Cheryl Schmitt, Santa Cruz

Tourists everywhere all summer-long, then as soon as they depart, in come the college students. But Santa Cruz is prepared; it’s a busy city on the coast with a Silver rating by the League of American Bicyclists. (By way of comparison, Long Beach, Huntington Beach and Irvine are Bronze, San Francisco and Palo Alto Gold, Davis, Boulder and Portland are Platinum.)

Cheryl Schmitt, Transportation Coordinator in the City’s Public Works department, is the bike lady.

Cycling is something just about everybody here does, so people are very interested in making sure that it’s safe.Cheryl Schmitt

Cyclists love bike lanes separated from traffic. Cheryl designed a hybrid two-way bike lane on a one-way street, separated from traffic by a rubber divider. It keeps cyclists off the sidewalk in this very busy area, but what does she think of the divider and how has the city improved on this concept with other divided lanes?

Downtown there are lots of pedestrians on the sidewalks so the city innovates. Some bike racks are set perpendicular to the curb where the sidewalk is wide enough, in other spots the bike racks are placed in the street.

Show #4

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Santa Cruz is a Silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community
Two-way bike lane
Multi-modal
Singin' in the rain
Crazy fun
nearby Capitola
Kids rule! Lots of bike parking
Utility bike
Pier at dawn

This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. Thank you for this effort. I really enjoyed this interview. I am an avid cyclist. My husband and I ride with both BCI and OCW here is in Orange County. Please keep me on your list.
    Judy Stechert

  2. Very interesting interview!
    Here in the French countryside where Erin and I spend much of our time these days, there are lots of bike riders, but not much is done to make the country roads safer for cyclists. Maybe we should invite Cheryl to visit and help implement some of her ideas and success here in France. (Of course, you will have to come and conduct a local interview as well).
    John Macaluso

  3. Hi Frank,
    Hope all is well with you. Your cycle posts are really relevant to me right now. I have started cycling in London!!!
    It’s great
    All the best and hope our paths cross real soon
    Permjot Valia

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