Circulate San Diego has remained steadfast in our commitment to meaningful planning and engagement during these unusual times. We continue to adapt our approaches to program work to meet the needs of our partners, provide quality resources to the community, and advocate for excellent mobility choices and vibrant, healthy neighborhoods. Here are a few highlights of what we've been up to this quarter!

Discover Cortez!  |  Partners: Downtown San Diego Partnership (DSDP) and Cortez Hill Active Residents Group (CHARG) 

Circulate San Diego has been working with the Downtown San Diego Partnership (DSDP) and the Cortez Hill Active Residents Group (CHARG) on pedestrian improvement projects and documents. This work is directly related to the Cortez Mobility Assessment and Recommendations Report (November 2019) and the implementation of recommendations found in the report.

Work completed over the past three months has been responsive to COVID-19 recovery efforts, has included invaluable feedback from Cortez residents, and helps to strengthen Cortez’s identity as a safe and enjoyable environment for pedestrians and other road users. Completed work includes:

• Bike Parking Recommendations
• Parklet Recommendations
• Webinar: Looking Forward: COVID-19 Response and Pedestrian Mobility in Cortez
• Cortez Walking Loops Featuring Wayfinding Signage

You can learn more about these projects by visiting: https://downtownsandiego.org/cortezmobility/

We hope the community finds these projects as a valuable contribution to promoting pedestrian safety and comfort in Cortez.

West Chula Vista Safe Routes for Seniors  |  Partners: City of Chula Vista and Kaiser Permanente

Circulate recently partnered with the City of Chula Vista and Kaiser Permanente to complete a 12-month West Chula Vista Safe Routes for Seniors project.

The purpose of this project was to understand senior mobility challenges and develop actionable programmatic, policy, and infrastructure recommendations that can be implemented by the City of Chula Vista.

Circulate led a robust community outreach effort to identify challenges and barriers to senior mobility and develop an inventory of preferred destinations. Through these efforts Circulate developed recommendations to address senior mobility challenges.

Our report aligns with existing active transportation and senior mobility planning efforts in Chula Vista. Data collected highlights the need for seniors to have increased transportation options to access places to recreate, shop, worship, and seek medical or community services.

To read our recommendations for improving mobility needs of seniors in West Chula Vista, visit circulatesd.org/cvsrfs.

Curbside San Diego at Achilles Coffee |  Partners: Downtown San Diego Partnership (DSDP), Achilles Coffee Roasters, and Cortez Hill Active Residents Group (CHARG) 

Circulate San Diego installed a temporary curbside renovation in response to COVID-19 protocols at Achilles Coffee Roasters on Cortez Hill (703 Ash St.) This demonstration was the first of its kind in Downtown San Diego and is intended to be an example of how businesses can implement temporary strategies in support of economic recovery.

The pilot project at Achilles Coffee Roasters was brought about by Circulate San Diego, the Downtown San Diego Partnership, and the Cortez Hill Active Residents Group (CHARG) to bring immediate response to the Cortez neighborhood in Downtown San Diego and jumpstart this intervention measure for businesses everywhere. The installation at Achilles Coffee Roasters is an example of an immediate effort that businesses can roll-out quickly and affordably. Through the “Curbside San Diego” program, there is a spectrum of strategies that businesses can deploy, ranging from quick installs like Achilles, to parklet dining and full street closures. 

We value our San Diego businesses and believe that curbside changes are a necessary action to help businesses remain open. Circulate San Diego will continue to advocate and support curbside response for businesses throughout Cortez, the greater Downtown San Diego area, and throughout the San Diego region. 

Information about the Temporary Outdoor Business Operation Permit can be found here, as well as information about Mayor Faulconer’s executive order to allow restaurants to expand service outdoors here. 

Safe Ride Field Guide in Little Free Libraries  |  Partners: Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), San Diego Police Department, League of American Bicyclists, Rady Children’s Hospital

  

Our team has worked hard to provide fun and informative walking & biking resources for people to access online whenever, wherever. One resource we are really excited about is the Safe Ride Field Guide. With nuggets of information and activities scattered across the colorful pages, this is an essential guide for every age and biker. 

If you are out on an adventure in the City of San Diego, you may also find hardcopies of the Safe Ride Field Guide in a Little Free Library! We drop off over 100 copies in Paradise Hills, Skyline, El Cerrito, City Heights, North Park, South Park, Golden Hill, and Sherman Heights free libraries. 

We hope you find these resources helpful and motivating! The webpage and Safe Ride Field Guide can be accessed online here: circulatesd.org/planning_resources. Thank you to the League of American Bicyclists for providing the terrific illustrations for this book.