The California Office of Traffic Safety has funneled $326,477 into the city's budget to support the ongoing efforts of the Long Beach Health Department to promote enhanced security for those who walk and roll in the streets.
This financial injection, set to bolster the Walk and Roll Long Beach Program, heralds a year of intensive outreach spanning from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. The Long Beach Health Department has outlined an ambitious blueprint brimming with safety pop-up events dishing out reflective gear, advice-heavy workshops for the elderly, and a raft of skill-building activities designed to civilize the concrete jungle for cyclists and pedestrians. They're also planning to impact local youth with a dynamic “Safe Streets” Ambassador Program and to orchestrate Bike and Pedestrian Safety Rodeos turning safety awareness into a community festivity.
According to a statement obtained by the city's press release, Mayor Rex Richardson vocalized his gratitude towards the Office of Traffic Safety, eyeing a future where "every pedestrian and cyclist feels secure" traversing the cityscape.
Acting Health Department Director Alison King hailed the benefits of two-wheeled and two-footed travel, emphasizing the operational synergy between the Walk and Roll program and the bolstering arm of OTS. This partnership is poised to wave a safety banner in Long Beach, rallying communal forces around the flag during key events like the Long Beach Walk to School Week in March and National Bike Safety Month in May, further fueling their strategic stride towards the overarching city mission laid bare in the Safe Streets Action Plan, which vows to defuse the ticking bomb of traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries by 2026.
