Many projects in the region start with a concerned resident or group of residents contacting the city. But it's not as easy calling once and voicing an opinion. Preparation and persistence are essential to getting what you want. Before contacting the city, get organized. Below are some tips.

Getting Organized:

Make Contact: Don’t be afraid to contact your city to discuss your concern. Part of their job is to ensure public safety. If you feel that your safety or your neighborhood’s safety is at danger, you have a right to contact city staff. 

Be Clear: When you talk with the city or submit information to them, be as specific as possible about the issue. Providing information such as the time, date, and location of when a problem occurs helps city traffic engineers thoroughly analyze problems and plan for the best possible solutions. Before contacting the city, consider writing a Problem Statement to help clarify your thoughts and detail all sides of the issue. 

• What improvements might be considered in this situation?
• Does the agency have a pedestrian plan in place?
• What are pedestrian safety policies I should know about?

Be forewarned that staff may cite Levels of Service (LOS) as reasons why a project was designed a certain way. LOS only considers vehicle travel and doesn’t account for walking and biking. Cities are aware of this and have the ability to argue for a ‘reduced’ LOS in favor of greater walking and biking safety.  If you get a response that cites LOS as the reason an improvement can’t be made, contact WalkSanDiego to help strategize.

Focus on the Problem, not the Solution: If you think it is unsafe to cross a particular intersection, say, ’I think it is unsafe to cross intersection ‘x’; don’t immediately demand a traffic signal. The city’s job is to find the solution. Yours is to notify them of the problem.

Know Your Facts: Find helpful facts to support your case. These can be the number of people affected by the problem and/or a description of driver behaviors in the area. Facts can also be more global. For example, did you know that vehicle speed kills: a pedestrians’ chance of survival when hit by a vehicle traveling 40 mph is 15%, at 30 mph it’s 55%, and at 20 mph, it’s 95%. WalkSanDiego’s Resource page has more facts.

Be Persistent: If you don’t hear back from the city, call or write again. City staff has a lot of work, but they also have a commitment to improve conditions. Don’t take a lack of communication from them personally. Be confident in your request and persist in contacting them.

Get Help: Encourage your neighbors to take action as well. Talk to them about your concern and see if they agree. Consider creating a SURVEY and distribute it among community members. Phone calls and letters from multiple residents will only help the city understand the problem better. If the city requests that forms be submitted to outline the concern, ask your neighbors to submit this information in addition to yourself.