From: Carla Wiking
To: Atha, Roberta
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Climate Action Subcommittee Public Comment - Item # 4.2 Date: Monday, May 9, 2022 12:47:47 PM
In order for Santa Rosa to take meaningful action on climate change we need and deserve safe ways to get around without a car, and we need them NOW! The vision of the 2018 bike/ped plan is great, but (a) it is being implemented too slowly and (b) the planned infrastructure recommendations are not alone enough to make good on the vision. I ask the city council to devote whatever staff time is necessary to ensure that implementing and expanding the bike/ped plan is a priority in the coming years.
Thank you,
Carla Wiking
From: Erica Mikesh
To: Atha, Roberta
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Climate Action Subcommittee Public Comment - Item # 4.2" Date: Monday, May 9, 2022 4:26:38 PM
My name is Erica Mikesh. I am a resident of Santa Rosa. The vision of the 2018 bike/ped plan is great, but (a) it is being implemented too slowly and (b) the planned infrastructure recommendations are not alone enough to make good on the vision. My request is that the city council devote whatever staff time is necessary to ensure that implementing and expanding the bike/ped plan is a priority in the coming years.
Sincerely,
Erica Mikesh
From: Janelle Black
To: Atha, Roberta
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Climate Action Subcommittee Public Comment - Item # 4.2 Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 5:21:42 AM
Hi, I’m writing to urge you to move faster and more decisively on the 2018 bicycle pedestrian master plan and go beyond the plan to create more connected and safer bicycle pedestrian networks. When it’s easier and safer to ride a bike for transportation, people will come out and ride.
I’m a Roseland resident and mother to a young son (4 yr old). I commute by bicycle to downtown Santa Rosa almost every day, and use my bike for other transportation as much as I can. I want to ride with my son to his preschool, to playgrounds, to all our activities, but I am limited in where I feel it’s safe to ride with him. I’ll spend time carefully planning complex routes to stay on safe paths, only to discover that there is no safe way to cross a major street or navigate an area: for example, the route from Roseland to Youth Community Park can be done via bike path the whole way….until you have to dodge cars across Guerneville Rd without any traffic control. This is not acceptable to do with a child.
We know that transportation is a major contributor to climate change. Please help me and others who want to ride and walk by building safe bicycle and pedestrian networks…not just the 2018 master plan, which doesn’t go far enough. We need more, and we need it now. Please make this a priority for the City.
Thank you,
Janelle Black
From: Justin Borton
To: Atha, Roberta
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Climate Action Subcommittee Public Comment - Item # 4.2 Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 9:16:34 AM
The vision of the 2018 bike/ped plan is good, but it is being implemented too slowly and the planned infrastructure recommendations are not alone enough to make good on the vision.
Please devote whatever staff time is necessary to ensure that implementing and expanding the bike/ped plan is a priority in the coming years.
Thank you!
--
Justin Borton
From: Kenneth Mercado
To: Atha, Roberta
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Climate Action Subcommittee Public Comment - item # 4.2 Dreaming of a Bikeable SR...
Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 10:33:46 AM
Hello,
Thank you to all who helped put together the 2018 bike/ped plan. It's a great idea but it seems to be taking way too long to come to fruition. Please consider this a priority as our lovely city is sorely lacking safe bike routes for kids and their families. In the coming years, my family requests that you all devote staff and time necessary to implement and expand our bike/ped plan.
More safe bike routes=more families out in our communties=more local money spent here=healthier population=lower health cost=better for environment=better for our children's future=win-win
Thanks again for all you do,
Ken Mercado
SR 95405
From: Emily Baker
To: Atha, Roberta
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Climate Action Subcommittee Public Comment - Item # 4.2 Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 1:38:04 PM
Hello,
I am happy that Santa Rosa has a bike and pedestrian plan (2018). However, I am concerned that the city needs to go further in planning more infrastructure changes to help Santa Rosa be more bicycle and pedestrian friendly.
I would also hope that the planned changes can be rolled out a bit more quickly.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Emily Baker
From: Michael Lipelt
To: Atha, Roberta
Subject: [EXTERNAL] SR Climate Subcommittee item 4.2
Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 4:10:52 PM
Council Members Chris Rogers, Eddie Alvarez and Valerie Rogers:
Comments regarding item 4.2 of Climate Subcommittee Agenda:
I understand the massive effort in designing a Bike/Ped Master Plan beginning in 2010 and updated 2018. Since the Plan’s inception many new challenges have indicated that we must bring our Master Plan to a more current status to meet the urgency and scale needed to create a “Bike Culture” to get people out of their cars. In order to do this we must invest in bike/ped infrastructure that connects all neighborhoods through safe, protected bike networks. Once one reaches his/her destination there must be secure bike racks or enclosures for all types of bikes.
I’m a life long cyclist, semi-retired family physician, climate activist and board member of the SoCo Bicycle Coalition.
I believe all decisions made for the citizens of Santa Rosa should be through the lens of Climate Change. Climate change is here now and its affecting all of us and some communities more than others. My bike is my major source of transportation and I must say that I experience a disconnected bike network that historically has been piece meal in its design and implementation. I have “near misses” at least once a week.
Often changes are made when a cyclist is injured or killed.
I ask you to imagine Santa Rosa :
- with safe, low stress connected bike networks for all ages and abilities. - riding a bike for transportation, shopping and recreation on safe dedicated bike paths that connect to all our daily need.
-with a bike network that connects all our districts and neighborhoods - where businesses are supporting biking to work through added benefits - imagine minimizing your use of a vehicle for trips 5 miles or less - holistic approach where all stakeholders ( urban design, city staff, electeds, reformed traffic engineers, fire, police, local businesses) sit down together and ask the question how can we make this proposed solution work for the benefit of all its citizens.
This newly imagined Santa Rosa would limit climate change by reducing green house gases in the transportation sector, reduce costs for families and build a friendlier, healthier community.
With gratitude for a doable, difficult, urgent job,
Dr. Michael Lipelt
Santa Rosa 95404