On May 2nd, 2024, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) will consider closing the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Trail all day every Monday through Thursday to make space for a car break-down lane, leaving it open to people walking, biking, and rolling on Fridays through Sundays only.
This proposal is unsupported by evidence and counter to many adopted plans and policies on the regional and state levels. We need your support to push back against this proposal and let the BCDC know that 24/7 bridge trail access is a priority! Here are some ways you can help:
AS AN INDIVIDUAL:
comment at the meeting
Comment in person
Meeting day and time:
Thursday, May 2, 2024
Start time 1 PM
Location:
Metro Center
375 Beale St., Board Room
San Francisco, CA 94105
Our Bike East Bay staff will be present at the meeting, wearing our “Beautiful Machine” bicycle hoodies. Feel free to look for and sit with us if you like.
Details:
The item is number 8 on the agenda (linked here), “Briefing on Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Public Pathway Pilot Project”.
The Commission Chair will ask whether any members of the public want to comment on this item (not the general public comment at the beginning of the meeting, for items not on the agenda) at which point both in-person and online comments will be accepted.
The time limit for each comment will be up to 3 minutes each, possibly less. You may be required to fill out a comment sign-up card when you arrive, so look for that.
Comment via Zoom
The meeting day, time, and agenda details are the same for virtual comments.
The link to join the Zoom meeting is available here.
If you aren’t able to join for the entire meeting, sign up for our text notification list here:
Everyone on this list will get a text from us when the public comment period for the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Path item is about to start, so you can log into Zoom at that time.
In-person or Zoom comment tips
We encourage you to prepare your comment in advance, preferably in writing.
State at the beginning your name, any relevant organizations you are affiliated with, and your position on the item (ie “I oppose the proposed bridge path closure, and support keeping it open for biking and walking 24/7”).
After that we encourage you to speak to your personal experiences, and why maintaining bridge path access is important to you.
Overall keep your comments succinct and respectful, and thank the commission for considering your input.
SEND AN EMAIL COMMENT
Email: [email protected]Â
Deadline: Email comments need to be sent before 10am on Thursday, May 2, 2024.
Template email: (feel free to use all or part of this text, and include your own experiences with the bridge path and why it is important to you)
Subject: May 2, 2024 BCDC meeting public comment
Please accept this public comment on item 8 “Briefing on Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Public Pathway Pilot Project” from the May 2, 2024, BCDC meeting agenda.
I urge you to reject the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Caltrans staff’s BCDC permit amendment request to close the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Trail all day every Monday through Thursday, for conversion to a car breakdown shoulder. Please join me in supporting permanent, 24/7 access for all between the East Bay and the North Bay by keeping this pathway open.
As indicated in the coalition letter shared with you by Bike East Bay, the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, and several dozen more regional and state organizations, data on the four year pathway pilot project reported by the Bay Area Toll Authority has not shown an adverse negative impact on westbound car congestion, safety, or pollution.
Keeping the pathway open is in alignment with numerous adopted plans and policies on the regional and state level. Closing the pathway for a breakdown shoulder as currently proposed, or for a third westbound car lane, will not contribute toward progress on the underlying causes of car congestion on the bridge.
Thank you for accepting this comment, and for your commitment to oppose the pathway closure.
Sign our petition
Whether or not you can attend the May 2nd BCDC meeting or email a comment in advance, please also click below to sign our petition in support of keeping the pathway open 24/7:
Keeping the “Yes, sign me up for email updates” box checked will add you to our Bridging the Bay list, for additional campaign updates beyond the May 2nd meeting.
Please also share this page BikeEastBay.org/RSRPathAtRisk and ask your friends to sign on!
AS AN ORGANIZATION:
If you are a leader of a Bay Area group or organization working on active transportation, sustainability, social, or environmental issues, please click the button below sign on to our coalition letter.
We so far have several dozen organizations from the local, state, and national levels supporting the effort to keep the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Path open, and we would love for your group to join us!
Click here to preview the letter and see who has signed on so far.
Learn More:
Lots more info about the Richmond San Rafael Bridge path campaign is available on our site via these previous posts:
- March 22, 2024: Mokelumne Trail Overcrossing Now Open – Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Path at Risk
- September 29, 2023: Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Pathway Pilot Q&A
- Fall 2023: RideOn Magazine – Celebrating 4-years of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge path [PDF]
- Spring 2023: RideOn Magazine – Building Bridges in 2023 [PDF]
And read stories from just a few of the current Richmond-San Rafael Bridge bike commuters on the Marin County Bicycle Coalition website here:
- April 26, 2024: Who Rides on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, Anyway?
Join our email list for the most up-to-date info!
This article is part of our Bridging the Bay campaign, providing info updates and organizing opportunities for proposed and existing bike bridges across the East Bay. Click the button below to sign up for our notification list to get involved.
