Written Comments — Santa Monica City Council, July 29, 2025

1 Mitchell Kois
From: Caro Vilain <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2025 1:32 PM
To: Jesse Zwick; Natalya Zernitskaya; Caroline Torosis; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Lana Negrete; councilmtgitems
Cc: Oliver Chi
Subject: Item 4A
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged

EXTERNAL
Dear Council,
As a resident who you know cares deeply about the safety and accessibility of our streets, and all the other issues these intersect with, I urge you to take item 4A as an opportunity to set a precedent for how we handle such projects.

It is my understanding that some "concerns" have been raised around the relocation of a bus stop as part of the East Pico project, and I hope you realize how the benefits of this change largely outweigh these unfounded fears. This bus stop relocation is a minor change that will enhance the experience of thousands of students, workers, residents, visitors,... who are often left behind when we decide how to design our streets. If we're not willing to remove 3 out of 150 parking spots in a city that we know is overparked, because one business is unwilling to "sacrifice" a small amount of convenience for the greater good, do we really have Vision Zero and sustainability goals? There is no such thing as unlimited right-of-way, and the mistakes we've made in the past when it comes to road design require us to now take away some of the over-convenience drivers are accustomed to. We simply can't continue to let fear of change dictate these projects.

The fact that such a basic, quick build project is taking so long is also quite concerning. It appears that a significant portion of that time was spent addressing minor community concerns. While community input is relevant and can help improve projects, excessive attention to it can undermine them, as seen with the projects in this item.

Regarding Broadway, the addition of a protected bike lane is a major improvement that we should all be proud of and looking forward to.

We set out goals to achieve Vision Zero by 2026 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The bike amendment plan, approved in 2020, is crucial to achieving both of these goals. There is no way around significantly changing how people get around our city if we want to accomplish these goals.

While there is no doubt that a network of protected bike lanes will help us get there, how we design these bike lanes will determine the impact of this network.

Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
2 If we design lanes that are only comfortable and efficient when used by a small minority of road users, only a small minority of road users will use them. If we truly care to see more people getting around using active transportation in our city, we must design a network that caters to this goal.

Santa Monica has a lot going for itself when it comes to safe streets. We are fortunate to have a small, yet motivated, intelligent, and qualified mobility team that has already implemented more safe street infrastructure than most of the region. There is also no lack of guidelines and data when it comes to designing safe multimodal streets. Additionally, the community is very supportive of these measures, as shown by the council that they elected and by the overwhelming support for Measure K.

And yet, it seems like concerns are coming from all parties (supporters of the project, council, staff, and the usual and unavoidable complainers).

The project's supporters are frustrated because it is clear that many major compromises were made to try to please the naysayers who don't yet understand how these projects benefit us all, regardless of how we get around. Staff end up spending a significant portion of their time responding to complaints rather than focusing on designing the best possible project based on well-crafted guidelines. The council finds itself having to approve projects as they are, or risk losing funding. And the people who are afraid of change will still find ways to complain, despite all the sacrifices made for their convenience.

I urge you all to approve the East Pico project as recommended by staff and to use your best judgment in moving forward with Broadway, taking into account the potential impact on funding, staff, and other projects, while maintaining our overarching Vision Zero and sustainability goals.

I hope we can all learn from this and start to rethink our processes. These projects are fantastic opportunities to make our city safer, more accessible, more affordable, and more livable, if we're willing to see their full potential, rather than continuously compromising in the face of fear. Let's reconsider where and when we get community input, and how much of it we really need. Let's ensure our staff can focus on designing projects based on up-to-date, high-standard guidelines, rather than worrying about how they might be criticized by the very people whose lives they are improving, if not saving.

Thank you,
Caro Vilain, 90404
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
3 Mitchell Kois
From: DUSTIN SHAHAN <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2025 8:11 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: RE: Council Item 4A -- Support East Pico Safety Project Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged

EXTERNAL
Council Comments Council Comments,
Dear Mayor Negrete and Councilmembers,
I agree with the views of Santa Monica Forward, shared below.

