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Following is an AARP summary of the walking action plan developed by State Walking College Fellows Sybil Boutilier, Juanita Edwards and Vicki Nichols.

yellow) are located just north of San Francisco. Image from Google Maps Juanita Edwards Vicki Nichols Sybil Boutiler

State Walking College Fellows Class of 2021

Juanita Edwards is the interim general manager of the Marin City Community Services District. Vicki Nichols is a former vice president of the Sausalito Planning Commission and chair of the

Marin Conservation League. Sybil Boutilier is chair of Age Friendly Sausalito (the initiative that leads the city’s membership in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities) and

she serves as a member of the Marin County Commission on Aging. 

PLAN VISION AND GOALS

with the area’s newly merged school communities (the result of a desegregation order by the California Attorney General) to come together in mutually beneficial and supportive

intergenerational activitiesMitigate and reduce injuries among all age groups, especially older adults, that result from falls and cycling accidentsTap into intergenerational knowledge and

energy for facilitating new programs and building on others to connect residents to a healthier lifestyle and one anotherAdvocate for the types of budgets required to provide equitable

infrastructure across the “94965” communityIdentify and participate in mitigating barriers that prevent residents from sharing in the equitable means and benefits of sustainable solutions

THE LOCATION

Sausalito is a maritime community built along the shore of Richardson Bay, a shallow, ecologically rich arm of San Francisco Bay. The city has a mostly hilly terrain, with most residences

located along steep, narrow, winding roads.

Bridgeway is a flat, main thoroughfare that runs north/south and connects to Highway 101 (and to an intercity bike path) at its north end, and to the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin

Headlands to the south. 

Neighboring Marin City is a valley community that was developed to house the shipbuilding workers who came to California during World War II. After the war, several multiunit buildings were

developed for public housing including the historic Golden Gate Village complex designed by Aaron Green, a protégée of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Sausalito’s population is just over 7,100 people. Marin City has a population of 3,173 people. Sausalito is 92 percent white. Marin City is more racially and ethnically diverse. The median

age in Marin City is 38.5. In Sausalito, it’s 55.9. The percentage of people living below the federal poverty line in Marin City is 22.8 percent, in Sausalito it’s 5 percent. 

The two communities are divided by Highway 101 with the only access via a tunnel beneath the highway. 

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of bicyclists entering Sausalito from the south could reach 5,500 on a summer day. Many such visitors ride in on rental bicycles. From the north,

bicycle commuters and exercise enthusiasts ride through Sausalito to reach the Golden Gate Bridge or Marin Headlands

Forty percent of Sausalito’s population is age 60 or older. Such individuals are more at risk for a serious injury from a fall, by being startled or possibly sideswiped by an unruly or

unaware cyclist.

An additional safety challange stems from the differing experience-levels among the riders traveling in the same bike lanes or sharing the road with automobiles. Many rental bike riders

wobble along the street, while speedy bike commuters and impatient automobiles weave their way through the same single lanes.

POTENTIAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS

WorksSausalito Department of Recreation and ParksAge Friendly Sausalito*Call-A-Ride-Sausalito-Seniors (CARSS)Sausalito Village VolunteersAge Forward Marin (County Age Friendly)Marin County

Parks and Open SpaceMarin County Department of Public Works

* Age Friendly Sausalito worked with the city to add crosswalk flags (for pedestrians to wave when crossing) and age-appropriate park features for older adults to exercise.

THE PLAN

1.  Promote biking and walking to school

by drivers, cyclists and pedestriansParticipate in a “Walk and Roll to School” eventDevelop and assist with a plan for involving parent and students in walking activities

2.  Promote and advocate for enhanced community walkability/bikeability through improvements to the built environment

deficiencies or opportunities for improvementsCommit to maintaining and promoting advocacy efforts during budget or other financial hearingsWork with city and county officials, staff,

nonprofits and others to focus attention on the community needs for safer and better walkability and bikeabilityEngage with the community at events, fairs and through written

communicationsEstablish a point of contact as an ongoing source of informationDuring a two-year commitment of involvement, develop sustainability measures to ensure that the programs

included or developed have the volunteers and knowledge needed to be self-sufficient

3.  Advocate for and coordinate opportunities for neighborhood input about built environment improvements on Coloma Street between Bridgeway and Olima Streets bordering MLK Park.

