Where the Sidewalk Ends …

Dear Editor of the Aptos Times,

Aptos residents aren’t safe with the current road conditions around two major schools in our small town: Mar Vista Elementary and Cabrillo College.

I live off of Terrace Dr. in Aptos, less than .5 mile from Mar Vista School and have to “Jay Walk” across Soquel Dr. with my three young children, daily to get to the school. We moved to this area to be within walking or biking distance to the things we enjoy (library, grocery store, city bus stop, school and other local businesses) yet have no safe way to access these establishments.

I’ve been in contact with Supervisor Friend’s office as well as the Santa Cruz Public Works and have had no help or interest in making a change as simple as a crosswalk in our residential neighborhood that is less than 0.5 mile to the elementary school. In addition I’ve been in contact with neighbors, school parents as well as the Principal of Mar Vista –Mr. Livingstone- who all support and would like to make our Aptos Community walker friendly and safer with a crosswalk or sidewalk accessibility for the residents on the “hillside” of Soquel Dr. (Terrace Dr à Mar Vista).

It’s time to make this community safer and user friendly with a crosswalk for Soquel Dr. Residents would grieve the loss of a student, family or friend due to a simple lack of a crosswalk.

I’ve included a copy of the letter sent to Santa Cruz Public Works with points highlighted, supporting the need for a crosswalk.

Thank you for you time,

Angie Moran, mother of 3 who enjoys walking and biking

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Dear Angie,

I went to the area to take some photos and found the situation exactly as you described. It is 1/2 mile from the crosswalk where the sidewalk ends at W. Ledyard Way to the crosswalk at the Aptos La Selva Fire Station, which would be used by students on the north side of Soquel Drive crossing the street to Mar Vista Elementary School.

There is no continuous sidewalk from Wisteria Way to W. Ledyard Way on the north side of Soquel Dr. There are no crosswalks at all along that stretch even though there are about 100 homes that use Soquel Drive for ingress and egress, not counting those that might use Terrace Drive as a connector between Mesa Drive and Soquel Drive.

The lack of crosswalks is a real safety issue and the county should also address the fact there is no continuous sidewalk on that side of the road.

Thank you for your contacting us with this situation.

Noel Smith, Editor, Times Publishing

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Santa Cruz County Public Works
701 Ocean St. Room 410,
Santa Cruz, Ca 95060

To Whom It May Concern:

I live off of Terrace Dr. in Aptos and am interested in putting in a crosswalk off of Terrace to cross the busy Soquel Dr.

From Terrace Dr.

• There is no sidewalk accessibility on the Terrace Dr. side of road,
• There is a bus stop at the end of the Terrace with five different roads that have no sidewalk access,
• There is an elementary school (Mar Vista) within 0.5 mile. Yet, to get to school, students have to jaywalk to utilize the sidewalk on the other side of Soquel.
• Terrace is a main artery for the road parallel to Soquel Dr., Mesa Rd. Hence; Terrace is utilized by several pedestrians.
• The only crosswalk access is across from the Fire station .4 ml away (with no sidewalk safety) or .1 ml away in the opposite direction.

I would like to know the proper steps in making our community safer and feel better about walking my kid’s to school. Any further information you have for me to make this positive, safe change would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Angie Moran, Concerned Mother living off of Terrace Dr.