It’s early in the morning, but we need you. Grab a cup of coffee and Join Bike East Bay, Rich City Rides and Richmond BPAC on Friday, March 25, 8:00am at El Cerrito City Hall for the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee (WCCTAC). We are asking for $320 million in a new Measure J and for this need WCCTAC to increase funding to 5% for bike ped projects in the new measure and expand the ‘complete streets’ program that will make busy streets work for all users of the roadway.
Volunteers from Bike Concord led the charge March 9 for needed money for bike projects at the board meeting of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority. Joining Bike Concord were many volunteers from Bike Walnut Creek and leaders from Bike Orinda and Bike Lafayette. Over twenty residents spoke and supported our ask of 5% for bike ped projects ($120 million) and 8.6% for complete streets ($200 million). Rich City Rides team is coming to the March 25 meeting of the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee (see below). You can come too and we need you to.
A few board members at the March 9 meeting made comments incorrectly assuming that cities are already making their streets great for walking and bicycling as they repave roads. If that were true, Contra Costa’s bike commute numbers would not be 1/4th of Alameda’s and 1/7th of San Francisco’s bike commute numbers. We still have more work to do educating these important decision-makers about why a complete bikeway network is built, not striped, and dedicated construction funding for bike ped projects is needed for this.
Yelena Myakisheva, a teacher from Concord spoke about the need for kids to walk and bike to school; Diane McNair from Antioch came to a public meeting for the first time and courageously talked about safe routes and not having to take her life in her hands when traveling; Maryam Roberts talked about how she and her partner Arosh bike with their kids and need safe ways to get around; Greg Haet of Orinda talked about how busy streets keep kids in Orinda from walking and bicycling to school. Thank you everyone for coming and making a strong impressioin on these decisionmakers.
What you can do
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There are many upcoming meetings of varias Boards around the County, deciding how to spend $2.3 billion