Lompoc stands to receive $2.8 million from the California Transportation Commission Active Transportation Program to improve walkability, community safety and school investments after a joint application effort by the City of Lompoc, Lompoc Valley Community Healthcare Organization and Lompoc Unified School District.
The coordinated application effort was among 540 submitted to the program, and came out seventh, city staff reported last week to the Lompoc City Council.
“Really, the partnership is what made the application so successful and the project so complete. The city’s partnership with Lompoc Valley Community Healthcare Organization and Lompoc Unified School District not only resulted in a high scoring grant application, but also adds to this project the elements necessary to help the students and the residents in greatest need within the project area and at the project schools,” said Lompoc Public Works Director Craig Dierling.
The project, slated for construction and implementation in 2025, includes three major components: city engineering division constructing the infrastructure to facilitate student sand residents safely walking to and from school and safely crossing streets around school zones; a partnership with LVCHO and Lompoc Police Department to improve safety and community health through coordination, training and events in underserved neighborhoods; and Lompoc Unified School District providing staffing and programs to increase student safety to and from school.
The program’s primary focus will be on the corridors around Lompoc High School, and between the high school and Lompoc Valley Middle School.
Construction will include installing the sidewalk that’s missing entirely, installing or upgrading outdated pedestrian curb ramps, and improving lighting.
Sidewalk infill, curb ramps and lighting projects will include: M Street from Ocean Avenue to Chestnut Avenue and Pine Avenue to Oak Avenue; O Street from Cypress Avenue to Hickory Avenue; N Street from Walnut to Chestnut avenues; L Street from Cypress to Olive avenues; Hickory Avenue from O Street to N Street; and Oak Avenue from M Street to O Street.
Improvements to current pedestrian crossing zones are planned at I Street crossing College Avenue and N Street crossing Cypress Avenue.
New crossing facilities are planned for the L Street cul-de-sac crossing Pine Avenue, M Street crossing Chestnut Avenue, and M Street crossing Laurel Avenue.
In addition, lighting improvements are planned for Pine Avenue and O Street on the north and west side of Lompoc High School as well as M Street crossing College and Maple avenues.
“Part of the success of this application was making sure that we presented a well-rounded and comprehensive program,” said LVCHO Director of Community Health Emily Casarez.
The organization will focus on education encouraging safe use of the city’s installed safety improvements.
“The focus of our project is to change the culture and perception around pedestrian active transportation in underserved neighborhoods,” Casarez said.
They intend to make that change by hiring a part-time program coordinator and cultural liaison, developing relationships between neighborhood residents and those in authority, neighborhood/community events and trainings, walking groups, Take Back the Night events in partnership with Lompoc Police Department, and taking a bilingual/bicultural approach.
“We hope that this approach helps us improve safety, heathy habits and overall community health,” Casarez said.
For its part, the school district will place restorative justice staff at the middle school to provide conflict resolution through youth and parent engagement. It will also promote violence prevention to decrease incidents before and after school.
The district also plans to implement programs at the middle school, Lompoc High School, Clarence Ruth and Hapgood schools to create safe walking groups, a walking school bus with trained campus “peace builders,” and engaging school site councils to coordinate and promote safe travel to and from school.
