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Parents, Neighbors Voice Concerns for Safer Streets in Castro Valley

Author: Bike East Bay

Parents, kids and many residents attended Supervisor Nate Miley’s October 29 Town Hall Meeting on bike and ped safety and raised their voices for more progress making streets in and around Castro Valley schools safe for walking and bicycling. Supervisor Miley’s entire staff was listening intently and taking notes, as residents told horror stories of having to wave arms and out shout to get drivers to slow down. And ideas for low-cost, easily installed safety solutions were brought up and shared, like the ones in the graphic to the right.

Neighbors concerned about potential changes to parking on their streets also showed up and made themselves heard. Some with tiny driveways and others with home care workers need convenient parking nearby. Streets such as Somerset Ave and Santa Maria Ave present particular challenges in this regard.

Attendees heard from Daniel Woldesenbet, Director of Alameda County Public Works Department, Tess Lengyel of Alameda County Transportation Commission, Pam Stoker of Eden Hospital and Dave Campbell, our Advocacy Director, and Robert Prinz, our Education Director, pictured here. The attendees in the front row of the photo were particularly concerned about their parking.

Next Steps

  • Supervisor Miley will meet with his staff the digest the extensive input received at the Town Hall, and circle back with Bike Walk CV (Castro Valley) and Bike East Bay to begin strategizing projects that can be developed and implemented in the near term. In the meantime, all attendees were encouraged by Bike East Bay and Supervisor Miley to vote Yes on Measure BB on November 4 to help fund many of the needed improvements.
  • Volunteer to join Castro Valley’s new Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Contact Paul Sanftner, with Supervisor Nate Miley’s office. This Committee going forward will meet regularly (perhaps quarterly) to provide input on priorities and project design, and make sure public monies are spent on the project we want.

What does Measure BB do for Castro Valley?

Every year, Castro Valley and the unincorporated areas of the county get $1.4 million for Local Streets and Roads repairs and over $400,000 for walking and bicycling improvements from the current transportation plan. With Measure BB, these amounts double. You can help decide how this critical locally-controlled money is spent by getting to know your neighborhood Alameda County Public Works Agency and their hard-working team: Director Daniel Woldenesenbet, Traffic Engineer Art Carrera, and Transportation Planner Paul Keener ,http://www.acgov.org/pwa/about/engineering/transportation.htm. Please add them to your contacts and contact them regularly.