HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/8/2020 Item 20, Justesen
Wilbanks, Megan
From:Justesen, Erik P. <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Active Transportation Plan
Dear City Council members,
First, congratulation to Mayor Harmon, Councilmembers Pease and Marx for your re/election to the SLO CC! well done,
we are looking forward to your continued strong leadership of our city.
I am writing to record my support of the Draft ATP. While I am used to these things begin called a Bike and Ped master
plan the words Active Transportation Plan is really much more fitting and deserved.
The reason I encourage you to support this plan is for the following reasons:
1. Just as in the past, without an adopted ATP we will be at a significant disadvantage for the very competitive
grants that we depend on to fund a majority of these initiatives. An up to date ATP in alignment with the most
recent to legislation and requirements is an imperative.
2. It is a smart plan focused on increasing walking and biking as a means of commuting, directly in support of one
of the Major City Council Goals to reduce Co2 emissions. The plan contains a 3 tier program aimed at installing
tier 1 low cost improvements that have a direct effect on breaking barriers to biking and walking and making a
bold statement that they have the right to share our streets with vehicles.
3. This plan is a plan of, for and by the people of SLO. Significant public engagement was harnessed to create this
plan. It represents the overwhelming majority of those citizen participants and the technical know how of staff
and consultants.
A crisis is a terrible thing to waste. As the COVID Pandemic has showed its teeth all year, I am incredibly proud of
you and our city leaders for taking bold and swift action in innumerable ways to help our businesses and citizens.
From the Parklets and accelerated permitting times for restaurants and businesses to holiday lighting and new bike
lanes, and in countless other ways, you did the City right.
Your support of this Active Transportation Plan is another way you can do the City right. Keep up the good work. We
need your vision and progressive actions to set us on a course of compassionate, sustainable prosperity.
Erik Justesen
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