Santa Ana, Calif. – The City of Santa Ana announced today that it has received a $199,900 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support its Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Program. This grant will allow us to promote safe practices for pedestrians and bicyclists and provide education about the importance of sharing the road.
“I am grateful to the California Office of Traffic Safety for this grant that will help us make our streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists,” Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua said. “I encourage our families, children, teens and residents of all ages to take advantage of the safety programs and resources that we will now be able to provide.”
“Everyone deserves a safe environment to travel, regardless of how people get to places,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “The safety of people walking and biking on our roads is a high priority. Education plays a pivotal role in creating a strong road safety culture that prioritizes traffic safety, especially for our most vulnerable road users.”
Grant funds will support a variety of activities focused on bicycle and pedestrian safety:
- Community bicycle and walk “audits” of streets with a high rate of pedestrian and/or bicyclist fatalities and serious injury crashes.
- Bicycle training courses that educate youth on safe riding behaviors.
- Helmet fitting inspections and distribution of helmets to those in need.
- Community education presentations.
- Community bike rides that encourage and teach riders safe riding skills.
- Pop-up events that promote the importance of visibility on roads with safety equipment such as reflective armbands/leg bands and bicycle headlights/taillights.
The grant program will run through September 2024.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