for prioritizing safety and walkability for seniors, school students and parents, dog walkers and athletic groups who use the street multiple times per day Coordinate a placemaking event to

review and provide resident and user input into the city and county’s design plans — and offer suggestions to local officials for how to enhance the plans to meet the safety needs and other

issues of neighborhood importance

4.  Promote and advocate for the walkability and cycling needs of older adults 

social walking groups for seniorsIntroduce and incentivize older adults to explore bicycle transportation as a way of lifeCreate an event to introduce older people to a range of bicycles,

tricycles and e-bikes, including various adaptive bike configurationsConvene partners and allies to explore services and programs that can provide support for older adults as they adapt to

bicycle use as an alternative to automobiles

5. Advocate for traffic calming measures

on the Bridgeway traffic corridorAdvocate for smart speed limitsAdvocate for improved crosswalk visibility and safe crosswalk timing for all ages Advocate for improved compliance with

traffic lawsExplore innovative incentives for compliance as alternatives to ticketing enforcement

6.  Develop a safe walking/rolling education campaign with an intergenerational focus

honoring pedestrian rights)Review and build upon existing bike safety programsPromote awareness by developing flyers and posters for biking corridors and a banner for placing on Bridgeway 

Create and plan event(s) to build engagement and buy-in by the cycling community and other stakeholdersDistribute The League of American Bicyclists’ Smart Cycling Quick Guide and other

materials

7.  Promote community inclusion, cohesion and health promotion through social walking groups in Marin City

Convene members to help plan the routes, destinations and frequency Publicize and promote the program throughout the community, including in ethnic and non-English speaking communitiesLaunch

an art contest among teen groups and school art classes for creating program flyers and postersIncorporate evidence-based “Walk With Ease” principles in the leader guidanceProvide gift

cards to incentivize the walking group leaders to organize frequent walks

8.  Use volunteers to enhance public spaces and pedestrian infrastructure

9.  Develop community input for a Vision Zero program in Marin City

to establish and implement shared safer streets goals

WHAT’S BEEN ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR

As of February 2022:

the Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, with Safe Routes to School and the Sausalito Pedestrian and Bike Committee. Recruited and coordinated volunteers to greet students arriving on bikes or

on foot with small gifts. Invited and walked the route between the campuses with the Sausalito city manager and staff from the county supervisor's office. (Goal #1)Staffed a table at an

outdoor screening of the movie MotherLoad, which was organized by the Marin Bicycle Coalition and the Sausalito Pedestrian and Bike Committee, and promoted walking school buses and

distributed flyers to potential volunteers. The event included displays about bike types, including cargo bikes, electric bikes and a bicycle-powered blender for making smoothies. (Goal

#1)Conducted a 1.5 mile walk audit with representative of Safe Routes to Schools between the two school campuses. (Goal #2)Conducted a walk audit between Rocky Graham Park, the Margarita

Johnson Senior Center and the Marin City Recreation Center to assess opportunities for improving a pathway that's frequently used by the community and for possible inclusion in a county

grant submission. Participants included members of Seniors on the Move, the Marin County Commission on Aging and the county's Age Forward program. (Goal #2)Participated in a walk audit for

siting a bike pathway and possibly day-lighting a creek along the Nevada Street corridor. (Goal #2)Testified before the Marin County Board of Supervisors to increase the budget for local

park improvements and maintenance in the Measure A bond renewal that will be up for a vote in the next election cycle. (Goal #2)Sausalito has identified resources to complete the design for

Coloma Street but it still lacks funding for construction. A meeting with the Sausalito Public Works director to discuss community inputs and placemaking is pending. (Goal #3)Met with a

member of the Marin Bicycle Coalition to discuss organizing a bike wrangle for older adults to increase their familiarity with various bicycle types and encourage the use of an appropriate

bike for transportation around the community.  (Goal #4)Provided information to the Sausalito Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee in a public meeting about our advocacy program and

plans for biking and walking safety. (Goal #5)Started a review of existing bike safety programs and plans for southern Marin. (Goal #6)Contacted AARP to inquire about help in acquiring bulk

copies of the Smart Cycling Quick Guide. (Goal #6)Recruited the first Marin City Social Walking Group leader who, in turn, is identifying potential walking group members. (Goal #7)Built

benches that are ready for siting and installation in Marin City. (Goal #8)Received feedback from the county Public Works Department that Marin City might not need a fill-scale Vision Zero

pl

an. A decision was made to focus on Donahue Street, adjacent to Rocky Graham Park, as identified by community members for possible safety signage and traffic calming measures. (Goal #9)

Page published March 2022

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