Dear Neighbors and Community Members,
Our neighborhood at Dover and adjacent streets has been facing a growing and urgent safety concern: drivers traveling at unsafe speeds through our streets at all hours of the day, creating serious risks for children, families, pets, cyclists, and pedestrians.
One of our greatest concerns is the safety of the seniors who live in the 55+ apartment complex in our neighborhood, which houses 66 residents. Many of them walk or cross the street daily, and the constant speeding puts them in real danger. Slowing traffic is essential for their safety and quality of life.
After working with Santa Cruz County Public Works for two years, we’re pleased to share that the installation of publicly sanctioned, officially approved speed bumps has been authorized as an effective traffic-calming measure. However, under current county policy, Santa Cruz County only covers 50% of the installation cost.
The total cost for the installation is $16,272, meaning our community must raise half of that amount to proceed. In addition, the required application and review fee was $1,017, which I personally paid upfront to move the process forward for our neighborhood.
Because we are a low-income neighborhood, covering these expenses alone is extremely challenging. Yet the need for safety improvements is urgent, particularly for seniors, families, and children who regularly use our streets.
We would love to install these speed bumps and take additional measures to make our neighborhood safe, so that our kids can enjoy growing up here without fear of speeding vehicles.
To help meet the county’s funding requirement and bring this project to completion, we have created a GoFundMe campaign for both neighbors and the general public to contribute toward our portion of the costs. All funds raised will go directly toward materials, installation, and associated fees for the speed bumps. Every contribution—large or small—makes a meaningful difference. Even sharing the campaign helps tremendously.
Our goal is simple:
Prevent accidents before they happen and create a safer, more livable community for everyone — especially our seniors, families, and children.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for supporting an approved, publicly sanctioned safety project that will benefit our entire community. Together, we can make our streets safer for all who live here and all who pass through.
Here I have enclosed three studies that support our assertion that speed bumps will create elevated safety and a better neighborhood:
1. The Broken Windows Theory illustrates how fixing problems when they are smaller can avoid escalation/degradation of a neighborhood
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_windows_theory#:~:text=A%20successful%20strategy%20for%20preventing,do%20not%20flee%20the%20neighborhood
2. US Department of Transportation highlights a study showing how people are more likely to drive slower once speed bumps are placed.
https://highways.dot.gov/safety/speed-management/traffic-calming-eprimer/module-4-effects-traffic-calming-measures-motor#:~:text=Data%20collected%20at%2026%20speed,percent%20of%20the%20total%20traffic
3. The Good Samaritan Study shows how people who are not made to hurry are more likely to help people in need aka be a good samaritan.
Here is the agenda from the Board of Supervisors from November 4, 2025:
https://pgwest.blob.core.windows.net/santacruzcountyca/Meetings/106/Packet_20251030192005899.pdf?sv=2017-04-17&sr=b&sig=Dup8sSDflNiULV%2FSC%2Bzp%2BPhN%2F9%2Fijsdt7RD%2BUIRebYY%3D&st=2025-11-20T17%3A27%3A53Z&se=2025-11-22T17%3A27%3A53Z&sp=r&rsct=application%2Fpdf&rscd=attachment%3B%20filename%3D%22Meetings106Packet_20251030192005899.pdf%22
Our initiative is item 49 which passed on the consent agenda that day.
Rather than wait for someone to be seriously injured or die from this issue, we would rather get ahead of it. Please add to the pot or share if you wish.
Thank you for your time,
Holly & Neighbors
Organizer