We write to express our strong support for the East Pico Safety Project. These improvements will make it easier for everyone who travels the corridor to get around, whether they travel on foot, bike, bus or car. In particular, we support implementing the bus stop relocation as proposed.

We thank staff for the extensive community outreach on this project. These improvements will help uplift Pico as a place we live and visit by improving crosswalks, enhancing transit safety, and calming excessive speeding. This will make sure Pico can be so much more than just a corridor that drivers cut through, and allow Pico to thrive as a heart of our community.

While we support the East Pico Safety Project as a quick build project, we would like to see an eastbound bus lane implemented in this corridor in the future. A bus lane would increase speeds for the BBB 7 route (links below) and is deeply needed.

Sincerely,
Dustin Shahan
90401

DUSTIN SHAHAN
[email protected]
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
4 Santa Monica, California 90401
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
5 Mitchell Kois
From: Carter Rubin <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2025 8:14 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: RE: Council Item 4A -- Support East Pico Safety Project Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged

EXTERNAL
Council Comments Council Comments,
Dear Mayor Negrete and Councilmembers,
I agree with the views of Santa Monica Forward, shared below.

Sincerely,
Carter Rubin
[email protected]
Santa Monica, California 90404
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
6 Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
1 Mitchell Kois
From: Santa Monica Forward <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, July 25, 2025 3:02 PM
To: Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; Natalya Zernitskaya; Barry Snell; councilmtgitems
Subject: Council Item 4A -- Support East Pico Safety Project Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Negrete and Councilmembers,
On behalf of Santa Monica Forward, we write to express our strong support for the East Pico Safety Project.

These improvements will make it easier for everyone who travels the corridor to get around, whether they travel on foot, bike, bus or car. In particular, we support implementing the bus stop relocation as proposed.

Sincerely,
Brad Ewing and Carl Hansen
Co-Chairs, Santa Monica Forward
Staff Report:
https://santamonicacityca.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=1198&MediaPosition= &ID=3490&CssClass=
SMDP Coverage: https://smdp.com/news/bus-only-lanes-could-reduce-congestion-officials-say/ --
We are working for a diverse, progressive, sustainable and equitable Santa Monica.

SantaMonicaForward.org
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
2 Mitchell Kois
From: April DS <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, July 25, 2025 2:53 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Support for Item 4a
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged

EXTERNAL
Dear Councilmembers,
As a Santa Monica resident and voter, I write in support of item 4a to enhance safety in the Pico corridor and via protected bike lanes on Broadway.

Thank you for supporting these important projects.

Sincerely,
April De Stefano
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
1 Mitchell Kois
From: Auguste Miller <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2025 12:13 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: tem 4A _ Yes to protected bike lanes _ Fwd: Take the Friendly Road: Summer Updates on your Local Mobility News

EXTERNAL
Yes to protected bike lanes, but why does it take over a year to start putting them in? Should be expedited!
Best,
Auguste Miller
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: City of Santa Monica <[email protected]> Date: Fri, Jul 25, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Subject: Take the Friendly Road: Summer Updates on your Local Mobility News To: <[email protected]>

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Broadway Protected Bike Lanes and East Pico Safety Improvements Take a Step Toward Construction
At the Tuesday, July 29 City Council meeting, City Council will consider the construction contract for the East Pico Safety Project and Broadway Protected Bike Lanes as part of the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Annual Repaving projects. If approved, the projects will begin construction along with other roadway maintenance activities.

The East Pico Safety project is anticipated to begin construction in November of 2025; and the Broadway Projected Bike Lanes project is anticipated to begin in late winter 2026.

Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
2 If you are as excited as we are for these projects, you can share your support and comments with City Council by emailing: [email protected] by Monday, July 28. Be sure to reference Item 4A which you can read here.

