Dear City Council,

I am a Santa Monica resident and a parent. I support MANGo with the full range of options, including traffic diversion (if needed). I feel it essential that we keep all tools available to assure the success of the project.

MANGo has the potential to be an amazing pedestrian and bicycle connection for Santa Monica and will provide a backbone for the bike network and safe routes to many of the City’s Schools. I look forward to a future when my children can safely walk, scoot or bike along Michigan Avenue by themselves to and from school (including Samohi). In addition to Safe Routes to School improvements proposed around Samohi, which I also fully support, MANGo will help encourage healthy, active transportation for children to transport themselves to the many schools that can be accessed from Michigan Ave. Pick up and drop off hours at Samohi have turned Michigan Ave, Lincoln to 11th into an unmonitored, free for all car loading zone for parents to drop off and pick up their children. This creates an unsafe situation for children that do walk and bike and further, it discourages more from adopting this healthier, active means to get to and from school. 

The success of this project directly correlates to reducing vehicle speeds and volume on Michigan. I support adopting the NACTO target of less that 1500 vehicle trips per day for a project street of this type. 

A MANGo that reduces traffic volumes is a project for current and future generations. We can see trends in the elementary schools where the number of kids walking and biking to school increases. We must provide safer streets for our children now and as they get older so they can continue to be active and walk and bike to school safely. The City’s commitment to Safe Routes to School helps encourage these modes and MANGo is an absolutely crucial component in making it as safe as possible.

I support the MANGo project that includes the full range of options proposed to reduce traffic. Please set ambitious goals that prioritize healthy active lifestyles and the safety of people and children who are the future of Santa Monica. 

Name
Address (optional)