In July, the Complete Streets for Active Living Bill (S.B. 127 — Wiener), cleared the Assembly Transportation Committee. This bill, if passed, will require complete streets improvements to be included in maintenance and rehabilitation projects on streets that are part of the state highway network but function as local streets. Complete streets help to increase pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

At the committee hearing, Moses Trujillo, a 5th grade student at Malcolm X Elementary in Berkeley, testified about the conditions along State Highway 13 (Ashby Avenue) that he must cross to get to school from his home. He talked about organizing a student march to bring visibility to the traffic safety concerns and, more broadly, the climate change issues as a result of this high-traffic street. He set the tone for the committee discussion and, ultimately, the committee’s passage of the bill when he stated, “As a kid I can do some things, but we depend on adults to handle bigger problems like providing safe streets for all.”

Great job, Moses!