Dozens of cities throughout the country are encouraging Slow Streets in selected locations during this pandemic to allow more SAFE spaces for outdoor social distancing, cycling, walking and other healthy activities. Santa Cruz can as well!

The Santa Cruz Transportation & Public Works Commission has UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED initiation of a Slow Streets program for Santa Cruz! (See Agenda Item 3 on the June 15 Agenda here).

However, on THURSDAY, JULY 2, the City Council MUST FIRST APPROVE the Commission's request to use up to $200,000 of Measure D Local Street Funds - NOT the General Fund - to support Slow Streets and make the improvements needed as quickly as possible during this pandemic. Without funding, Slow Streets can't happen, SO WE NEED YOUR HELP to get City Council support.

Here is the local Sierra Club's endorsement of Slow Streets and the funding needed to make them real in Santa Cruz. And here are just some of the many other community, neighborhood, environmental and transportation leaders who have supported Slow Streets Santa Cruz.

The Slow Streets proposal calls for a simple, quick and neighborhood-oriented  approach that has worked well in many other cities. The actual improvements could be requested by each neighborhood and vary based on what's appropriate in each location, ranging from lane closures, expanded sidewalks, or additional bike lanes - whatever is best for encouraging healthy and SAFE outdoor physical distancing, exercise and recreation during the pandemic. Downtown is already moving ahead and - WITH YOUR SUPPORT - other neighborhoods can as well!

• Let's get a dozen Slow Streets in Santa Cruz THIS SUMMER!
• Then we'll all have more SAFE places to ride and walk.
• Let's get Santa Cruz moving safely NOW!

Please join over 1,500 pedestrian, bicycling and neighborhood champions and SIGN THIS PETITION NOW!

And if you know members of the City Council personally, please call, text, email or message them asking that they support the $200,000 needed to make Slow Streets real in Santa Cruz.

Last, please email or share this petition with others to HELP US REACH even more signers by next Monday. Here is the petition link for easy sharing: https://www.change.org/SlowStreetsSantaCruz