CMABS News: May 13th, 2024
Hey everyone! As always there is a lot happening to make our streets better in Costa Mesa. Let’s dive in ⤵️
Ciclo-Irvine happened on May 4, 2024! This is when a city takes a bold step and opens a street for people to enjoy on foot, skates, or bike. At these events people are amazed at how nice it is to be on a city street without the incessant noise and threat of automobiles, helping us to imagine a better future. Check out the pictures!
It’s still Bike Month! Make sure you visit our Bike Month page to see if there are any rides you’d like to join. And on Wednesday, May 15, Victoria, Adams, College Park, and California Elementary Schools will be hosting Bike to School Day: details here.
We got our first peek at the plans for Del Mar Avenue. The Public Works Department shared plans with the Active Transportation Committee on May 1. What do you think? Better? If you’ve got a comment, send them to info@cmabs.org and we’ll get them to the right place!
🚨Action Alert! 🚨 Caltrans is currently seeking approval to spend over $100 million on highway project between Davis and Sacramento. This is the project whistleblower Jeanie Ward-Waller raised alarm over, leading to her eventual firing from Caltrans. Our friends at Streets for All have alerted us that showing up in person to oppose this project this Thursday, May 16 will go a long way. The California Transportation Commission is meeting RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD up in Orange! Details and RSVP here.
Bike Month is still going strong in Costa Mesa! The City has lots of great events planned, and our friends at Lillördag has an entire series of rides (see below!). Stay tuned for updates on our website and in our newsletter for all of the events!
And finally, Love Costa Mesa Day is coming up fast on May 18, 2024! This year our project will be to write thank you notes to school crossing guards. Our crossing guards and beloved members of the community and they brave traffic every day to keep kids safe. Just last year a crossing guard in Newport Beach was struck by a car, and earlier this month one of the beloved crossing guards at Kaiser Elementary, Robin McKenna, passed away. Stop by City Hall on Love Costa Mesa Day and write a note to your favorite crossing guard, or just pick a few at random to write a quick note of encouragement. All materials will be provided!
And once you’ve done your good deeds for the day, head over for a fun night ride with the Lillördag crew! Bring lights and head out to meet everyone at 2401 Irvine Avenue at 8:30pm on Saturday, May 18th. No RSVP necessary — just show up ready to roll!
Join Costa Mesa’s weekly social bike ride.
When? Every Wednesday Night
@6:15pm meet up
@6:30pm ride begins
Where? Lions Park in Costa Mesa, meet by the bathrooms on 18th street
What? Casual/Party pace bike ride, 10-15 mile rides around the area. 🚨Bring lights! 🚨
The City Council will host a study session on the 2024-2025 budget on Tuesday, May 14 at 5:00pm. If you want to hear where the City is on budgeting for its various departments next year, this is the meeting for you.
As noted above in our action alert, the California Transportation Commission will meet in the City of Orange on beginning on Thursday, May 15 at 9:00am. On the agenda will be the Yolo I-80 “enhancement” (aka, widening) project that is now getting the scrutiny it deserves thanks to heroic efforts by whistleblower Jeanie Ward-Waller. While this widening doesn’t directly effect Costa Mesa, please consider showing up and telling the CTC that freeway widenings can’t be California’s solution to every traffic problem.
The City Council adopted the long-awaited Pedestrian Master Plan last Tuesday. This will allow the city to secure more grant money for projects to our streets that make walking safer and more comfortable. As part of this effort, our Circulation Element was cracked open to include lots of good new policy related to creating more pedestrian-friendly streets — including a new policy disfavoring sliplanes, which was advocated for by several CMABS members! Great job team!info@cmabs.org
The City also continues to consider its proposed capital improvement budget for 2024-2025. As we noted last time, the CIP Is full of active transportation projects. So please, please, please: if you love all these new capital improvements, consider writing your City Council and tell them how much you love them. A short email to citycouncil@costamesaca.gov is perfect. Tell them which project you love most and why — it will pay huge dividends as we continue to encourage our local government to be bold! And if you need help, please reach out to us at info@cmabs.org.
And finally, the ATC wrapped up its e-bike ordinance review — this time without a sidewalk ban! 🙌 The ordinance will now go to the City Council this summer. However, as a heads up the Costa Mesa Police Department has decided to focus on cracking down on illegal electric motorcycles and dirt bikes in our parks, including Fairview Park. If you a dirt bike rider, make sure you have all the proper licenses and equipment to ride, and make sure where you are riding is legal.
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