2021 Year In Review

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As 2021 comes to a close, Go Human hopes to continue to provide helpful resources during these challenging times. With the goal of supporting communities during the ongoing pandemic, Go Human partnered with community members, nonprofit organizations, agencies, and elected officials throughout the region to create safer and healthier places through education, advocacy, resource sharing and projects. Thanks to the California Office of Traffic Safety, the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee and all our funders for supporting meaningful work across the region. 

Here are some highlights from 2021: 

Go Human’s Community Streets Mini Grants Program 

In July, the Go Human Community Streets Mini-Grant Program awarded more than $275,000 in funding to 31 projects across the region. Awarded projects built street-level community resiliency and increased the safety of people most harmed by traffic injuries and fatalities, reaching more than 570,000 people.  

Awarded projects included:  

• Spread Paint, Not Hate, Music Changing Lives 
• Safe Travels/Viajes Seguros, Nyland Promise 
• University Park Slow Jams, Public Matters 
• ¡Luces Vivas! & SAASY Thursdays, Santa Ana Active Streets 
• Ktown Block Party, Streets for All 
• The Artlands Crosswalk Mural, The Artlands 
• Biking While Black: How Safe Are Black Lives Bicycling? Yolanda Davis-Overstreet / Ride in Living Color 
• Youth-Led Safety & Walkability Assessment, Youth Leadership Institute 
• Night Lights for Bikes, The Bicycle Kitchen/La Bicicocina 
• And many more! 

Notably, seven projects incorporated demonstrations utilizing the Go Human Kit of Parts. See project Spotlights and Stories, the Mini Grants StoryMap, and video.  

Community Safety Ambassadors 

Over 48 Community Safety Ambassadors from Imperial, San Bernardino, and Ventura Counties completed a leadership development program to build capacity and improve walking and biking safety. 

Ambassadors completed 30+ hours of workshops and trainings, going on to implement over 40 local activations to support traffic safety and community engagement in their neighborhoods. Safety activations included:  

• Walking and Biking Tours & Assessments 
• Photo Voice Projects 
• Walkability Initiatives + Safety Messaging 
• Temporary demonstration planning  

Read about the activation projects in the Community Safety Ambassador Program Toolkit, available in English and Spanish. Look to this toolkit for a program overview, curriculum, considerations, activation descriptions, county themes, and more! 

Safety Demonstration Projects 

SCAG partnered with numerous community partners across the region to demonstrate over 14 temporary traffic safety improvements, using its Kit of Parts, to showcase street design treatments such as protected bike lanes, creative crosswalks, pedestrian refuge islands, curb extensions, and parklets. The demonstration projects provided educational opportunities and garnered feedback that supported local improvement projects and active transportation plans. 

• Go Active Wildomar, March 2021 
• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Mini-Grant), July 2021
• Activate Artesia Blvd @ the Uptown Jazz Festival, August 2021 
• City of Avalon Active Transportation Project Demonstration, August 2021
• Walk ‘n Rollers Foothill Safety Campaign Pop-Up (Mini-Grant), August 2021
• Streets for All Reimagine 6^th Street (Mini-Grant), August 2021
• Day One Pomona Vamos Pomona Pop-Up (Mini-Grant), August 2021
• Collins Neighborhood Association (Mini-Grant), Coke Street School & Street Activation, August 2021
• Day One El Monte Vamos El Monte Pop-Up (Mini-Grant), August 2021
• Day One Pasadena Vamos Pasadena Pop-Up (Mini-Grant), August 2021
• Community Ambassador Pop-Up Crosswalk Activation in City of Moorpark August 2021
• El Monte Farmers Market, September 2021 
• Magnolia Avenue Pop-up with LADOT Safe Routes to School, October 2021 
• City of Indio’s Streets Are Treats, October 2021 

Beyond Demonstrations: Projects Moving Forward! 

Temporary demonstration projects are used to collect feedback to inform funding applications for construction projects. In 2021, Go Human safety demonstration projects moved towards implementation and construction in four jurisdictions! 