Wilshire Blvd & 16th Street - New Traffic Signal Installed The City has completed the installation of a new traffic signal at Wilshire Boulevard and 16th Street. The project also includes refreshed crosswalk markings, upgraded street lighting, and curb extensions at all four corners to improve pedestrian visibility. These enhancements support a more walkable and accessible experience for those traveling along Wilshire Blvd.

For more information about this project please visit santamonica.gov - Wilshire Boulevard Safety Enhancements
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People for Bikes Ranks Santa Monica
The City of Santa Monica scored in the 92nd percentile in People for Bikes’ annual ranking of bicycle network scores for midsized cities. Their score evaluates our network’s connectivity with retail, recreation, transit, and other core services. The City is committed to expanding our infrastructure to continue providing a range of multi-modal options for all community members.

Sepulveda Transit Corridor Draft EIR
Metro has released its Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project which aims to evaluate alternatives for a high-quality, reliable transit service option connecting the San Fernando Valley and the Westside. The 90-day comment period will end on August 30, 2025.

A hard copy of the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project Draft Environmental Impact Report Executive Summary Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
3 is available in English and Spanish at the Main Library Information Desk (601 Santa Monica Blvd.), as well as the Pico Branch Customer Service Desk (2201 Pico Blvd.) during open hours.

Comments will be accepted throughout the comment period via the following methods:
 Comment form
 Email: [email protected]
 Project information line: 213.922.7375
 U.S. Mail: Peter Carter, Metro, One Gateway Plaza, MS 99-22-6, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Digital Public Hearing
Date: Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Time: 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Webinar Link: https://bit.ly/STC-Aug6
Webinar ID: 827 5651 8473
Call in Number: 213.338.8477
Westwood Public Hearing
Date: Thursday, August 7, 2025
Time: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM (Presentation will began at 6PM) Location: Westwood United Methodist Church
10497 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024
More information about this project and other information sessions can be found here:
https://www.metro.net/projects/sepulvedacorridor/
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Automated Bus Lane Enforcement (ABLE) Begins in Santa Monica Big Blue Bus is launching Automated Bus Lane Enforcement (ABLE) to deter illegal parking in bus lanes and bus stops! Illegal parking prevents transit riders from reaching their destinations on time and makes boarding Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
4 unsafe and inaccessible. ABLE uses forward-facing camera systems mounted behind the bus windshield to automatically detect instances of parking violations, and Big Blue Bus has equipped 10 of its buses with this technology.

The warning period began on July 1, 2025, a warning notice will be issued to drivers illegally parked in transit lanes and stops in Santa Monica. Starting September 1, 2025, drivers will receive a parking citation for violations detected on these routes. For more information, visit bigbluebus.com/able.

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Santa Monica DOT's Prohibition Order Program Begins August 1 Beginning Friday, August 1, 2025, the Santa Monica Department of Transportation (DOT) will launch its new Prohibition Order Program, enabling Big Blue Bus to take stronger action in promoting safety and adherence to its Customer Code of Conduct. The Prohibition Order Program enhances public safety onboard Big Blue Bus buses and at bus stops through the issuance of prohibition orders. Customers who commit a criminal act or routinely violate Big Blue Bus’s Customer Code of Conduct may soon be temporarily suspended from riding Big Blue Bus. Learn more about Big Blue Bus’s Prohibition Order Program and Customer Code of Conduct at BigBlueBus.com.

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Big Blue Bus Service Changes Take Effect August 10
Big Blue Bus is rolling out even more service improvements beginning Sunday, August 10, 2025. Thanks to Big Blue Bus’s Brighter Blue initiative, riders will soon be able to enjoy more frequent service on multiple routes, including Route 3 and Route 7, with trips every 10 minutes or better during weekday peak hours.

Riders will also benefit from an expanded Route 43 and the addition of midday and weekend service.

Additional service enhancements include the much-anticipated return of Route 9, a seamless connection to the new LAX/Metro Transit Center via Route 3, where you can access free shuttles to SoFi Stadium for NFL games, and new bus shelters and bus stop amenities brought to you by Big Blue Bus’s Better Blue Bus Stops program. To learn more about these service changes and how your commute may be impacted, visit BigBlueBus.com.

Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
5 SAVE THE DATE
Get Your Kicks on Santa Monica Boulevard
The Santa Monica Boulevard Safety Study project team is hitting the road with a community open house event! Cruise down historic Route 66 and explore the proposed safety upgrades for Santa Monica Boulevard.

From new crosswalks to scramble intersections, check out what’s in the works to make the road safer for everyone — and don’t forget to share your feedback along the way.

Santa Monica Boulevard Safety Study - Open House Meeting Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM to TBD
Location: Santa Monica Family YMCA
MCA Community Room
1332 6th Street, Santa Monica, CA
For more information, please visit the project website at www.santamonica.gov/mobility-projects/santamonica-blvd-safety-study.

Friendly Spotlight
Highlighting multi-modal options throughout the City, we invite you to share why you choose to walk, bike, or bus throughout the city.

Interested in being featured in the upcoming Take the Friendly Road newsletter? Email a photo and a quote to [email protected].

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Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
6 To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.

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Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
7 Mitchell Kois
From: [email protected]
Sent: Friday, July 25, 2025 11:30 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Protected bike lanes

EXTERNAL
To Whom it May Concern,
Just so you know these lanes like on Ocean Ave and 17th are an absolute nightmare for a handicaped passenger. My 91yo husband using a walker has to go up over the barrier, then down then up again to arrive at the meter. Also, we have to be 18" from the curb inorder to have feet on the ground to stand up. And on 17th this puts us dangerously near the driving lane and difficult to open driverside door. I hate these "improvements" and find them very UNFRIENDLY. I can only imagine that the same person responsible for this idea must have had a hand in replacing the useful bus benches with those rediculuous toadstools and inadaquate sun shades. If you want to know how I really feel, send me a note.

Jane Urmston
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
8 Mitchell Kois
From: Aram Kadish <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, July 25, 2025 10:18 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Upgrades to bike lanes, side walks and cross walks on Lincoln, Pico, Broadway and all other roads

EXTERNAL
I find it outrageous that in this time of financial melt down, the city is prioritizing ripping up perfectly functioning infrastructure to upgrade it to only a minimally improved state and many times functionally worse condition. Can't these projects be wait listed until the absolutely necessary projects (water filtration, road and pot hole repair, fire resilience, etc.) be completed and we have extra money for these extraneous and unnecessary projects?
Aram
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
1 Mitchell Kois
From: Sam Shapiro-Kline <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2025 3:51 PM
To: Natalya Zernitskaya; Jesse Zwick; Barry Snell; Ellis Raskin; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Dan Hall; councilmtgitems; Santa Monica City Manager's Office; Oliver Chi Subject: 4A: Please Pause Approval for Greater Transparency Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed

EXTERNAL
Councilmembers,
Please pull item 4A from the consent calendar, and table its approval until there can be a public presentation of the Broadway Protected Bike Lane design & public input.

This is a significant transportation project for the city, however:

1. The design has not been published for the public to view

2. Council has not had an opportunity to ask questions about tradeoffs inherent in the design

3. No alternatives have been presented to council for a "Policy Decision" Personally, I might be in favor of a design that enhances the experience for bicyclists more so than what is currently proposed, however I cannot state that affirmatively because there has been no opportunity for the community to see what the design will be or learn about the tradeoffs! Thanks,
Sam Shapiro-Kline
Vice Chair, Santa Monica Forward
90403
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
2 Mitchell Kois
From: Nic Duquette <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2025 11:22 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Support for item 4A transportation investments Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed

EXTERNAL
Hello,
I cannot attend the July 29 city council meeting because of my other obligations, but want to voice my enthusiastic support for item 4A, which will expand the physically separated bike lane on Broadway and make other safety improvements.

