The City of Ventura has secured nearly $98,000 in grant funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to enhance its Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Program. Funding will support promoting safe practices for pedestrians and bicyclists and educational programs emphasizing the importance of sharing the road.
“We appreciate the ongoing commitment of the Office of Traffic Safety to support bicycle and pedestrian safety in Ventura,” shared Public Works Director Phil Nelson. “We look forward to using this grant to strengthen our education initiatives for both our youth groups and community members.”
The grant program will run through September 2024 and support a variety of activities focused on bicycle and pedestrian safety:
Bicycle training courses that educate youth on safe riding behaviors.
Helmet fitting inspections and distribution of helmets to those in need.
Community and school education presentations.
Community bike rides that encourage and teach riders safe riding skills.
Pop-up events that promote the importance of visibility on roads with safety equipment such as reflective armbands/leg bands and bicycle headlights/taillights.
“Everyone deserves a safe environment to travel, regardless of how people get to places,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “The safety of people walking and biking on our roads is a high priority. Education is pivotal in creating a strong road safety culture that prioritizes traffic safety, especially for our most vulnerable road users.”
The City of Ventura remains committed to prioritizing and encouraging healthy modes of transportation, such as biking and walking. The recent approval of the City’s Active Transportation Plan by the City Council on Monday, December 4, aligns to provide improved mobility choices for community members. This grant funding serves to support and enhance these efforts.
The City Council recently approved adopting Ventura’s new Active Transportation Plan (ATP), a long-term roadmap designed to provide more transportation options to everyone, especially those in underserved communities. It’s part of the City’s commitment to promote healthy ways of getting around, such as biking and walking. The plan includes important projects that blend with the Safe Routes to School Plan and the Complete Streets Technical Memo.
“By adopting the ATP, we’re working towards our goal of creating safe, comfortable, connected, and easy-to-use walking and biking paths. This grant funding will help us put elements of the plan into action, making progress toward a more sustainable and accessible city over the next several years,” stated Jeff Hereford, Principal Civil Engineer in Public Works.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
