In response to Bike East Bay’s request, Berkeley City Council approved a new bike lane on Fulton Street to be striped by Bike to Work Day on May 12. This is big. In just six weeks after a serious collision involving a Bike East Bay member, we pushed through a project that has been delayed for 16 years.
How did we do it? Through fast action and strength in numbers. While Bike East Bay negotiated behind the scenes, you signed petitions, wrote letters, and turned out at City Council. Thanks to our united voices as residents and advocates, we won a protected bike lane on Fulton Street. While the Council motion says “bike lane,” we are already working with staff to ensure it is a protected bike lane.
As we celebrate this momentous victory, we ask you to do one more thing for Bike East Bay. Today, help keep bicycle advocacy strong in Berkeley by making a donation to Bike East Bay or renewing as a member.
“I’m proud of our bike boulevards and our early investments in infrastructure to support cycling as a viable means of transportation,” said Mike Wilson, Megan Schwarzman’s husband at last night’s City Council meeting. “But we’ve fallen way behind. Let’s aim for zero collisions, rather than holding our collective breath for the next collision.”
This can only be the beginning. We cannot let the City of Berkeley deprioritize and delay bicycling safety ever again. Today, we make a commitment to you that Bike East Bay will use this momentum to keep up the pressure on Berkeley. We are already working to cut through the red tape and fast track a network of safe and protected bike lanes throughout the city. There are two parts for this plan:
- We are organizing our Berkeley members to push for the most progressive Berkeley Bike Plan possible this year. This will include prioritizing protected bike lanes on high traffic streets, including Bancroft Way, Dana Street, Milvia Street, Adeline Street and more.
- We will no longer accept lengthy traffic studies as the reason for delaying bike lane installation in Berkeley and across the East Bay. We will push for all cities to discontinue these studies, which are an outdated requirement and have recently been removed by California state law.
Your support as a member will help keep Berkeley accountable. The city needs to build safer streets for everyone who walks and bikes now. It took a tragic and preventable bike collision to stripe bike lanes on Fulton Street. We cannot let this happen again. Keep up the pressure in Berkeley by joining, renewing or making a donation today.
Two days after City Council approval of Fulton Street bike lane, city staff unveiled at the Transportation Commission an accelerated timeline for delivering the bike lane approved by Council, and shared that they had already begun work. Bike East Bay reiterated we want the bike lane ‘protected’ from traffic. Staff believes a protected bike lane is the better design, but first a very focused traffic study is starting. After that, initial roadway restriping designs will be shown at a public hearing in 2nd half of April. Look for an announcement soon on that. Thanks everyone for lending your support to this exemplary project.
Bike East Bay relies on you for strength in numbers. Please join or renew your membership today.