From: Cheryl Schmitt 
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2001 11:22 AM
To: 'de@ucolick.org'
Cc: 'Richard@ucolick.org'
Subject: RE: SCPD Proposal 


This is the text of the Bicycle/Pedestrian Subcommittee's letter of support:

January 19, 2001

Santa Cruz City Council
809 Center Street
Santa Cruz, CA  95060

Dear Members of the City Council,

This letter is in recommendation of your support for two grant requests by
the Santa Cruz Police Department and the Department of Public Works to the
Office of Traffic Safety for funding for a bicycle/pedestrian safety
education program and a pedestrian facilities inventory program.  

The Bicycle/Pedestrian Subcommittee of the City Transportation Commission is
extremely concerned about the high numbers of injuries to bicyclists and
pedestrians in our city.  Observing bicyclists' and pedestrians' behavior in
traffic leaves no room for doubt that there is an urgent need for increased
education and enforcement.  It is also clear that many motorists do not
understand the special circumstances that bicyclists and pedestrians contend
with, and educating the motoring public is necessary as well.

We are also concerned about the state of facilities available to pedestrians
in our city, and an inventory and GIS mapping system will greatly help in
determining and prioritizing the locations of greatest need.  We strongly
support the grant request on behalf of the Public Works Department as well.

We ask that as a condition of these grants the Police Department coordinate
with the Community Traffic Safety Coalition and that the Bicycle/Pedestrian
Coordinator be involved in reviewing the details of the grant programs and
report these findings back to the Bicycle/Pedestrian Subcommittee. 

Please give these grant applications your highest consideration.


Sincerely,



Wilson Fieberling
Chair
Bicycle/Pedestrian Subcommittee
City of Santa Cruz Transportation Commission