My family and I live in Santa Monica at Arizona and Stanford, and regularly use Broadway for a commute to downtown SM and for recreation. While we do bike on this corridor often, the painted lanes are often not safe enough for comfort during rush hour or after dark, and we drive or take BBB 1 instead. Concrete barriers and other safety features improvements would allow us to be come bicycle-first road users and we hope you will approve the measure.

Thank you,
Nic
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
3 Mitchell Kois
From: Auguste Miller <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2025 12:13 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: tem 4A _ Yes to protected bike lanes _ Fwd: Take the Friendly Road: Summer Updates on your Local Mobility News
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed

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The East Pico Safety project is anticipated to begin construction in November of 2025; and the Broadway Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
4 Projected Bike Lanes project is anticipated to begin in late winter 2026.

If you are as excited as we are for these projects, you can share your support and comments with City Council by emailing: [email protected] by Monday, July 28. Be sure to reference Item 4A which you can read here.

Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
5 A hard copy of the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project Draft Environmental Impact Report Executive Summary is available in English and Spanish at the Main Library Information Desk (601 Santa Monica Blvd.), as well as the Pico Branch Customer Service Desk (2201 Pico Blvd.) during open hours.

Automated Bus Lane Enforcement (ABLE) Begins in Santa Monica Big Blue Bus is launching Automated Bus Lane Enforcement (ABLE) to deter illegal parking in bus lanes and Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
6 bus stops! Illegal parking prevents transit riders from reaching their destinations on time and makes boarding unsafe and inaccessible. ABLE uses forward-facing camera systems mounted behind the bus windshield to automatically detect instances of parking violations, and Big Blue Bus has equipped 10 of its buses with this technology.

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Riders will also benefit from an expanded Route 43 and the addition of midday and weekend service.

Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
7 SAVE THE DATE
Get Your Kicks on Santa Monica Boulevard
The Santa Monica Boulevard Safety Study project team is hitting the road with a community open house event! Cruise down historic Route 66 and explore the proposed safety upgrades for Santa Monica Boulevard.

From new crosswalks to scramble intersections, check out what’s in the works to make the road safer for everyone — and don’t forget to share your feedback along the way.

Friendly Spotlight
Highlighting multi-modal options throughout the City, we invite you to share why you choose to walk, bike, or bus throughout the city.

Interested in being featured in the upcoming Take the Friendly Road newsletter? Email a photo and a quote to [email protected].

To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.

Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
8 To help protect your priv acy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.

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Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
1 Mitchell Kois
From: Connor Webb <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2025 5:38 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Lana Negrete; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Natalya Zernitskaya; Barry Snell; Ellis Raskin; Caroline Torosis
Subject: Item 4A- Support the East Pico Safety Project

EXTERNAL
Dear Council,
I strongly support the East Pico Safety Project. The proposed improvements are beneficial to anyone who lives, works, or visits in the corridor. In particular, far side bus stop relocations are beneficial to transit and transit users by improving reliability and improving travel times, and should be implemented as proposed. At 33rd/Urban specifically, the intersection geometry means a far-side stop also has a significant safety benefit by preventing buses from obstructing the crosswalk at stops.

Staff has done extensive outreach on this project with very limited funding. It will upgrade crossings, enhance transit, and improve overall safety on the corridor. The project uplifts Pico and adds investment, opportunity, and access to the only Metro Equity Focus Community (EFC) in Santa Monica.

Notably, the section of Pico between 18th and Centinela is responsible for more lost passenger time than any other segment in the Big Blue Bus network within the City at 4,300 hours annually. (Data from the 2019 Staff Report 3490: Strategies to Increase Big Blue Bus Ridership by Improving Travel Times). It was already approved for a peak-hour bus lane in 2019 by council, and I would like to see this move forward ASAP.

Importantly, the adjacent section of Pico in the city of LA is designated in their Mobility plan as a peakhour bus lane, and will therefore be required by Measure HLA to be upgraded during the next resurfacing.

Last resurfacing was in 2005 for LA's portion, so it will likely be implemented within the next 5 years.