• City of Costa Mesa: After a temporary demonstration at Explore Merrimac in April 2018, construction and improvements along Merrimac Way in Costa Mesa are complete, including the installation of new bicycle lanes, a multi-use path, and a pedestrian crossing, among other improvements and features.  
• City of Culver City: Temporary safety demonstrations at Experience Elenda in 2018 have resulted in the nearly completed construction of a new two-way protected bikeway along Elenda Street as part of the La Ballona Safe Routes To School Project. 
• City of Palm Desert: Following the large-scale temporary demonstration project Vision San Pablo in 2019, the City of Palm Desert held the San Pablo Avenue Grand Opening in October, where hundreds gathered to celebrate completed streetscape improvement. 
• Unincorporated Muscoy: Go Human demonstrations in part supported a project that secured funding this year for permanent improvements. The Muscoy Area Safe Routes to School Pedestrian Improvements Project secured $1.88 million through California’s Active Transportation Program Cycle 5, thanks to the sustained efforts of students, parents and community members.  

Traffic Safety Peer Exchanges 

The 12-part Traffic Safety Peer Exchange series brought together more than 300 partners and practitioners this summer to share their experiences and insight on addressing the region’s most pressing traffic safety issues. Sessions featured speakers from community-based organizations such as The Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice and the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy, government organizations such as Riverside University Health System and the City of Ventura, and state and elected officials such as California Transportation Commissioner Michele Martinez and City of Redlands Councilmember Denise Davis. A full listing of speakers, session recordings, and presentation materials are available to view and share on the Traffic Safety Peer Exchange webpage. 

Advertisements and Messaging Campaigns 

We partnered with local agencies and organizations to co-brand Go Human safety advertisements to support traffic safety messaging, education, and encouragement across the SCAG region. We partnered on local advertising campaigns and distributed both physical and digital ads. In 2021, Go Human: 

• Ran four advertising campaigns in the Cities of Azusa, Pasadena, El Monte, and the Imperial County Transportation Commission (ICTC), in English and Spanish, digitally, and on billboards, bus shelters, gas pumps, and other strategic locations, reminding drivers to slow down. Look out for more local campaigns slated for 2022! 
• Achieved over 16.7 million impressions across the four local campaigns.  
• Co-branded and distributed over 7,000 safety advertisements to 30+ partners. 
• Achieved more than 1.3 billion impressions to date, program-wide! 

Safety Pledge 

Go Human relaunched is Safety Pledge, inviting jurisdictions, organizations and individuals to commit to building and supporting safer streets that promote walking, biking and community connections. Signatories can pledge to sponsor a safety messaging campaign, deploy a temporary demonstration using materials from the Go Human Kit of Parts, advocate for safety improvements using the High Injury Network, and much more. By signing the Pledge, signatories secure unique access to SCAG resources and opportunities. In 2021, SCAG secured 50 new signatories, in addition to the previous 70+. Sign here to make your pledge and join the growing Safety Cohort! 

Awards & Recognition 

Go Human was honored with the Peter K. O’Rourke Special Achievement Award from the Governors Highway Safety Association.  

Looking Ahead to 2022 

SCAG is planning a year full of new and continued Go Human strategies in 2022! Planned activities include: 

• Safety Pledge, with more opportunities for people that pledge to engage with the larger cohort of Safety Pledge signatories. 
• Go Human Community Hubs, virtual and physical hubs for resource delivery and localized community development and leadership. 
• Go Human Demonstration Projects, expanding our Kit of Parts Lending Library. 
• Go Human’s Community Safety Ambassador Activations expanding upon  the Community Safety Ambassador pilot program with youth leadership opportunities. 
• Co-Branded Safety Advertisements, print and digital graphics provided at no cost to jurisdictions who have committed to the Go Human Safety Pledge. 

Follow SCAG’s Go Human campaign on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and sign up for our newsletter to make sure you receive the latest details about upcoming events, campaigns, and opportunities. For questions or to request resources, please reach out to Andrés Carrasquillo at carrasquillo@scag.ca.gov.