Santa Cruz creates triple fine zone for Halloween
In anticipation of large Halloween crowds, the City of Santa Cruz announced Monday it will designate the downtown corridor as a Safety Enhancement Zone, where triple fines will be issued for certain Municipal Code violations.
The Safety Enhancement Zone will be in effect from midnight Saturday Oct. 29 through 3:00 a.m. Tuesday November 1. In addition to the triple fines, the area will be subject to road closures and No Parking zones.
Over 100 uniformed police officers from Santa Cruz and surrounding agencies will be on patrol during the 3-day period. The city will also add additional lighting and portable restrooms within the zone.
Traditionally, Halloween draws large crowds to the downtown corridor. In 2015, an estimated 18,000 celebrated downtown. Police responded to 423 calls for service, issued 40 Triple Fine citations and made 27 arrests.
The city estimates that with court costs, triple fines could run as high as $480 for having an open container or consuming alcohol in public places, $576 for parking violations and offenses involving graffiti, trespass or defacing sidewalks, and $1,440 for discharging a firearm.
This is a map of the Safety Enhancement Zone:
Listed below are the road closures and the times that they will be in effect:
No Parking/Tow Away zone from 10:00 a.m. October 31st to 10:00 a.m. November 1st on the following streets:
Pacific Avenue between Laurel Street and Water Street.
Cooper Street between Pacific Avenue and Front Street.
Cathcart Street between Cedar and Pacific Avenue.
Soquel Avenue between Pacific Avenue and Frazier Louis Lane.
No Parking/Tow Away zone from 5:00 p.m. October 31st to 3:00 a.m. November 1st, on the following streets:
Front Street between Soquel Avenue and Laurel Street.
River Street between South River Street and Front Street.
Front Street between River Street and Soquel Avenue.
Front Street between Water Street and River Street.
No Parking/Tow Away zone from 5:00 p.m. October 31st to 3:00 a.m. November 1st, on the following streets:
Locust Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street.
Walnut Avenue between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street Parking Garage.
Cathcart Street between Pacific Avenue and Front Street.
Church Street between Pacific Avenue and Double Decker Parking Garage.
Temporary road closures from 5:00 p.m. October 31st to 03:00 a.m. November 1st, on the following streets:
Walnut Avenue between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street.
Maple Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street.
Locust Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street.
Soquel Avenue between Pacific Avenue and Front Street.
Front Street between Soquel Avenue and Laurel Street.
Front Street between Water Street and River Street.
Church Street between Pacific Avenue and Double Decker Parking Garage.
Temporary road closures from 10:00 a.m. October 31st to 10:00 a.m. November 1st, on the following streets:
Pacific Avenue between Laurel Street and Water Street.
Cathcart Street between Cedar Street and Front Street.
Cooper Street between Pacific Avenue and Front Street.
Lincoln Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street.
Elm Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street.
The temporary rerouting of Birch Lane from an eastbound one-way roadway to a westbound one-way roadway will occur from 5:00 p.m. till 3:00 a.m. Signage will be posted at each entrance to indicate the proper traffic flow.
