ONGOING PROJECTS
• • Pace Car • • Bicycle Traffic School • •Ride n' Stride Safety Program

Bicycle Traffic School
The Bicycle Traffic School Program is a coordinated program involving law enforcement, the traffic court and the education services of Santa Cruz County’s cycling community to identify and educate cyclists at risk. Bicyclists that are given tickets for traffic violations would have the option of attending a class on how to safely use a bicycle in traffic in lieu of paying the moving violation fine.

Eligibility and Registraion Information:
A court order to attend Bicycle Traffic School must be granted by the Traffic Court Judge. You may only attend Bicycle Traffic School once instead of paying a fine. Registration forms for the class will be provided by the court clerk. The registration form explains how to sign up and pay the $35 non-refundable fee. Registraion and payment must be done within 30 days from the date the court order was given. Class registration confirmation will not be given without full payment. You then have 60 days from the sign up date to complete the class. Classes are held monthly. For more information, please contact Marco Cabezuela at 454-4303.

Ride n' Stride Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Program
Through this program, elementary school children participate in safe walking and biking workshops conducted at schools throughout the county. Available in both English and Spanish, the presentations cover helmet use, traffic rules and safe crossing. . For more information, contact Kithy Chavez at 454-4317.

During the school year of 2006-2007, 4,036 (2,377 of which were in south county) students received bike and pedestrian safety presentations. Random pre and post-tests show a 26% increase in knowledge.

Bicycle Safety Office of Traffic Safety Grant
In 2004, 53 bicyclists ages 15 to 24 years were killed or injured in Santa Cruz County compared to 33 in 2001, a 61 percent increase over the four years. The CTSC identified the need to expand bicycle safety education to this age group, which lead to a new bicycle safety education program that focuses on middle and high school students, college students and parents of young children.

Through a $243,734 grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency began this two-year program in 2005. The Health Services Agency will work closely with Bike Smart! Youth Bicycle Safety Program and Bike to Work of the Santa Cruz Area Transportation Management Association on several of the program objectives.

• Traffic safety education workshops for middle school, high school, college students at Cabrillo and UCSC, and parents of school-aged children on current and relevant traffic laws and specific problems around school sites
• Providing helmets and helmet fittings to approximately 1500 students
• A data tracking system to identify collisions involving bicyclists
• Expanding countywide bilingual bicycle education
• Increased public awareness around rules and responsibilities for both bicyclists and motorists

For more information contact Theresia Rogerson at (831) 454-4312.

Watsonville Bike and Pedestrian Task Force
The task force implements activities that address the unique strengths and needs of south county. Projects include:

• Hang a bilingual "Share the Road" banner across Main St. in Watsonville in the Fall
• Participate in a community events by distributing traffic safety educational materials
• Support the Bike to Work/School effort in South County
• Conduct Walkability Survey as needed
• Distribute Public Service Announcements about pedestrian safety

Safe Routes to School
This program, supported by the Coalition since 1999, is aimed at increasing safe walking and bicycling to school. Safe Routes to School gives children the opportunity to be more active, decreasing the risk of obesity in children.

Maps have been created in North County for:
• Bay View Elementary
• Westlake Elementary (Bicycle)
• Westlake Elementary (Pedestrian)
• DeLaveaga Elementary

In South County maps have been created for:
• Minite White Elementary
• MacQuiddy Elementary

Upcoming Safe Routes to School activities may include:

• Identification of safe bike and pedestrian routes
• Advocacy for improvements
• Parent education and outreach
• Organizing walk pools, bike pools or walking school buses
• Promote parent bicycle helmet use
• Participating in Walk a Child to School Day

Traffic Calming Tests
Traffic calming tests are simple, inexpensive traffic calming techniques that are put in place to see if there is a reduction in the speed of traffic. Several ideas include marking off pedestrian ways and bike lanes with floppy reflectors (the kind they use before they put down stripes), overhead treatments such as banners, prayer flags, or similar things, painting the pavement, strategically-placed plastic cones and bollards. Specific treatments/activities would be developed in conjunction with Public Works and neighbors. These measures would be used as placeholders until more funding becomes available for a more permanent solution.A data tracking system to identify collisions involving bicyclists

Implementation of Construction Safety Guidelines
In 2000, the Community Traffic Safety Coalition developed recommended guidelines to protect the safety of bicyclists, pedestrians, and disabled travelers during road construction (PDF version below). In 2006, the Coalition chose as a project to ensure the the guidelines are being used by construction safety managers by working with construction companies, public works departments and the media.

Construction Safety Guidelines (PDF file)

The complete Community Traffic Safety Work Plan for 2006/2007 (PDF file).

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