Health Care Providers Rally in Support of the Greenway
Health Care Providers Rally In Support Of The Greenway
Over 200 Doctors, Nurses and Medical Professionals Support Opening the Unused Rail Corridor Now for a Safe, Healthy and Equitable Trail
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA—JUNE 21, 2021—Over 200 doctors, nurses and medical professionals announced today that they support the trail proposal advocated by Santa Cruz County Greenway (sccgreenway.org) as the safest, healthiest and most equitable option for the community. Greenway advocates preserving the possibility of future rail transit and replacing the unused tracks now with dedicated paths for pedestrians and cyclists as the backbone of an improved countywide active transportation network.
“The Greenway provides the best opportunity for the Santa Cruz County community to activate the unused rail corridor so that all ages can walk, run, cycle, commute, use wheelchairs and enjoy the outdoors,” said Dr. Doug Hetzler, MD at Sutter Health, who has provided medical care in Santa Cruz County for 33 years. “The health benefits of regular exercise are well documented. With the obesity crisis among our youth, we have to take every measure to encourage an active lifestyle at an early age.”
Social equity is another key reason for the medical professionals’ support of the Greenway. Households earning less than $20,000 per year are twice as likely to bike for transportation than all other income groups. “The Greenway is an engine for equity in Santa Cruz County,” said Dr. Casey KirkHart, Chief Medical Officer at Santa Cruz Community Health. According to the Rails to Trails Conservancy, Greenways serve as economic catalysts, opening up opportunities for neighborhood reinvestment. They also provide critical ‘social infrastructure’--public spaces where people can meet, interact and build relationships.
The health care providers also emphasize safety in their endorsement of Greenway. The Greenway plan calls for an off-street multi-use trail down the center of the rail corridor without detours onto dangerous streets. Existing trestles would be used in order to maintain a 3% or less grade, allowing ease of travel for the disabled, and safer, shorter commute times for workers According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, in 2018, Santa Cruz County ranked 3rd highest in bicycle accidents out of the 58 counties in the state, with 127 victims killed or injured.
“The more often you ride a bicycle in Santa Cruz County, the more likely you are to be injured,” said Dr. Anne-Marie Jackson, Chief Medical Officer, Dignity Health Medical Group - Dominican. “Despite the fact that I have been hit by cars twice while commuting along Soquel at heavy traffic time in the afternoon, I continue to commute by bicycle as often as possible because it allows me to stay healthy without finding a separate time to exercise. I know that every time I get on my bike I will be riding in an unprotected lane alongside people who might be distracted by text messages, phone calls, or the need to find places on their map apps. I look forward to the day when I can commute safely along the Greenway.”
“Safety isn’t just for cyclists,” said Dr. Dana Welle, DO, JD—a local resident and Chief Medical Officer of Tribeca Companies. “Cities with high bicycling rates have lower crash rates for all road users.” Dr. Welle experienced a bicycle accident that changed her life forever, “A bicycling accident on a local road forced me to reevaluate my career. In car and bicycle accidents, the car always wins and many cyclists lose more than just careers. I was lucky.”
“It’s time to prioritize community safety, health, and well-being,” said Dr. Hetzler. “Let’s stop dreaming about an unaffordable train with low ridership, and set our sights on better transit options that can get large numbers of people to and from our medical centers, our schools and colleges, and other major employers, as well as create a beautiful recreational corridor. Our community can do this. Let’s build the Greenway NOW!”
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Todd, Michael. “Santa Cruz Cyclists Are Highly Prone to Wrecks, According to Report.” Santa Cruz Sentinel. Santa Cruz Sentinel, 23 May 2017. Web. 30 May 2021
Fernandez, Elizabeth. “Soaring Medical Costs from Bicycle Accidents.” UC San Francisco. UC San Francisco, 02 June 2017. Web. 30 May 2021
Garrick, Norman W., and Wesley E. Marshall. “Beyond Safety in Numbers: Why Bike Friendly Cities Are Safer.” Planetizen: The Independent Resource for People Passionate about Planning and Related Fields. N.p., 27 June 2011. Web. 30 May 2021
Anderson, Michael, and Mary Lauran Hall. “BUILDING EQUITY: Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Protected Bike Lanes: An Idea Book for Fairer Cities (n.d.): 33. PeopleForBikes.” PeopleForBikes Green Lane Project and Alliance for Biking & Walking, 4 Mar. 2015. Web. 30 May 2021
California Office of Traffic Safety. “OTS Crash Rankings Results”. Web. 9 June 2021.
Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC), UC Berkeley. “County Data: Pedestrian & Bike Collisions”. Web. 9 June 2021.
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WHO SUPPORT THE GREENWAY
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Santa Cruz County Greenway is a 501(c)4 non-profit advocacy organization whose mission is “to transform Santa Cruz County into a safe, affordable and equitable transportation community.” Please visit our website at sccgreenway.org for more information.