July 23, 2019
Two weeks ago we featured Walnut Creekâs Lincoln Avenue pop up cycle track, which just got approved for permanent installation, and this week we take a look at the latest accelerated projects in Richmond and Oakland. More comfortable connections are nearing completion to the soon-to-open Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Path and much safer pedestrian crossings have popped up near Lake Merritt BART including two protected intersections. All of these projects are built of paint, posts and signage, cheaply and quickly.
Five intersections around the Lake Merritt BART Station have been converted into narrower, bollard (stand-up post) defined and pedestrian friendly crossings, with two being protected intersections. They are all Safe Routes to Transit funded projects, coordinated by Bike East Bay and Transform.
All five intersections have regular bike lanes leading up to them, at least on one of the approaches if not both. For the two intersections getting protected treatments, the bike lanes bend out, toward the corners, and then bend back into the street after the intersection. The point of this is to slow cars down and force drivers to make an intentional right turn across the bike lane and pedestrian crosswalk. The bend out also creates space for a right-turning vehicle to move out of the way of through traffic. Check âem out and let us know what you think.
Learn more about quick-build connections:
