretty excited the five Strategic Goals that will inform the work of our city government over the coming years are categorized as follows: Mobility, Inclusive + Diverse Community, The Airport, Homelessness, Learn + Thrive.
With equity in how we plan our streets and sidewalks for the safety of all users as our core mission, the commitment to “Equitable Mobility” and “VISION ZERO” are important to see in our cities strategic plan. It will be important that we be engaged with our city partners as we shape the policy and programs that will determine how we move into the future.
We are already seeing the “Future” arrive in Santa Monica!
MOBILITY: 2016 will be a year of new choices for mobility in Santa Monica—Expo Light Rail to Downtown Santa Monica, Breeze bike share, direct bus routes with real-time information, car share, expanded shared-ride services, and safer walking and biking. This strategic goal pulls all these options together into a new model for mobility and attractive and convenient choices for people to get where they are going, while helping to reduce vehicle congestion and climate change. Learn more about Mobility
Become part of the momentum in Santa Monica’s growing bike culture and support multimodal, healthy active transportation in walking, biking and public transportation and so much more!