Santa Ana Hosts First Open Streets Event
John Nguyen
Summary
Sunday on Main Open Streets 2014 (SOMOS,) is a public event that
closes streets to cars and opens them up for pedestrians and
bicyclists. This is Santa Ana’s first Open Streets event and is modeled
after Los Angeles’ successful CicLAvia event, which, in turn, was
inspired by the ciclovia (bike path) culture of Bogota, Columbia. This
event is intended to promote a more physically active lifestyle and to
encourage the community to choose more active modes of transport
throughout the community.
Challenge
Many U.S. cities are designed with cars as the main mode of
transportation and Santa Ana is no exception. With cars dominating
the streets and roadways designed to be more car-friendly, bicycle
and pedestrian safety becomes an important issue. Santa Ana mirrors
urban traffic problems in Orange County, yet biking and walking in a
suburban setting is growing . In fact, Santa Ana has a large
community of low-income bicycle users and they deserve a safe
commute to work. “From a social equity standpoint, it is very
meaningful to embrace the idea the streets belong to everyone,” said
Adonia Lugo, an Orange County native who co-founded CicLAvia.
Your Involvement is Key
Santa Ana expects to see a much
greater turn out at their next SOMOS
event. You can help Santa Ana increase
the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians
by offering your help at the event.
SOMOS is looking for various non-profit
organizations that focus on active living
and healthy eating to promote their
Solution
ideals to the participants of the event.
For more information, please contact
Plan an open streets event in Santa Ana closed to cars and open to
walkers, runners, and bicyclists. This event included a variety of
entertainment and activities, such as 15-minute sessions of yoga
and Zumba as well as child-friendly events, including a rock climbing
wall and an obstacle course. “The purpose is to give the public a free
event that turns a key major street (Main Street) into a safe place for
people to exercise and play… to encourage people to make a
lifestyle change and be more physically active on a regular day in
order to encourage health and fitness,” said Gerardo Mouet,
executive director of the city of Santa Ana’s parks, recreation and
community services agency.
William Sandoval at [email protected] and visit http://www.santa-ana.
org/parks/somos/
Results
SOMOS proved to be a great success. The event drew in crowds of
parents walking with their children, families on bikes, and young boys
and girls on skateboards and scooters. The numbers reached over
7,000 attendees. Alex Green, who operates el Fenix, a mobile bicycle
repair shop, was also in attendance at the event and was able to
enjoy riding his hybrid bike on the streets of Santa Ana without the
company of automobiles. Green stated, “It was a really great, familyfriendly vibe. It just felt very happy.” Mouet adds, “People that
normally don’t interact with each other end up getting to know each
other, and unity and respect is advanced.”
Sustainable Success
After finding this event to be successful and well-received throughout
the community, Santa Ana is in the final stages of planning their
second Open Streets event scheduled for Sunday, November 8,
2015. This year they expect to have more attendees as well as more
activities promoting physical activity. By using their first year as a point
of reference for problems they encountered the first time around, they
can expect an even better turnout and a successful SOMOS that
continues to promote a healthier and more active bicycle and
pedestrian culture within Santa Ana.
Success Stories
http://nccd.cdc.gov/nccdsuccessstories/
Contact
John Nguyen
Community Action Partnership of Orange County
12666 Hoover Street
Garden Grove, CA 92841
714-406-2500 phone
http://www.capoc.org