July 10, 2010 Update:
Who knew? Bike lanes on Shattuck Avenue Downtown. And while we’re at it, let’s throw in new bike lanes on Hearst Avenue and an improved Milvia Street Bicycle Boulevard. And how about a Shared Street where cars drive at the speed of pedestrians and bicyclists and everyone yields to each other?
Meet the SOSIP:
Streets and Open Space Improvement Plan for Downtown Berkeley. The SOSIP is part of the Downtown Area Plan, which is the City’s and UC Berkeley’s long-range vision of what the downtown area should look like. There is some good stuff in this plan! Preliminary cost estimates have been developed and will be presented at the upcoming planning meeting listed below. 
Check out the City’s website for the SOSIP
Upcoming Meeting of the Joint Subcommittee working on the SOSIP:
Monday, July 12, 7-9pm
North Berkeley Senior Center
1901 Hearst Ave
Berkeley
Come and lend your voice of support for many of the innovative features being proposed for a revitalized and European-style Downtown Berkeley.
The Plan has a grand vision for Shattuck Avenue, including much more greenery, pedestrian plazas and promenades, and a redesigned BART Station entrance. And the Plan envisions bike lanes on Hearst Avenue, between Shattuck and Oxford, on Fulton Street south of Oxford, and on Shattuck south of the immediate downtown area. Another great idea is a proposal to turn Milvia Street, in front of City Hall, into a plaza area, closing that one block of Milvia to thru vehicles, bikes and pedestrians excepted of course.
The Bicycle-Friendly Berkeley Coalition is reviewing the Plan and providing comments at public meetings, including the subcommittee meetings for the Plan. We will also be submitting written comments soon. Feel free to provide your thoughts here on this blog.
