YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Cupertino City Council will discuss several topics relevant to the Safe Routes to School at their Council meeting on March 30, 2021, at 6:30pm. Council’s main topics of discussion will be to review Council goals and prioritize their Work Program for FY 2021-22. The goals they set determine the types of projects they will consider working on for the year. The Work Program is a list of projects the Council commits to move forward that support each of its identified goals.
WE NEED SUPPORTERS TO SPEAK AT THE MEETING.
The meeting is over Zoom, and speaking is not on camera, so you can speak from the comfort of your home and not dress up! Please sign up to make your voice heard. We need kids and teens to speak too! Their voices have a huge impact. Speaking up to 3 minutes, you will make a difference to push this project forward!
Key Talking Points
➤ It’s already Tier 1 in Pedestrian Plan and Tier 2 in Bike Plan
➤ It will create a safer route for 500 kids to walk or bike to school
➤ It will significantly reduce car traffic on Stevens Creek Blvd & Foothill
➤ It’s a critical connector for parks and neighborhoods
➤ It’ll improve air quality in Cupertino
➤ It is officially endorsed by Kennedy PTA and Monta Vista PTSA
➤ It is being presented to community leaders and impactful organizations
➤ Over 200 parents, students, and residents signed the petition in support
➤ In Nov 2019, its feasibility study was completed and approved by the city
Click for more ideas for talking point or emails
Choose one of the following three pre-written emails to send to City Council, or send one of your own! The more personal the letter, the more impact it has.
(You will be able to edit any of these letters before you send it in your email program.)
Get to all Schools Safely
Connect Neighborhoods
Access to Parks
Don’t forget to sign your letter before sending!
Good for Local Schools
Don’t forget to sign your letter before sending!
Dear Esteemed City Councilmembers,
I am a resident of Cupertino that urges you to add funding to the next Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) budget for the Carmen Bridge for the upcoming year.
This project will help many students living south of Stevens Creek Boulevard to safely get to Stevens Creek Elementary each day, without having to be driven because the route is too difficult or unsafe for them. It will also allow many students to bike from the neighborhoods north of Stevens Creek Boulevard to Monta Vista High and to Kennedy Middle School.
Thank you for considering the concerns of residents in your decisions.
Sincerely,
Your name
Improve Access to Parks
Don’t forget to sign your letter before sending!
Dear City Councilmembers,
The Carmen Bridge is a great project for our residents of all ages. I encourage you to fund the project this year in the Capital Improvements Plan budget. This bridge should move foward to make our city more livable and increase access to our parks.
The bridge would allow people living north of Stevens Creek Boulevard much greater access to the Stevens Creek Trail and parks beyond, such as Blackberry Farm and even McClellan Ranch. It would also allow residents living south of it to get to Varian Park, to use the play structure or picnic. Our residents really want to have better access to our parks, according to the Parks & Rec Master Plan recently approved, and also access to trails (80% want more trails).
Thank you for considering these points in your decisionmaking on the budget.
Kind Regards,
Your name
Connect Neighborhoods
Don’t forget to sign your letter before sending!
Dear Cupertino City Councilmembers,
As a resident that cares about making sure that everyone can walk or bike safely, I ask today that you add funding to the next Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) budget for the Carmen Bridge design.
This project will connect neighborhoods for residents of all ages, whether students, families or seniors. Students can use it to cross Stevens Creek Boulevard to get to school on bike or by walking. Families can visit each other and take walks through other neighborhoods for exercise. Seniors–especially those living at the Sunny View Retirement Facility–will enjoy the freedom to take longer walks in a neighborhood close by.
The Feasibility Study for this project has been completed for over a year. Now is a great time for this project to get started again. I encourage you to do so.
Best Regards,
Sincerely,
Your name
More Ideas to put in your letter
Send your letter to: citycouncil@cupertino.org; manager@cupertino.org
Don’t forget to include in the subject line that this is to encourage funding the Carmen Bridge design in the next city budget (CIP).
The information in this article is solely the opinion of the author and Walk-Bike Cupertino and does not reflect the opinions of any other organization or entity. For more information, contact WBC at info@walkbikecupertino.org.