Members of Great Streets Rengstorff Park were gratified as we attended two successful meetings this week.
GSRP was informed several months ago, that the next step to move the California Street road diet from an idea to reality was to have it placed on the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) list. City Council has the final word on the CIP list, but input from the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (B/PAC) is important for council’s decision. Only a handful of projects make it into the 2 year CIP list cycle due to limited city funding.
With this in mind, GSRP attended the January 30th B/PAC meeting and asked them to recommend the California Street road diet for the CIP list. Following public comment from supporters and an engaging debate on the merits of many projects eligible for the CIP, Bruce England called for California Street road diet to be included with B/PAC’s recommendations. Mr. Purdon seconded, adding that the corner of Escuela and California Street is important due to nearby Castro Elementary and other services. After some discussion, California Street road diet was unanimously placed on their short list and headed for Council!
January 31st, City Council met for a study session to set city-wide priorities for next year. With the support of GSRP friends and supporters, our campaign to make our streets safe and healthy for everyone took flight. The majority of councilmembers showed support for making Mountain View bicycle and pedestrian safety a priority. We send a sincere THANK YOU to every councilmember!
With these successes, what is next? The CIP City Council meeting! We will need you to write emails or letters, attend this meeting or call city council to show your support for Pedestrian and Bicycle safety. We need you to support the California Street road diet!
We know that the key Capital Improvement Project council meeting will be in March, but do not yet have a date. Keep an eye on your mailbox as you will know the date as soon as we do.
We look forward to seeing you in March!