Stop the new Hway 1 bridge!

The Nuz column in this week's Metro Santa Cruz mentions a city plan to build a new pedestrian/bike bridge parallel to Hiway 1 over the San Lorenzo River. While this may seem like a blessing to some, it will be a curse to others.

Personally, I support the bicycle movement and wish for better bike lanes and bike thoroughfares, but this is not a good location for this bridge. Many housing challenged individuals spend time in this area, and increased bike traffic will result in greater scrutiny of their activities, and give bicycle police better access to the area. It is currently something of a "free zone" and this bike/ped bridge will result in the further gentrification of River St. and must be seen in this context.

One can already walk over the current bridge as many of us already do, then duck down through the hole in the fence that we cut between the highway and the Ross shopping center. Who is the bridge really benefiting? I wonder if one of Neal Coonerty's buddies will get the contract?

Robert N., if you read this, is there any possibility of covering this on Bathrobespierre's Broadsides? Love the show, listen all the time...

Meetings:
Meetings are held quarterly on the second Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the City Manager's Conference Room, 809 Center Street, Room 10, Santa Cruz, CA.

Please contact:
Staff Contact:
Tina Shull, Council Affairs Manager
809 Center Street, Room 10
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 420-5010 FAX: (831) 420-5011
e-mail: cmpa [at] ci.santa-cruz.ca.us