We should be planning to incorporate peak-hour lanes in Santa Monica as well.

However, the far-side stop relocations are still a worthwhile improvement and synergistic with future transit lanes, in addition to the benefits from other proposed safety changes. Please approve this contract.

Thank you,
Connor Webb
90404
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
2 Mitchell Kois
From: rowan sullivan <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2025 8:18 PM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Item 4A - Broadway Protected Bike Lanes

EXTERNAL
Hi Santa Monica City Council,
I love the protected bikes lanes that you’ve acƟoned so far in our beauƟful city and am looking forward to seeing the construcƟon start on Broadway. It will provide an important protected East-West corridor that is currently lacking in our current bike path system! I’m also eager to see construcƟon start on the 11th street protected bike lanes too as I use this route frequently cycling my kids to daycare and pre-school! Please make it happen and make it happen sooner than the 2026 Ɵmeline!
Thank you so much!
Rowan Sullivan and Family
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
3 Mitchell Kois
From: Sam Edwards <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2025 11:47 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: RE: Council Item 4A -- Support East Pico Safety Project

EXTERNAL
Council Comments Council Comments,
Dear Mayor Negrete and Councilmembers,
I agree with the views of Santa Monica Forward, shared below.

Sincerely,
Sam Edwards
[email protected]
Santa Monica, California 90405
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
1 Mitchell Kois
From: JONES HODUR <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 11:31 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Item 4a
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged

EXTERNAL
Dear Council members,
I am an smc student who lives in Culver City, a few miles away from Santa Monica. I commute by bike or public transit to school, taking the metro and then the bus, biking to the nearest bus stop, or biking all the way to campus.

Having better access to these methods of transportations is huge. It’s often been a concern of mine of when I should take classes because they’ll be impossible to get to, or how I can socialize with friends after school because my travel options often feel dangerous or limited.

Increasing my options not only offers me peace of mind, but also gives me more ability to spend more time in Santa Monica, going to more local restaurants with friends or doing my work at coffee shops instead of at home.

Thank you for your time,
Jones Hodur, student.

Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
2 Mitchell Kois
From: AMANDA SHANE <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 11:12 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Support for Item 4a: July 29th Meeting
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council
My name is Amanda and I am a student at Santa Monica College. My main form of transportation to college is by bus and bike, everyday maneuvering through LA streets, and finding the best bike routes to get to school safely. The difference between a protected bike lane, separated from cars by physical barriers is incredibly important to me and I am very supportive of item 4a. Instead of hoping as I bike pass the parked cars to my right and speeding cars to my left that someone doesn't open their door, a protected bike lane would mean I would have a safer mode of transportation and Broadway would be a more accessible road for everyone. I live off of Venice Boulevard, and I remember when they first implemented the new bike lanes with parked cars acting as a barrier from traffic. Since they've been put in, walking on Venice feels safer, and it's more pleasant. Anytime I'm biking and pass by a store or business that looks interesting, I can easily hop off my bike and head in to the store. Having protected bike lanes puts the focus on the community; on making transportation accessible, safe, and easy.

I am also in support of the change to the bus stop on Pico. Pedestrian safety should be prioritized and this proposal would help to ensure that when using a bus, that the design makes sense for pedestrians and drivers.

Please support item 4a to ensure that LA continues to become a model for public transportation and bike safety.

Thank you
-Amanda Shane
[email protected]
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
3 Mitchell Kois
From: Cynthia Rose <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 10:55 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Council Mailbox; Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Dan Hall
Cc: Oliver Chi; Anuj Gupta; Colleen E. Stoll; Jason Kligier; [email protected] Subject: Support Agenda Item 4A: East Pico and Broadway Safety Projects - annual repaving Attachments: 2025-07 Support Agenda Item 4A SM Spoke SaMoSSA E Pico-Broadway.pdf Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Negrete, Mayor Pro Tem Torosis and Santa Monica City Council Members:

Please find attached our letter from Santa Monica Spoke and the Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance in full support of implementation of the East Pico Blvd. Safety Project and the Broadway Protected Bike Lanes with the approval of the Construction Contract to Sully Miller Contracting Company in the FY 25- 26 Annual Paving Project and Acceptance of the Transportation Development Act Grant. --
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 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 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.

