Lake Merritt is the heart of Oakland. We are petitioning for a continuous, 2-way protected cycletrack all the way around the lake.
This is both to protect and support people walking & rolling, as well as inspire folks to bring this type of facility to every corner of town.
Campaign Map
Click the map for details about each project segment
Lakeshore Ave Cycletrack
After a fatal crash in August 2023, an appeal letter to the Mayor was submitted asking for fast action on protected bikeway upgrades along Lakeshore Avenue, and endorsed by Bike East Bay, Traffic Violence Rapid Response, Transport Oakland, and Walk Oakland Bike Oakland.
Click here to view the letter.
We were so pleased that, in response, Oakland DOT agreed to install a two-way protected bikeway along the west side of Lakeshore Ave from E 18th to El Embarcadero. Construction is expected to start in 2024 and be completed in 2025.
A March 2024 project update is available here.
IN MEMORY OF Maia Correia
In early August 2023 we were devastated to learn about a crash that occurred on Lakeshore Avenue at Hanover Avenue, which took the life of four-year-old Maia Correia.
Maia was in a child seat on her father’s bike, riding in the painted bike lake on Lakeshore Ave when the driver of a parked car opened a door into their path, causing them to crash. Though wearing a helmet, Maia suffered a traumatic brain injury and was not able to recover. More details about this incident were reported by Oaklandside’s Jose Fermoso here.
If a physically protected bikeway was provided on this street, like the two-way cycletrack already built on Lakeside Ave west of Lake Merritt (photo below), this crash could have been prevented. A protected bikeway was recommended in Oakland’s bike plan update in 2019, but not implemented in time to prevent this tragedy.
More media links:
Contact
Email or call these Oakland elected officials to let them know you support quick-build protected bikeway upgrades:
Mayor Sheng Thao
510-238-3141
officeofthemayor@oaklandca.gov
Nikki Fortunato Bas, District 2 Councilmember
510-238-7002
nfbas@oaklandca.gov
Rebecca Kaplan, At-Large Councilmember
510-238-7008
atlarge@oaklandca.gov
Lake merritt Cycletrack
A continuous, protected two-way cycletrack all the way around Lake Merritt is critical not only for local safety needs there, but also as an example to show the quality of all ages and abilities infrastructure that Oakland is capable of.
Everyone from all corners of Oakland visits the lake, so enabling people to experience a safe, high quality facility here will inspire more support and advocacy for similar installations in more neighborhoods.
Above is a map showing the status of various cycletrack segments, color coded with green meaning completed, yellow meaning in the works, and red meaning recommended but in need of support to move them forward.
Complete
This project called “Lakeside Green Streets” opened in June 2019, and has been extremely popular. This is an example of the type of facility we want to see all around Lake Merritt. Info here:Â https://www.oaklandca.gov/news/2019/measure-dd-at-work-lakeside-green-streets-project-grand-opening
IN THE WORKS
A 2-way protected cycletrack along the lake side between E 18th St and El Embarcadero is in the works, with construction to start in 2024: https://www.oaklandca.gov/projects/lakeshore-avenue-separated-bike-lanes-project
This project called “Lakeside Family Streets” received funding in 2017, and is now finally moving forward with construction estimated in 2024.
It will extend the existing cycletrack and add a protected intersection at Harrison/Grand.
Info here: https://www.oaklandca.gov/projects/lakeside-family-streets
This project includes an extension of the 2-way cycletrack along the lake, from 19th to 17th Street. To be delivered with paving by 2025.
Info here: https://www.oaklandca.gov/projects/lake-merritt-bikeway
This project includes an extension of the 2-way cycletrack along the lake, and a one-way protected bikeway on the far side of the street, from 14th to International. To be delivered with paving by 2025.
Info here: https://www.oaklandca.gov/projects/lake-merritt-bikeway
IN THE WORKS, But at Risk
This project extends along Grand Ave from Broadway to Elwood, to be delivered with paving by 2025.
It was originally proposed to include a wide, protected bikeway along Grand and an extension of the cycletrack along the lake, but has since been watered down to remove the cycletrack and narrow the bikeways, due to non-safety related concerns.
Project info here: https://www.oaklandca.gov/projects/grand
Advocates are working to resolve these issues and save the cycletrack.
Visit the Walk Oakland Bike Oakland page here to sign their petition and get involved with the campaign to save the cycletrack and improve bike/walk safety: https://wobo.org/grand-avenue/
Recommended, but No Plan Yet
This cycletrack extension between 14th and 17th Streets was proposed by Oakland’s Department of Transportation, but was rejected by the fire department due to clearance concerns.
Currently only a northbound, painted buffer bike lane is proposed for construction by 2025.
An update to the fire code is underway to provide more design flexibility, via a partnership between city fire and transportation departments, but this project is not yet expected to be revisited.
Oakland’s 2019 bike plan only recommends a one-way painted bike lane on Bellevue Ave through Lakeside Park, but city staff have since identified it as a 2-way protected cycletrack opportunity.
However there are no plans yet for implementation.
Bike plan map here: https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Downtown_Map.pdf
Here are some visualizations of what a cycletrack project on Lakeshore Ave could look like, within the existing road width. This includes cross sections both with and without a center turn lane.Â
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Thank you to Maia’s family members for reaching out and collaborating with us on this effort, to Pendarvis Harshaw for connecting us, to the members of the Oakland Bicyclist and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, and to our friends and partners at Traffic Violence Rapid Response and Walk Oakland Bike Oakland for support and coordination.