Category Archives: action alert

Santa Monica Blvd Bike Lane Project: Your input is requested!

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Caltrans is seeking community input for a proposed bike lane project on Santa Monica Blvd (SR-2) – in the West LA neighborhood of Los Angeles – between Ohio Ave and Westgate Ave. Various alternatives are currently being studied to determine the best multimodal improvement for communities along this corridor. Colloquially known as the ‘Ohio to Ohio’ project, the objective of this project is to close an existing bicycle route gap that is bisected by SR-2. The intended purpose is to create a continuous path for active commuters who utilize the existing facilities for work, school, or for recreational purposes. By connecting a bike route, users will have fewer conflict points with vehicles and will be able to travel in a safer and more accessible manner.

Caltrans has reached out to collect as much feedback as possible for the local community. See the fact sheet with project information. Included in the informational document are links to an online survey and a virtual meeting that will be held Wednesday, May 24th, from 7:00 – 8:30PM.

The online public survey will be available to the public until Wednesday, June 7th
La encuesta pública en línea estará disponible para el público hasta el miércoles 7 de Junio

Engaging with the community is an important part of the Caltrans planning process. With your help, we will can increase the outreach efforts and help support Caltrans efforts to better connect with the public.

If you would like more detailed information about this project, please visit the Caltrans website.

Project Fact Sheet | Hoja de datos del proyecto:
English: bit.ly/sm-bikelane-factsheet
Español: bit.ly/sm-bikelane-factsheet-spanish

Virtual Public Meeting | Reunión pública virtual:
Date: Wednesday, May 24th | Fecha: Miércoles 24 de Mayo
Time | Hora: 7:00pm-8:30pm
Link: bit.ly/SR2bikes

NEW #ActionAlert: California Shared Scooters and Bikes Are Under Threat

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AB 371 doesn’t solve the problem

The California State Senate is considering a bill that will endanger bike and scooter sharing in California. It’s absolutely crucial to voice your opposition to this dangerous bill today.

Tell Governor Newsom
VETO AB 371 and Support Shared Micromobility!

The Kill Bike-Share Bill singles out shared micromobility for an onerous insurance requirement. That will drive up the costs of bike and scooter sharing so severely that many programs will have to be canceled, and hopes of expansion into low-income communities will be dashed.

California needs real solutions

Bike and scooter sharing systems are essential to help mitigate climate change by reducing carbon emissions. The Kill Bike-Share Bill solves nothing and is likely to make California’s problems worse.

If passed, AB 371 would have a devastating impact on equitable mobility. Please take action today! Please join us and tell Governor Newsom to VETO AB 371 and Support Shared Micromobility!

See here why AB 371 doesn’t solve the problem, California needs real solutions, Insurance requirement comparison, and 4 reasons to save California bike-share

#ActionAlert: Bike-Share Is Under Threat

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If AB 371 passes, we won’t be able to expand shared micromobility programs to low-income communities that need them.

AB 371 endangers shared bikes and scooters in California

The California State Senate is considering a bill that will endanger bike and scooter sharing in California. It’s absolutely crucial to voice your opposition to this dangerous bill today.
UNLESS FIXED, AB 371 COULD KILL BIKE-SHARING IN CALIFORNIA

The Kill Bike-Share Bill (AB 371) would require providers of shared scooters (whether a private company, non-profit, or a transit agency) to carry insurance to pay for injuries caused through no fault of their own including by the rider’s own negligence. It requires a study that is likely to lead to a similar requirement for shared bikes in the future.

Tell your senator to vote NO on AB 371, the Kill Bike-Share Bill

See here why AB 371 doesn’t solve the problem, California needs real solutions, Insurance requirement comparison, and 4 reasons to save California bike-share

Action Alert: Support Pedestrian Pilot on Main Street

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June 8th Council Meeting 

This Tuesday, Santa Monica City Council is expected to vote on final approval of the pilot program for temporary weekend street closures for vehicular traffic for a few weekends this summer on Main Street. In other cities programs like this have proven to reduce car use, support local businesses, and increase walking and biking. Santa Monica City Council needs to hear from you – share your support for a more sustainable, walkable, and vibrant Santa Monica! We want Santa Monica to be a great place for residents, workers, students and visitors of all ages to safely walk, bike, and scoot. As we emerge out of the pandemic, finding creative ways like this to support healthy active mobility and our local businesses by providing more outdoor experiences is critical for our community wellbeing and our economic recovery. 

We know you may have previously sent an email or submitted a survey but we need you to help demonstrate support to Council this evening with a short note to ensure that Item 7-A is approved. Click and customize the template below.

Santa Monica Spoke enthusiastically supports the Main Street Buisness Improvement District and the Ocean Park Neighborhood Association pilot. Other cities in the US and around the world have long been discovering the economic and safety benefits of slow and shared streets for safer, more equitable and sustainable mobility, for people walking, biking, scooting and driving. We have the data, we know that prioritizing people over cars makes streets safer for everyone, improves gridlock, is better for the environment, and indeed improves the experience of mobility regardless of mode. By providing safer and healthier options that encourage more people to leave their cars behind and explore the city, we improve safety, climate impacts, economic and environmental resilience, and vitality for our future. 

This item will be heard tomorrow at the Tuesday, June 8th council meeting.
Please send a quick note of support on Item 7-A, pilot program for weekend closures on Main Street, to the members of City Council* — template and email addresses listed below.
*preferably by noon on Tuesday June 8th. 

Example from Santa Barbara 

Template: Please personalize as you like

To: councilmtgitems@smgov.net, sue.himmelrich@smgov.net, kristin.mccowan@smgov.net, phil.brock@smgov.net, gleam.davis@smgov.net, oscar.delatorre@smgov.net, Kevin.McKeown@smgov.net, christine.parra@smgov.net

Dear Mayor and Santa Monica City Council,

As a Santa Monica resident, I support the pilot to pedestrianize Main Street for a few weekends this summer and hope you will consider making it permanent. Pedestrianized streets are more vibrant and encourage people to visit by foot, bicycle or scooter and leave their car at home. Pedestrian streets improve the visitor experience, encourage people to stay and bring in more customers to shops and restaurants. Streets that are pedestrianized are much more relaxing and enjoyable to visit and eat outdoors than a street with the noise and pollution of car traffic.

I very much support this program and ask that you vote to approve of the pilot on Main Street!

Silent Vigil from Home – Wed, June 3rd, 9 PM

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Passing this on, Peaceful, silent protest from home. 

Tonight, Wednesday, June 3rd, at 9:00 pm, for exactly 8 min and 46 seconds, let’s go outside our homes and shine a flashlight into the sky. That’s the amount of time that George Floyd had a knee on his neck, pleading for his life. 

All we need to do is to go outdoors (rooftop, front yard, back yard, street, any place outdoors) and turn on a flashlight, or emergency light, and point it to the sky for exactly 8 min and 46 seconds starting at exactly 9:00 pm.

Let’s get the entire City of Santa Monica and Los Angeles to do it, let’s show that we, the people, can come together peacefully, even when we are forced to be apart. Let’s show that we care, and that we do not want more violence, we want change. Join this at-home protest and we can make our City shine as bright light for change.

Wednesday, June 3rd, is 9 days from George Floyd’s murder. He lost his life in almost 9 minutes by police unnecessary brutality. Let’s come together and demonstrate that it’s not okay – it will never be OK – and that we demand change.