What Do We Want? Decisive Action! When Do We Want It? Yesterday!!
Youth Climate Strike in San Francisco. Photo Credit: Peg Hunter, CC BY-NC-2.0
You may be wondering why it’s taken us this long to post something about the Governor’s veto of SB 127, our Complete Streets bill. Well, we’ve been doing some deep reflection on the state of our world as a team–wildfires raging across California yet again impacting our most disenfranchised residents in worse ways; pedestrian fatalities at record highs; our youth rightfully chiding and challenging all of us to take action; and typhoons striking and crippling one of the most prepared nations on Earth–and it’s clear to us that we don’t have any more time to waste to address our climate crisis and its attendant havoc in our most vulnerable communities. What we need are real leaders who will follow the science and listen to community needs to take decisive action that centers equity and inclusion. We’re already demanding increased accountability from Caltrans with our partners, but are you ready to take action? Sign on and help us circulate our petition demanding immediate action from Caltrans.
To the Governor's office, the State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), and Caltrans: to say we are disappointed would be an understatement. We did not pursue SB 127 lightly and have worked for over 10 years in good faith with Caltrans to strengthen their policies and procedures, but this has not changed the projects in the pipeline that expand highways and do little to give Californians real options and alternatives to driving. Moreover, Caltrans’ misinformation campaign is shameful and points to long-standing resistance to change that runs deep within the Department that can’t be fixed with simple leadership changes at the top: it requires legislative action.
We will not remain in defeat. As we strategize with partners on our next legislative move, our team will be inspecting every project and every decision made to hold Caltrans and CalSTA accountable to the Governor’s Executive Order on climate change. We challenge Governor Newsom, CalSTA Secretary Kim, and Caltrans Director Omishakin to take decisive action to implement the Executive Order and transform our transportation system.
Lastly, we want to offer our sincerest gratitude to the supporters of SB 127. Your support is what pushed SB 127 to the Governor's Desk and the reason SB127 made it as far as it did. Together, local community-based organizations, cities, counties, statewide organizations, and individuals turned out in support of safer streets. It was overwhelming to see the reach and diversity of support for complete streets. We will not give up.
We urge you to continue this fight with us, for complete streets and for the safety of our communities!