How Advocates Saved the Multimodal Team
To everyone who joined us in providing public comments to the City Council, met with Councilmembers and their staff behind the scenes, called your representatives, wrote letters to Councilmembers and the Mayor, attended our rally on the waterfront, or participated in the public process in any way: thank you. We could not have saved the multimodal team without the voice of every advocate.
Hundreds of supporters helped generate thousands of messages in support of safer streets, and that collective effort made a difference. We are proud of what we've accomplished together and look forward to building on this momentum in the years ahead.
“Save Safe Streets” Budget Rally - May 9th
For those who may not know, the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, alongside our partners in the Vision Zero Coalition, successfully advocated for the inclusion of several key budget priorities in the City of San Diego's FY27 budget. These victories include:
$551,000 to make necessary improvements to the Fatal 15, the 15 deadliest intersections in the City.
$2.4 million to implement the speed management plan, which would slow speeds on 20% of City streets, many near schools and in targeted safety corridors.
$1.45 million to maintain the Multi-Modal Team within the Transportation Department. This team designs safety improvements, such as crosswalks, stop signs, and bike lanes, that make our neighborhoods safer.
“Slow Jam” Pacific Beach - April 13th
That final item was by far the most contentious. The Mayor's proposed budget sought to eliminate the Multimodal Team entirely, despite repeated public support for the team from a majority of Councilmembers. These in-house engineers play a critical role in implementing the Bike Master Plan and delivering safety improvements for people walking, biking, and rolling, as well as for drivers.
Ultimately, Councilmembers were persuaded by advocates' and community members' case and chose to defy the Mayor by including funding for the Multimodal Team in the adopted budget. While the final allocation restores only about half of the team's previous capacity, it ensures that much of this important work can continue and provides a foundation for future investment.
We know San Diego has the potential to become one of the best biking cities in the world. Despite the challenges that remain, we are encouraged by the strength of San Diego's bicycling community and what we can accomplish when we come together around a simple truth: our streets should work for everyone.
We'll be celebrating this budget victory with a happy hour at Original 40 Brewing on Tuesday, June 23, at 6:00 p.m. We hope you'll join!
