Countywide Bicycle Safety*

R01

The Grand Jury recommends that the County Board of Supervisors and the City Councils of all cities within the County encourage their respective law enforcement personnel to increase enforcement of bicycle and related motor vehicle laws. Response to R-01: The Ventura Police Department does encourage our law enforcement personnel to not only conduct enforcement of bicycle and related motor vehicle laws, but we also conduct public education in these areas in an effort to gain compliance from bicyclists and motorists alike. Our enforcement efforts include targeted enforcement efforts conducted by our Traffic Unit through grant funds from the Office of Transportation Safety. Our patrol officers are also encouraged to conduct bicycle related enforcement as part of their normal patrol duties. Such enforcement encounters afford the officer an opportunity to use their discretion, weighing the pros and cons, as to whether to issue a citation or release violators with a verbal warning.

R02

The Grand Jury recommends that the County Board of Supervisors and the City Councils of all cities within the County that do not already have a Bicycle Advisory Commission/Committee establish one to perform such tasks as: Identify roads in need of bicycle lanes Research federal, State, and other funding sources for projects related to bicycle • infrastructure and use Issue motor vehicle and bicycle public safety announcements Promote use of bicycles as a viable form of transportation and for health and ecological • reasons Offer safety education and bike rodeos for children Provide liaison between city councils, transportation agencies, and the community on bicycle-related issues and concerns Assist in the development and dissemination of educational materials related to bicycle laws and safety Review and comment on private development plans that include bicycle facilities or have an impact on bicycle safety and access Review and promote the enforcement of city and State laws related to bicycle safety Encourage the public to register bicycles and keep a record of the serial numbers to facilitate the return of stolen or lost bicycles. Response to R-o2: The City of Ventura has an ad-hoc bicycle focus group that was instrumental in the preparation of the 2011 Bicycle Master Plan. Staff continues to meet with that group when necessary and will be meeting with them regularly to update the Bicycle Master Plan in 2015-16.

R03

The Grand Jury recommends the County Board of Supervisors and the City Councils of all cities within the County, continually promote bicycle laws and safety to people of all ages, concentrating on school-age children through events such as bike rodeos, bicycle rallies, and other educational activities. Response to R-03: The City partners with the Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) and community partners such as VCCool to develop bicycle safety education programs and put on bicycle rodeos. The City and VUSD are currently working on developing a bicycle safety Countywide Bicycle Safety July 27, 2015 education program that will be integrated into the middle school physical education curriculum. This project is funded from City and Ventura County Transportation Commission funding.