The Santa Monica City Council convened its Tuesday public meeting last week with a large docket of agenda items, including 26 matters for consideration on the consent calendar. Among the issues voted upon and approved was preparation of a Pedestrian Action Plan.
The council approved the hiring of California-based Alta Planning + Design for $350,000 to provide analysis, research, design, evaluation and outreach leading to adoption of a Pedestrian Action Plan.
Once devised and implemented, the Pedestrian Action Plan would make Santa Monica’s sidewalks more pedestrian-friendly, similar to how the Bike Action Plan and Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) were implemented to promote bicycle usage and efficient traffic flow, respectively.
“I think it’s about time we paid attention to those who walk in Santa Monica,” Council member Kevin McKeown said.
Five teams submitted a Request for Proposal to City Hall; Alta Planning + Design, who was hired by the City of Berkeley, CA, to develop its first Pedestrian Master Plan and the City Vancouver, B.C., for its Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, was unanimously selected.
