HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/16/2019 Item 13, Ellison
From:Rick Ellison <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:4-16-19 Agenda Item 13
Attachments:SLOCityMajorGoals201921.pdf
Dear Mayor Harmon and City Council Members,
Please find the attached letter regarding Item 13 on the Council Agenda for April 16.
Best regards,
Rick
--
Rick Ellison | Executive Director
rick@bikeslocounty.org
O: 805.547.2055 | Cell: 805.748.2733
bikeslocounty.org
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BIKE SLO COU N T Y bikeslocounty.org
April 16, 2019
San Luis Obispo City Council
909 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Dear Mayor Harmon and Council Members,
On behalf of Bike SLO County, a local nonprofit based in San Luis Obispo that inspires, educates,
advocates, and works to build a safe, healthy and connected community through bicycling we are
pleased the Council has identified Sustainable Transportation as one of the Major City Goals for 2019-
2021. We appreciate the work of the Council and City staff leading the extensive planning process and
seeking input from so many stakeholders. We believe the end result is that the priorities you have
outlined will make our city a better place.
Bike SLO County is a major advocate for the multi-modal transportation initiative, and we strongly
support the city’s efforts to implement the Climate Action Plan, and we are very excited about the plan
to go carbon neutral by 2035. Adjusting the name of the Major City Goal to Sustainable Transportation
creates a clear alignment and connectedness between the five major goals.
The key activities for Sustainable Transportation: creating safe and enhanced walking and biking
opportunities; infrastructure supporting housing and reducing vehicles miles traveled; enhancing
transit services; and emerging trends and technology support bicycle and pedestrian mobility will lead
to achieving major progress toward the City’s mode split goals.
Infrastructure maintenance, as we all know, costs more the longer we put it off. Bike SLO County is
happy to support ongoing infrastructure maintenance to insure that our streets, sidewalks and bike
paths are safer for all current residents as well as future residents who will benefit from the city’s
economically accessible housing efforts. Maintenance and new construction of facilities will be key
activities in the Major City Goals to achieve safe and connected roadways and greenways to directly
impact the ability to increase bicycle volumes. As regular maintenance is planned and preformed we
strongly urge Public Works to incorporate appropriate striping of Class II bike lanes, and the
identification of the construction of new Class IV protected bike lanes on construction project
whenever possible.
Council’s prioritization of the New Construction projects of the Anholm Greenway, the Railroad Safety
Trail, and to build a HAWK crossing on Broad St at Woodbridge, will make great progress on not just
one Major Goal but many. The initiative to begin the construction of the protected intersections at
Madonna and Dalidio, Los Oso Valley Road and Froom, and the S. Higuera and Prado Road will address
areas with new development and current safety concerns.
BIKE SLO COU N T Y bikeslocounty.org
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Finally, as the City researches the possibility of hosting an “Open Streets” event, Bike SLO County
would be pleased to be involved as a stakeholder in the project. We have first-hand experience at the
recent Santa Maria Open Streets event in late March and can share the recent experiences of
partnering with the CHP that distributed hundreds of helmets to children and we conducted a bicycle
safety rodeo for more than 400 children.
Sincerely,
Chris McBride Garrett Otto Rick Ellison
President Advocacy Chair Executive Director
Bike SLO County Board Bike SLO County Board Bike SLO County