Protect PCH

Join the community effort to make PCH safer for everyone

In honor of Kellie Standish, Colby Tucker, and everyone impacted by preventable tragedies on Ventura County’s Pacific Coast Highway, we’re calling on Ventura County and Caltrans to take immediate action to make PCH safer.

Real change happens when our community speaks with one voice. The more our community takes action, the harder we are to ignore.

Here are four impactful ways you can join us and make your voice heard.

1

Send the Letter to Your Representatives

A letter has already been drafted for you. It is addressed to five decision-makers who have the power to connect and collaborate with Caltrans, fund safety improvements, and demand action on PCH.

How to send it:

Click Email a Decision Maker to send the letter directly. Email is the fastest and most trackable method. Each representative has a contact form on their official website.

Who the letter goes to:

Mail letters to:

  • California Highway Patrol
    (805) 662-2640
  • Sheriff's Administration — Office of the Sheriff
    800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura, CA 93009
    (805) 654-2380
2

Show Up at the Ventura County Board of Supervisors Meetings

This is the most powerful thing you can do in person. The Ventura County Board of Supervisors oversees county road policy, funds infrastructure, and has direct relationships with Caltrans. Showing up with a crowd sends an unmistakable message.

View the full schedule of upcoming Ventura County Board of Supervisor meetings here.

Septmeber 1, 2026:

  • Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2026
  • Time: 8:30 am — arrive by 8:00 am to fill out a speaker card
  • Location: Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, Hall of Administration, 800 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura, CA 93009

How to Sign Up to Speak (Pre-Registration — Preferred):

  1. Visit venturacounty.gov/board-of-supervisors and look for the Public Comment registration link for the September 1 meeting.
  2. Register by 3:30 pm on Sunday, August 31. This ensures you are placed on the speakers list.
  3. You will receive Zoom call-in information by 6:00 pm if you prefer to comment remotely by phone or video.

How to Submit a Written Comment (if you cannot attend):

Email the Clerk of the Board at clerkoftheboard@venturacounty.gov by 3:30 pm on Sunday, August 31.

Subject line: PCH Safety — Public Comment, September 1 Board Meeting

Your written comment will be entered into the official record and distributed to all five supervisors.

What to Say (approximately 2–3 minutes):

You do not need to read from a script. Speak from your experience. Here is a simple structure:

  1. Start: Say your name and what city you are from.
  2. State the crisis: Two people were killed on PCH near Solimar Beach on June 11 by a drunk driver going 50+ mph who veered into the bike lane. This is at least the ninth fatality on this stretch in recent years.
  3. Name the problem: PCH has bike lanes and beach access points that invite cyclists — but it operates as a high-speed highway with no physical separation. That gap is killing people.
  4. Make one ask: Ask the Board to pass a resolution directing Caltrans to conduct an emergency safety review of the Ventura County PCH corridor — or to reduce the speed limit — or to fund physical separation barriers.
  5. Close personally: Share why this matters to you. I ride this road. My kids access the beach here. A friend of mine was almost hit here.

📋 Tip: Coordinate with other speakers so you cover different angles — personal story, data and infrastructure, family safety, economic impact, equity. Variety is more powerful than repetition.

3

Spread the Word

  • Forward this page to cyclists, paddlers, hikers, parents, neighbors — anyone who recreates in Ventura.
  • Share on local Facebook groups, Nextdoor, cycling club listservs, and neighborhood apps.
  • Tag @VenturaCounty and your local representatives when posting about the campaign.
  • Contact local media: Ventura County Star, VC Reporter, KCLU (805-986-5258). The crash on June 11 is recent news — reporters are likely still following this story.
4

Report Bike Crash Data

Bikemaps.org is a free citizen science platform where anyone can log a bike crash or near-miss directly from their phone or computer. Adding your experience takes about two minutes.

Why this matters: official crash data only exists when law enforcement responds and files a report. The vast majority of incidents on PCH go completely unrecorded, making it easy for agencies to claim that a dangerous road is not a priority. Bikemaps.org fills that gap.

Near-miss data is especially powerful. It captures the danger cyclists experience every day before a fatality occurs, giving decision-makers evidence to act on without waiting for the next death. Every entry — crash, close call, or unsafe condition — contributes to a public dataset that advocates, researchers, and transportation agencies can use to demand improvements.

We don't have to wait for a fatality to occur to make a case for change.

Log a crash or near-miss on bikemaps.org →