Protected bikeways are popping up all over the East Bay this year, with new facilities completed or under construction in many cities.
This brings us to a major milestone of over 75 protected facilities installed throughout the East Bay! Here are some photos and details, check them out and stay tuned for grand-opening bike rides scheduled in 2024.
San Pablo
Construction on the City of San Pablo’s long-awaited Rumrill Blvd Complete Streets project is nearing completion. This 1.7 mile facility between San Pablo Ave and Costa Ave is the city’s first major protected bikeway, separated from car traffic in sections via either an asphalt curb, planted rain gardens, or flex posts.
Within a few years this facility will intersect with another protected bikeway coming next on Broadway-El Portal between 11th St and Church Ln.
Newark
Big thanks and congratulations go to Newark on the completion of their first two protected bikeways, a 1/2 mile flex post-protected facility on Newark Blvd from Central Ave to Thornton Ave, and 2 miles on Cherry St from Central Ave to Stevenson Blvd.
These projects were delivered via routine paving work, allowing for fast installation which we love to see. Weigh in on Newark’s bike/walk plan update at BikeEastBay.org/surveys to let them know where more protected bikeways should go, and with even more robust separation.
Oakland
The Telegraph Ave protected bikeway upgrade between 20th and 29th Streets has been under construction since 2022, but is finally nearing completion.
This facility includes a lot of features:
- Upgraded curbs and concrete islands
- Protected intersections (info here) at W Grand Ave and at 27th St
- New crosswalks/curb ramps/flashing beacons for pedestrians
- Upgraded bus boarding islands and seating
- New traffic signals with improved accessibility features
- New blue-curb accessible parking spots
- Improved intersection of Telegraph/22nd St to slow turning drivers
- Cut-outs for protected bike parking to be installed soon (second photo below)!
Fresh pavement from 27th to 29th Street is coming this week, after which the bikeway striping will be added back. We will definitely be celebrating the completion of this facility in 2024, so look for a group ride to be scheduled in the new year.
HAYWARD
A new 0.4-mile flex post-protected bikeway was installed as part of a paving project on Campus Dr from Highland Blvd to Oakes Dr in Hayward, connecting toward the Cal State East Bay campus.
We appreciate the City of Hayward taking advantage of routine maintenance projects to install safety upgrades like this, and look forward to many more similar installations across town, fulfilling the bike plan recommendations and beyond.
Berkeley
Trips to North Berkeley BART just got a little bikier with the recent installation of this flex-post separated cycletrack and raised crosswalk along the station’s frontage road between Delaware St and Virginia St.
This is part of a larger BART project to improve bike safety and connectivity to and through the station area (map below), including a widening of the Ohlone Greenway trail segment to the northwest, under construction now.
The City of Berkeley will also follow with additional widenings and street crossing upgrades on the rest of the Ohlone Greenway to the north.
EMERYVILLE
Emeryville gave us a great surprise this year by incorporating a protected bikeway upgrade into their railroad quiet zone project, along a 0.2-mile stretch of Shellmound St between 65th St and 67th St.
It is still under construction but estimated to be complete this year, including a small section of raised, sidewalk-level protected bikeway incorporated into a housing development project just north of 67th St.
Not resting on their laurels, Emeryville is also already planning an extension of this bikeway from 65th St to 62nd St, to be delivered with a paving project in 2024 (illustration below).
LIVERMORE
A short 0.15-mile segment of Murdell Ln from Pearl Dr to E Stanley Blvd is under construction now, as a test by the City of Livermore for their first parking-protected bikeway delivered with a paving project.
The lane line striping is going in now to be followed by flex post installations, after which the bikeway will be along the curb with car parking shifted further into the street.
We appreciate the city trying this out for the first time, and we hope the test will quickly be deemed a success and followed up by many more around town.
SAN LEANDRO
Many new protected bikeways are coming to San Leandro, with the first few being delivered via routine paving projects this and next year.
The first one, under construction now to be completed soon weather permitting, is on Fairway Dr from Monarch Dr to Aurora Dr, is a 0.3-mile facility protected by flex posts and plastic curbing.
Then in Spring 2024 similar upgrades will be performed on Farallon Dr, Doolittle to Wicks, and on Washington Ave, Chapman to 139th Ave (partly protected, partly paint-only).
Questions about these or other projects? Reach our advocacy team for info by emailing [email protected]
Or click the button below to learn more about our other major campaigns (San Pablo Ave, East Bay Greenway, and Bay Area bike bridges) and sign up to receive email updates:
