The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services is kicking its efforts into higher gear to enhance the safety of cyclists and pedestrians. A significant grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is boosting local initiatives with a focus on traffic safety education and infrastructure improvement. Mayor Rex Richardson highlights the importance of the endeavor, saying, "Enhancing the safety of our streets continues to be a top priority.” Richardson's acknowledgment of the OTS grant was reported by longbeach.gov.
The grant, amounting to $346,500, is directed towards the city's Walk and Roll Long Beach Program. This program will deploy a variety of activities from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025. Highlights include interactive community activities designed for participants of all ages, safety pop-up events, and workshops specifically geared toward elderly adults to improve safety around walking. Also, a key component is the Youth Safe Streets Ambassador Program which aims at empowering youth to champion traffic safety initiatives in their communities.
Alison King, Health Department Director, conveyed the department's commitment, "With support from OTS, we’re committed to implementing programs that protect cyclists, pedestrians and anyone who shares the road to make Long Beach a safer and healthier place for everyone." It's not just about events and pop-ups; educational efforts last year included pedestrian safety presentations and bicycle and pedestrian safety courses, as detailed by the city's announcement. The initiative reached over 2,300 community members, a testament to its growing footprint.
Barbara Rooney of the California Office of Traffic Safety doubles down on this commitment, expressing that "Everyone deserves a safe environment to travel, regardless of how people get to places.” According to the city's previous years' engagement, education is indeed a pivotal component, having distributed 250 bicycle helmets and numerous safety kits to encourage better road-sharing behaviors.
Long Beach has a strong history of proactively seeking to make its streets safer for non-motorized travelers. These efforts are in line with both the Health Department’s Strategic Plan and the City’s Safe Streets Action Plan, aiming to eliminate traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries by 2026.
