Do you get excited when fresh new pavement comes to your neighborhood? Us too! Thanks to support from voters on local, regional, and state funding measures, cities around the East Bay are now paving a lot more streets. Emeryville is the latest city to drop in new upgrades through paving—plus a slow street turned permanent! Check out the recap below and connect with local advocates in your area to get the latest on your neighborhood’s repaving plan.

Repaving is more than just smoother biking: it’s an inexpensive opportunity to add new or upgraded infrastructure at the same time. Streets are resurfaced so infrequently, and design best practices have come a long way in recent years. There’s almost always something to improve with every paving project. More substantial improvements are on the way in Emeryville too, with dedicated grant funding on routes like 40th Street and San Pablo Avenue, but these big projects can take many years to come on the ground. Short-term changes during paving season are critical. 

Make sure to connect with local advocates in your area and pay attention to which street segments a city has on their upcoming paving plan, then advocate with us for bike-friendly upgrades.

Latest Upgrades in Emeryville (map)

 

Doyle Street
This bike boulevard was turned into a “slow street” segment during the pandemic to encourage more people to use the whole street by bike, foot, and other active modes while social distancing. These changes were made more official with turn restrictions and diverters at several locations, which prevent drivers from using it as a through street.

 

Horton Street
Part of this segment from Powell Street to 62nd Street already had plastic posts protecting the bikeway. Based on public feedback Emeryville changed the spacing and height of the posts to make the bikeway feel more open. These same posts were continued further up the street, and green paint was added to help increase visibility.

 

59th Street
This existing eastbound bike lane was frequently blocked by parked cars. With this paving project Emeryville upgraded it to a protected bikeway, with posts and parked cars to the left.

 

 

Overland Street
This existing bike boulevard was upgraded with speed cushions to reduce car speeds for those drivers who need to use the street, and encourage those who don’t to use other routes.

 

 

62nd, 61st, and 63rd Streets
These were all upgraded with bike boulevard or bike route markings, and will soon connect to new bike boulevard segments across the border in Oakland, also being implemented with upcoming paving projects.

Advocate with us for bike-friendly upgrades: become a member today.