On Thursday, May 23, the Complete Streets for Active Living Bill (SB 127) passed in the full Senate. The vote was 29 to 9. The bill’s co-sponsored are CalBike, California Walks, The American Heart Association, Safe Routes Partnership, and AARP.
The Complete Streets Bill will require Caltrans to add features to improve the safety of people walking, biking, and taking transit when they repair or repave state routes in urban areas and along main streets in more rural communities. Most cities in California have at least one Caltrans-controlled state route that also serves as a local street. These streets are often designed to facilitate speeding traffic and not much else. They may lack safe pedestrian crossings and bike facilities. Streets like these diminish the vibrancy of our cities.
By passing the Complete Streets for Active Living Bill, California’s state senators have taken an important step toward creating livable cities and supporting the clean transportation that California needs. CalBike applauds their foresight and overwhelming support.
This important bill almost died in the Senate Appropriations Committee a week ago. This victory wouldn’t be possible without the calls and emails of CalBike members and other Complete Streets advocates who helped keep the bill moving.
The Complete Streets Bill still has to pass the Assembly before it can be signed into law by Governor Newsom. We will need all hands on deck to make sure it passes through committee and gets support from a majority of assembly members. Will you raise your voice to support safe streets for everyone, everywhere in California?
Sign CalBike’s petition to support Complete Streets.
Find out more about Complete Streets.