HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/2/2021 Item 16, Klisch
Wilbanks, Megan
From:Steve Klisch <
To:Advisory Bodies; E-mail Council Website
Subject:Agenda item #16 - Active Transportation Plan
Dear City Council,
I urge you to support the Active Transportation Plan. I support the list of Tier 1 projects
and protected bike lanes throughout San Luis Obispo. I want to see these Tier 1 projects
considered in the FY21-23 budget cycle without delay so that we can start to see real
progress in support of active transportation in our city.
These projects will encourage more ridership and are crucial to meeting our climate
action, mode shift, vision zero, equity, diversity, and inclusivity goals. Regarding
climate action, in 2015 the United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
One goal is to “take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”. The UN
states “climate change is now affecting every country on every continent. It is … costing
people, communities and countries dearly today and even more tomorrow. The poorest
and most vulnerable people are being affected the most.”
One way we can take urgent action is to accelerate the process of building protected bike
lanes. Of the options being considered, protected bike lanes will increase biking the most.
This is not simply my belief; it is a conclusion that has been consistently supported with
scientific data. It is the option that reflects urgent action. And it is the option most likely to
get people out of their cars and onto their bikes and, thus, reduce our community's carbon
footprint.
There exists another serious threat to our community, our nation, and our world that is
often missing in this dialogue: the ever-increasing obesity epidemic. It is easy to argue
that we should also take urgent action to reduce obesity rates. The CDC recently reported
that the obesity rate among US adults reached 42.4% in 2017-2018. And, unfortunately,
obesity rates are rising among youths, including those in our city. Nationwide, the obesity
rate among youths was 19% in 2016. Obesity leads to a tremendous loss of quality of life
and a terrific cost to our health care system. The robust Active Transportation Plan with
its prioritized Tier 1 projects will be a huge step in the right direction for our
community's health.
Finally, there is the serious threat of injury and death to those who choose to ride a bicycle
in our city. According to NHTSA, in the US the number of bicyclists killed by car drivers
rose 12% from 2014-2015: 818 cyclists killed and another 45,000 cyclists injured. In 2016,
distracted, drunk, and speeding drivers killed over 24,000 people. Again, there is sound
research regarding why protected bike lanes are so effective at increasing ridership;
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simply put, without protected bike lanes many people are too scared to ride their bikes.
You can count my family among those cyclists that have been hit by distracted drivers in
this city. The robust Active Transportation Plan with its prioritized Tier 1 projects
will prevent injuries and deaths to cyclists.
Thank you,
Steve Klisch
San Luis Obispo
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