1 David Yakobson
From: Brodsky, Michael <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 11:51 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Agenda Item 10A - Support for shared bus lanes
EXTERNAL
Dear City Council,
I support Agenda Item 10A to allow buses, bikes, and scooters in bus transit only lanes as this long over due implementation will bring us in alignment with other major cities safe street designs policies such as Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Sharing lanes between buses and bikes can enhance both bus efficiency and cyclist safety while freeing up space in general traffic lanes. People on bicycles benefit from a separation from high-speed traffic, reducing their risk of collisions.
Studies such “SharedBus-BikeLaneSafetyAnalysis: Assessing Multimodal Accessand Conflicts” https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://urbanmilwaukee.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/dot_65819_DS1-
1.pdf__;!!OfuUnHCITYtmmjM!th_HDOUdprrXY8izkxDpOuUjinnmwck0YCVkUA0qqlWyLoGCpHihLDAALl_xVsQH_bxGsHKZlX-nWfevxB7H3oS6qZ3gQ$ support these conclusions.
Sincerely,
Michael Brodsky
Santa Monica
Item 10-A
June 10, 2025
Item 10-A
June 10, 2025
1 David Yakobson
From: Dustin Shahan <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 9:47 AM
To: Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya
Cc: councilmtgitems
Subject: Support Item 10A
EXTERNAL
Good morning Council,
I'm writing in support of Item 10A regarding bicycles and bus lanes. As a resident along Broadway, I regularly bike west through one of these areas to get to restaurants and connect to the beach bike path.
It's a hectic area already and sharing the lane with normal vehicle traffic is not a safe option. Using the bus lane is commonplace throughout the rest of the area and provides a much safer alternative.
Administrative designation for transit only lanes also makes sense and should lead towards more effective execution of transit service.
Thanks
Dustin Shahan
90401
Item 10-A
June 10, 2025
Item 10-A
June 10, 2025
2 David Yakobson
From: Cynthia Rose <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 9:39 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Council Mailbox; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Dan Hall
Cc: Elaine Polachek; Anuj Gupta; Colleen E. Stoll; Jason Kligier; [email protected]
Subject: Support for Agenda Item 10a
Attachments: 2025-06 CC Agenda Item 10a Support bikes in transit lanes ordinace amendment- SM Spoke SaMoSSA .pdf
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Negrete, Mayor Pro Tem Torosis and City Council Members:
Please find our support letter attached for agenda item 10a Thank you for your dedication and service to Santa Monica! --
Cynthia Rose
Director
Santa Monica Spoke
SMSpoke.org
I acknowledge with respect and gratitude the Tongva, Kizh, and Chumash Peoples on whose traditional territory I live and work.
Item 10-A
June 10, 2025
Item 10-A
June 10, 2025
A community group dedicated
to biking and walking in Santa Monica.
Working to make the
City of Santa Monica a
more sustainable,
bikeable & walkable place to live, work and play.
June 10, 2025
RE: Support for Agenda item 10a Buses Bikes and Scooters in Transit Only Lanes Ordinance Amendment.
Dear Mayor Negrete, Mayor Pro Tem Torosis and City Council Members:
On behalf of Santa Monica Spoke and the Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance we support staff recommendations and the supporting documentation for Agenda Item 10a Buses Bikes and Scooters in Transit Only Lanes Ordinance Amendment.
We fully support the long overdue implementation to allow buses, bikes, and scooters in transit only lanes. The City of Los Angeles –which surrounds Santa Monica on three sides– currently permits this operation and has for a long time. Permitting the same uses in Santa Monica provides a clear multijurisdictional network and helps prevent people on bikes and other mobility devices from being cited for traveling in a lane with a higher degree of riding comfort and practicality. We support amending the Municipal Code to allow the Director of the Department of Transportation the ability to administratively designate future transit-only lanes. This will enable the City to dynamically respond to changes in transit demand –specifically as those demands may arise from upcoming regional mega-events.
In reading the updated ordinance there appears to be a lack of clarity/parity in regards to personal escooters. The amended ordinance language reads:
3.12.675 Transit Lanes
The Parking and Traffic Engineer Director of the Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Traffic Engineer, may designate specified lanes of traffic for
transit service as follows:. A person may operate a bicycle or “shared mobility device”, as defined in Section 3.22.020, in designated lanes of traffic for transit service. Designated lanes of traffic for transit service are as follows:
This language seems to leave out personally owned e-scooters/mobility devices? It would seem the intent is not to exclude these personal devices. The ordinance language should be clarified so that personally owned e-scooters are allowed – the same as “shared mobility devices”.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Rose
Director, Santa Monica Spoke Cris Gutierrez
Co-Chair, Santa Monica Safe Street Alliance Co-Chair, Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance SMSpoke.org
SaMoSafeStreets.org
Item 10-A
June 10, 2025
Item 10-A
June 10, 2025
1 David Yakobson
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, June 9, 2025 6:27 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Agenda 6/10/2025 Item 10A
EXTERNAL
I support amending Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 3.12.675 to allow bicycles and other devices in transit-only lanes
In the further interest of public safety, I also strongly support the City enforcing Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 3.12.540 --Bicycle riding or coasting restricted. (a) It shall be unlawful to ride a bicycle or to coast in any vehicle upon any public sidewalk (c) Any person violating subsection (a) of this Section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars per violation, or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not exceeding six months, or by both fine and imprisonment; or shall be guilty of an infraction, which shall be punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars but not more than two hundred fifty dollars.
In addition, Santa Monica traffic regulations prohibit the following:
Riding on the Third Street (Beach) Promenade.
Riding on sidewalks.
Riding in public parking structures.
Clinging to moving vehicles.
Riding on handle bars.
Operating a pedicab without a pedicab permit.
It is my understanding that these ordinances apply to motorized bicycles and scooters.
Thank you,
Michael Baroff
Item 10-A
June 10, 2025
Item 10-A
June 10, 2025