In 2022, Santa Cruz County ranked second highest in the state in a measurement of cycling related injuries and deaths, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety.

City of Santa Cruz resident billy rainbow (who spells his name lowercase) said in about three years he has been hit on his bike by cars several times. “The last one almost killed me,” rainbow said.

In November and December, 109 residents responded to a Santa Cruz Local survey about the personal impact of local bike and pedestrian infrastructure and improvements they would like to see. The survey wasn’t a scientific study or representative of all Santa Cruz County residents, but a straw poll and informal gathering of solutions for bike and pedestrian safety.

Some priorities we heard included:

• More bike lanes.
• Improvements to existing bike lanes.
• More traffic law enforcement and new regulations for e-bikes.
• More sidewalks and crosswalks.

Some residents said they would walk or bike more if it felt less dangerous.

“I don’t walk very far because it’s unsafe,” said Seacliff resident Johanna Lighthill. “Cars speed through my neighborhood to avoid the congested highway. I would walk to shopping, the bank, the post office, restaurants, coffee shops if it was safer.”

Over a 10-year period ending Dec. 31, 2022, there were at least 2,509 car, truck and motorcycle crashes involving cyclists or pedestrians in Santa Cruz County, according to state data compiled by UC Berkeley’s Transportation Injury Mapping System.

These crashes killed 15 cyclists and 62 pedestrians. Over the same period, cyclists collided with pedestrians at least 23 times, with five severe injuries and no deaths reported.

Better bike lanes

Survey respondents said they wanted continuous bike lanes protected from cars by a barrier.

Many also wanted trash, leaves and tree clippings cleaned more frequently from sidewalks and bike lanes.

“I have to veer into traffic lanes to avoid both debris and brush growth hanging over the bike lanes,” said Carey Pico of Rio del Mar. Bike lane debris punctured several of his tires, he said.

Six high-traffic problem areas emerged from the survey.

• Mission Street in Santa Cruz: “I don’t ever bike on it because it feels too dangerous,” said Phil Lee, a Santa Cruz resident.
• Delaware Avenue in Santa Cruz: Respondents wanted a continuous bike lane.
• East Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz and Live Oak: Respondents said that space is tight between bikers and cars. Soquel resident Lisa Sheridan said street cleaning is needed along East Cliff Drive by Schwan Lake.
• Soquel Avenue in Santa Cruz: “I fear for my life biking on Soquel Avenue,” said Elisabeth Kooi, a Santa Cruz resident. “Truly, any two-lane street without a protected bike lane is a problem area.” She said the left turn off Soquel Drive onto Thurber Lane in Live Oak is unsafe.
• Ocean Street in Santa Cruz: Respondents noted several specific issues. For example, the left turn onto Felker Street “can be very unpleasant with cars trying to go around you,” said Drew Perkins, a Santa Cruz resident. Kooi called the stoplight at Washburn Street “deadly” because, “I could sit there in the middle of heavy traffic for a long time — usually in the dark! — and the left turn light will not change for me.”
• West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz: Some respondents wanted one-way car traffic to make room for a bike lane on the street. Others wanted more pedestrian crosswalks.

Several Santa Cruz County residents said they want more enforcement of traffic rules and new regulations for e-bike riders. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local file)

Increased enforcement, new regulations

Many survey respondents wanted more enforcement of traffic laws, and regulations for e-bike riders.

Santa Cruz resident Kathy Sandhu said she wanted to see traffic cameras and data on how many cars drive over the speed limit.

Several residents said they have seen e-bike riders traveling at the speed of cars and want new regulations in response. “I cringe every time I see a group of tweens doing 25 through intersections on their e-bikes,” said Terry McClintock of Santa Cruz.

Kathy Blackwood lives near Santa Cruz High School and said that she has seen e-bike riders speed on sidewalks, run stop signs and ride the wrong way on one-way streets. She said it “feels very unsafe,” and she wants “clear rules for bike riders, preferably county-wide” and bike safety programs.

Investment in Pajaro Valley

Pajaro Valley area residents wanted more money for infrastructure. “The disparity in social equity is glaring,” said Peter Stranger of La Selva Beach. He wants to see more money spent on bike and pedestrian paths and bridges in Watsonville.

Some Pajaro Valley residents thought a focus on bikes missed the point. “The working people of this country need relief from the drudgery of the daily commute to jobs in North County,” said Don Redmon, Watsonville resident. He wanted to see progress on a train connecting Watsonville and the City of Santa Cruz.

“The south end of the county has always been neglected,” said Redmon.

Clarification: Additional information about the Office of Traffic Safety rankings was added to this story.

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