Blog: Community Policy Update: Hermosa Beach's Living Streets Policy No. 2 in Nation!

Blue Zones Project™ is working to make the Beach Cities a more livable, walkable, and bikeable place through permanent changes in policy and the built environment. Read on for the latest news on our efforts, upcoming walking & biking events, and ways you can get involved to help make the Beach Cities a happier, healthier community.

Successes & News

Congratulations to Hermosa Beach for being the No. 2 “ideal” Complete Streets policies in the nation for 2012, as recognized by the National Complete Streets Coalition. Read the press release here.

Redondo Beach Mayor Mike Gin praised the Blue Zones Project in his State of the City address last month. Mayor Gin remarked that “some great, great results have come from this program,” citing the 14 percent drop in obesity, 30 percent drop in smoking, 10 percent boost in exercise, and 9 percent boost in healthy eating. These changes add up to $9.32 million in healthcare cost savings for the Beach Cities.

Outgoing Manhattan Beach Councilmembers Richard Montgomery and Nick Tell were honored by the Blue Zones Project and the South Bay Bicycle Coalition for their contributions to making Manhattan Beach a more livable, walkable, and bikeable city.

Blue Zones Project received a positive response to designs for a proposed roundabout at the intersection of Aviation and Prospect in Hermosa Beach. A roundabout would create a welcoming gateway to HB and increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Over 225 local law enforcement agencies, including the Redondo Beach Police Department, are joining the effort to bring awareness to this deadly epidemic, which killed 3,300 people in distracted-related crashes in 2011 and injured another 387,000.

Upcoming Community Meetings
Join the Blue Zones Project to advocate for walking and biking improvements in Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Redondo Beach.

• 4/11, 6-8PM: Manhattan Beach Greenbelt Planning Community Workshop #2
• 4/15, 6:30PM: Manhattan Beach Town Hall: Outdoor Smoke-Free Public Access
• 4/16, 6-8PM: Redondo Beach City Council Meeting to review designs for Herondo St/Herondo Dr Gateway
• 4/16, 6PM: Manhattan Beach City Council meeting to review feasibility study for 15th St/Valley/Ardmore roundabout
• 4/25, 6-8PM: Redondo Beach Waterfront Public Input Workshop
• 5/2, 6-8PM: Manhattan Beach Greenbelt Planning Community Workshop #3

Upcoming Walking & Biking Events

• 4/13, 9:30AM-12:30PM: Kidical Mass (Santa Monica): A fun family-friendly bike ride through Santa Monica! Starts/ends at John Adams Middle School (2425 16th St, 90405). RSVP by 4/11 to Samantha.Sommer@sustainableworks.org.
• 4/13, 9AM-1PM: Tour de Carson Bike Tour & Festival: A fun-filled event hosted by the City of Carson. Starts at the Carson City Hall Main Parking Lot (701 E. Carson St, @ Avalon Blvd). RSVP by 4/10 at the City of Carson’s website: http://ci.carson.ca.us/bikeways
• 4/21, 10AM-3PM: CicLAvia to the Sea (Downtown LA to Venice): 15 miles of open, car-free road for walking, biking, playing & more! The South Bay Bicycle Coalition is hosting a South Bay Ride to/from the event. Visit their website for more info http://www.southbaybicyclecoalition.org/
• 4/22-4/27: Walk Together Week: Walk with your family, friends, and coworkers; show or tell us about it on Facebook; and win one of our cool giveaways at the 21st Annual Earth Day Celebration on 4/27 @ Polliwog Park in Manhattan Beach.
• 4/29, 6-7 PM: Move it Monday! @ the Redondo Beach Pier: Every Monday through the end of May, join us at the RB Pier for an hour of al fresco activity—yoga, zumba, stand-up paddleboarding, and more!
• May is National Bike Month: Get in touch with our partners the Beach Cities Cycling Club for rides & events in our area. Visit their site for more information: www.bccclub.org.

To learn more about our community policy work and how to get involved, please contact Erika Graves, Blue Zones Project Community Policy Lead, at 310-683-6805 or Erika.Graves@healthways.com