Your input has worked! Caltrans heard the calls for keeping the East Fork
Initial designs are out for the multi-use pathway connection from Shellmound Road in Emeryville to the Bay Bridge.
While the Bicycle Coalition is appreciative that Caltrans has designed a useable connection between Burma Road and Shellmound, the designs lack important features that the project needs.
Emeryville Connection:
Knowing he had the support of the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, the Emeryville Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), the Bay Trail Project and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, Emeryville Director of Public Works Maurice Kaufman pushed hard to keep the East Fork of the Bay Bridge Connection from Emeryville in the plans for the new Bay Bridge Pathway. The Bicycle Coalition is delighted that his efforts have succeeded–Caltrans has agreed to keep the East Fork connection to Shellmound and work with the City of Emeryville on contaminated soil removal from the site. In addition, both the East Fork and West Fork projects will be completed on-time for the Fall 2013 opening of the Pathway on the new East Span of the Bay Bridge.
Not only did pressure from many sources help make this happen, but the fact that Emeryville is built on contaminated soil really helped. They are experienced with cleaning it up and getting rid of it. The Emeryville BPAC meets on Monday, January 3, 2011 to discuss this great new development and to prioritize projects in the updates to its Bicycle Plan and Pedestrian Plan.
Bridge Connection:
Caltrans is busy developing designs for the pathway connection from their maintenance facilities in West Oakland to the new take-off to the East Span Pathway. The alignment of the pathway segment closest to the bridge is generally 16’ wide and includes a jogging path and landscaping. There are a couple of locations where Caltrans is exploring options for a shared pathway experience where there would be limited, local vehicle usage, but the Bicycle Coalition is encouraged that these designs will maximize safety and create an inviting experience for all pathway users. We expect more design refinements in January, 2011.
Pathway Design in General
Also, the design of the pathway in general is going to have a lot of fencing, to keep pedestrians and bicyclists out of the off-limit areas of the surrounding freeways and East Bay Municipal Utility District treatment plant. Caltrans is proposing uninviting chain link fencing and in some locations within tight constraints. The Bicycle Coalition is requesting Caltrans consider a much more pleasant design that will attract people to the new Bay Bridge.
Emeryville touchdown schematic showing pathway on west side of Shellmound
. Your Bicycle Coalition met with Caltrans officials on Tuesday, October 19, 2010 for a walking tour of the property proposed for the Segment 2 connector pathway in order to see firsthand what the design challenges are like. We were encouraged to see that right-of-way problems have been addressed and the new pathway connection will include lighting and landscaping, but this pathway should be a showcase, to go with the new East Span Pathway that it will connect to in late 2013. We are awaiting to hear updates from Caltrans on the final designs presented to the Bay Conservation & Development Commission early in 2011.
Check out the PowerPoint presentation showing the multi-use pathway connection from Shellmound Road in Emeryville to the Bay Bridge.
For more information about the bikeway on the Bay Bridge, check out our Bay Bridge Bikeway pages.