July 29, 2025

RE: Support Agenda Item 4A: East Pico and Broadway Safety Projects Dear Mayor Negrete, Mayor Pro Tem Torosis and City Council Members:

Santa Monica Spoke and the Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance are writing in full support of implementation of the East Pico Safety Project and the Broadway Protected Bike Lanes with the approval of the Construction Contract to Sully Miller Contracting Company in the FY 25-26 Annual Paving Project and Acceptance of the Transportation Development Act Grant.

Broadway has always been a key corridor in Santa Monica’s bike network – protected infrastructure on Broadway is a long awaited, welcome and, dare we say, overdue upgrade on this key corridor – building beyond our initial green paint upgrade in 2014 and the more recent protected lanes installed in 2020 between 15th and 20th. We look forward to celebrating the completion of this important spine in our (protected) bike lane network that is welcoming and safe for all ages and abilities and will encourage safe and healthy active transportation options for everyone — beyond driving a car.

Though we enthusiastically support this project, we must also acknowledge that Santa Monica continues to defer to policies that prioritize car dominance and car priority planning. We cannot continue with the status quo of 1950’s auto-centric planning that prioritizes speed and auto driver “convenience” over safety. We encourage Council to engage and work with Staff to identify and mitigate these policies and roadblocks that continue to make our collective vision of safety improvements for our most vulnerable road users an uphill challenge.

We enthusiastically support the East Pico Boulevard Safety Improvements that will make it safer and easier for everyone who travels the corridor to get to their destinations, whether it be by walking, biking, bus or car. Implementing the bus stop relocation as proposed is an important component to improving sightline visibility thereby improving pedestrian safety as well as implementing critical best practices for bus efficiency. This section of East Pico Boulevard is identified in the City’s Vision Zero plan as a priority corridor for safety improvements and is one of Santa Monica’s 10% sections of the City Streets that represent 50% of fatal and severe traffic injuries occurring in the City.

Safety improvements are urgently needed: in Santa Monica people walking and biking are disproportionately impacted by traffic violence. People walking and biking are involved in 18% of traffic collisions, yet represent 70% of fatal traffic injuries and 59% of severe traffic injuries. This section of Pico Boulevard has a significant amount of pedestrian activity corresponding with the high concentration of stores, restaurants, and a busy full service grocery store.

We partnered with Staff in early 2017 as part of MANGo extensions where an attempt was made to introduce a discussion of safety improvements on the East Pico corridor at an Open House at High Place, Community Corp of Santa Monica, January 2017. The improvements were well received by attendees until just a few loud voices, who arrived at the end of the Open House, objected to being “inconvenienced” with some of the proposed draft improvements (Pico Boulevard/30th and Street/ Dorchester Avenue intersections). Those safety improvements were then stalled and “withheld until further consultation.”
It is perilous to stall further safety measures. Eight pedestrians/cyclists were killed by drivers of motor vehicles in 2017 — ("The Statistics Behind Santa Monica's Pedestrian Deaths," May 11, 2017). Then Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
tragically on October 13, 2020 -- a woman – beloved community resident was fatally struck in the crosswalk at Pico Boulevard and Stewart Street by a person driving a car. These preventable tragedies have severely injured and killed with far reaching impacts to everyone. These deaths and life altering injuries change our community and forever alter the lives of friends and loved ones left behind in the wake of these preventable severe and fatal injuries. Our first priority MUST be the safety of our community.

Santa Monica Spoke and the Santa Monica Safe Streets Alliance worked in coordination with the City in a community based advisory role supporting the East Pico project outreach and evaluation — assisting the City in a walk audit and several community workshops. We participated on the Community Action Committee (CAC) for the East Pico Project along with community group representatives, residents, and business owners. We thank Staff for the extensive community outreach on this project.

These safety improvements will help uplift East Pico as a place where we live, work and play by improving crosswalks, enhancing transit safety, and calming excessive speeding. This can work toward making sure East Pico can be so much more than just a corridor that drivers blindly speed through to get in and out of Santa Monica, and allow East Pico to thrive as a flourishing heart in our community. This project is an example of how we must prioritize safe and friendly commercial districts that protect our most vulnerable people walking, biking and taking the bus as we edge towards our climate and safety goals.

The safety improvements in these two projects move us closer to an envisioned network of safer streets, not only supporting Santa Monica’s Vision Zero and the Climate Action and Adaptability Plan but also our environmental sustainability goals to reduce traffic volumes and encourage walking, biking and transit use by increasing safety and comfort on all corridors in Santa Monica and creating neighborhood connectivity to local destinations and schools. The message this sends to current and future generations is that climate actions are made real with safe, climate-sensible infrastructure for a resilient present and future. To make this authentic we must ensure safe pedestrian and bike movements for our most vulnerable road users. Integrating these safety improvements into our annual paving creates efficiencies and synergy to reinforce our collective community and City commitment for a more environmentally sustainable and resilient future where everyone has safe and easy access to public transit, and choices for healthy, active mobility to walk, bike or roll for recreation and for their daily needs. Improving street safety for all road users and improving bus travel times are key and help create a more diverse, equitable and safe transportation system. We support the Broadway and East Pico Improvements and thank Staff, the CAC and the consultants for their work.

We trust the Council will move swiftly and vote to approve this item as proposed. The safety of our community and everyone who visits Santa Monica – indeed our lives – are at stake.

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
PDF Attachments:– 2020 East Pico SM Safe Streets Alliance (grant support letter) Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
4 Mitchell Kois
From: Dylan Neumeyer <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 10:55 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Item 4A
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged

EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
I am a Santa Monica resident, and student at Santa Monica College, and I fully support safer streets and the new proposed changes to the Pico and Broadway bike lanes and bus stops. I don't have a car. I traverse this city on the bus and my bike, and I rely on our bike lanes and bus infrastructure to do this safely and comfortably. I use the Broadway bike lanes every day, and it would be a massive improvement to my, and many others', commute if the bike lanes were protected for the whole length, from 5th to 26th street. Santa Monica has good bike infrastructure, but it deserves to be better.

Pico is a dangerous but important thoroughfare, and improvements are definitely needed. The buses are also integral to the students of Santa Monica college who use the BBB system en masse, especially the 7, and the bus stops are a weak point for Big Blue Bus right now. Bus stops take up very little space, and if anything, having a bus stop on a heavily used line which actually provide these businesses with greater exposure. We should not let a couple businesses jeopardize the transportation and safety of hundreds of people.

Sincerely,
Dylan Neumeyer
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
5 Mitchell Kois
From: Ferris Kawar <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 10:12 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Item 4a
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Negrete and Council members,
I live and work in Santa Monica. My main mode of getting to work, running errands and taking my kids to school is by bike. The City has done a wonderful job making it feel safer for cyclists and I welcome the additional protection the Broadway Bike lane project will bring.

Thank you
Ferris Kawar
90405
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
6 Mitchell Kois
From: Ferris Kawar <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 10:02 AM
To: councilmtgitems
Subject: Item 4a
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged

EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Negrete and Council members,
I’m a resident of Sunset Park and a frequent user of businesses around Pico and 33rd. My family and I do a lot of walking, biking and bus riding so I know the need for the proposed safety updates. I welcome them and hope you do too.

Even the prevention of one collision or death is worth any inconvenience that the changes may have to some in the area.

Thank you
Ferria Kawar
90405
Sunset Park resident.

Item 4-A
July 29, 2025
Item 4-A
July 29, 2025

Santa Monica City CouncilJuly 29, 2025

Santa Monica City Council
July 29, 2025