I wish all East Bay bicyclists could have attended BART's recentPublic Affairs, Access & Legislation meeting which approvedto make permanent the six-month trial Bikes on BART program. Theonly bicycle advocates to witness this momentous occasion wereCarolyn Helmke and myself. That 9am meeting on March 20, howeverrepresented much more than a carefully prepared staff presentationnoting the success of the new Bicycle Policy, or the thoughtfulconsideration of bicyclists' views by board members. Thatmeeting inaugurated a new era of respect between bicyclistsand BART.
During the discussion, Director Thomas Blalock (District 6: Fremont,Union City, Hayward) commented that an insufficient number of placardsin the cars display the Bicycle Policy. We agree and so do most others who might have started dozing had Director Blalack not continuedas follows, "I suggest that we be a little bold to allowbikes on the last car during commute hours." He furthersuggested that this stunning proposal might read as follows:
Board member discussion of this near poetic bicycle proposal followed."I am intrigued by Blalock's peak hour solution..." noted DirectorKeller (District 2: Richmond, El Sobrante, Pinole). DirectorRadulovich (SF) had earlier mentioned a need for"peak hour tweaking" and suggested that staff make a report.The staff report idea was amended to Blalock's recommendation and put into amotion by Director Pryor (District 4: Oakland, Alameda). The boardwill review the proposal after further investigation.
In the hallway afterward, I spoke with Aaron Weinstein, BARTCustomer & Performance Research. His presentation ofthe passenger survey had noted that bicycles represent"a significant market potential," based on the43% of non-bicyclist passengers who say it is possibleto ride BART. In hindsight, Mr. Weinstein wished he hadincluded a survey question addressing the key issueof always allowing bicycles in the last car. Oh well,it's time to start another survey (meaning good behaviorfrom bicyclists remains critical).
We note that among non-bicyclist passengers queried by the existingsurvey, 63% supported elimination of the last car restriction.Without this support we would be dead ducks. Let's immediatelybegin the campaign to assure a similar level os support forthe Last Car Always proposal.
- Robert Raburn
On February 26, 1997 Bay Area bicyclists and a representativeof the Bay Trail project met to discuss the optionsof bicycle access between Oakland and San Fransisco.Present were leaders of the San Fransisco andEast Bay Bicycle Coalitions, the Mid-peninsula andSilicon Valley Bicycle Coalitions, and the RegionalBicycle Advisory Committee (REBAC). The positions adopted by the group were forwarded to the MetropolitanTransportation Commission (MTC) Bay Bridge DesignTask Force (see public meeting schedule).
BACKGROUND: The California State Legislaturehas epxressed its desire for bicycle access accessacross all Bay Area bridges. The Golden Gate, Dumbartonand Antioch bridges already provide such access. The plannedBenicia-Martinez is scheduled to do so, and the proposedCarquinez Bridge includes it in the design.
Planning is underway to replace the section of theBay Bridge between Oakland and Yerba Buena Island.Adding urgency to the need for input from bicyclistsis the plan to begin seismic retrofit work on thewestern suspension span in 1998. A broad coalitionof Bay Area bicycle transportation advocacy groups haveadopted the following objectives for bicycle accessacross the bay, and recommend a set of alternativesand criteria for bridge design.
OBJECTIVE: The objective for bicycle accessto the San Fransisco Oakland Bay Bridge is the abilityto ride a bicycle all the way across the bridge with24-hour access.
ALTERNATIVES: To achieve this access forbicyclists, the analysis for the eastern replacementspan should also address the bicycle modificationsneeded for incorporation into the western spanretrofit plans. The following design alternativesare ranked by their desirability:
1. An enclosed pathway attatched to, or cantileveredfrom the side of the spans.
2. A separated bi-directional pathway on the roadway deck.
3. Access on the roadway shoulder.
CRITERIA: Furthermore, the analysis of alternatives forthis bicycle access should consider the following criteria:a) safety; b) comfort; c) aesthetics; d) scenic views; e) suitabilityfor non-cyclist access including walkers, joggers, and skaters;f) compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA);g) cost; and h) attractiveness to all user groups, includingcommuter, recreational, and touring bicyclists as well as non-bicyclists.
We encourage the use of this framework to guide the designprocess toward an elegant solution that meets the needs of allBay Bridge users in the 21st century.
John Ciccarelli (SVBC) provided the original meeting minutes. Amendmentsto specify access all the way and urge initiation of a designstudy for the suspension span were adopted at the urging of theEBBC and others at the March 19 REBAC meeting (Jim Stallman, minutes).This group of organizations is regarded as the Bay BridgeBicycle Task Force. On Sunday, March 16 over 50 bicycle activistson both sides of the bay braved rain and CHP blockades toconduct protests that succeeded in gaining favorable publicityfor access all the way across the bay. A new gruop, Bike the Bridge!Coalition was largely resonsible for this direct action. You cancontact them at PO Box 15071, Berkeley, CA 94701-6071(tel: 510-273-9288; email: ba-bridge-access@cycling.org [address no longer valid; webmaster, 1-25-05]).
Use of the bike racks on the Dumbarton Express - the bus service betweenUnion City BART and Palo Alto - has grown dramatically, less than a yearsince their debut. 201 bikes used the racks in February alone, an impressive number considering the time of year and the very limited service thisline provides. And bicycles have been left behind due to capacityconstraints.
A formal policy has been adopted for when bicycles maybe taken inside the bus. It's much like policies at other transitagencies: At the discretion of the driver, if therack is full (two bikes) or inoperative, bicycles may be allowed to boardthe bus. The policy is to be reviewed at and possibly altered in May.Use of this bus line is at capacity at peak times in thecommute direction (west in the a.m., east in the pm.m), oftenwith standing room only, so it's not likely that any bikeswill be permitted inside at those times.
For schedule information, call 817-1717 from anywhere in the Bay Area.[Dumbarton Express info is also available at: www.transitinfo.org/DB--link now defunct; webmaster; 1-25-05]
- Ellen Fletcher
Solutions 2000, PO Box 471777, San Fransisco, CA 94147-1777, ispresently working on attaching an enclosed Express Bikeway tothe Bay Bridge made out of advanced composite plastic materialsby the year 2000. Views from the clear-sided enclosure will besuperior and ventilation louvers will catch the breeze. TheExpress Bikeway is a new, low cost transit system for bicyclistsand light-weight electric vehicles. For the pastsix years it has received mixed blessings from CalTranswhich insists that the existing spans can onlyhandle a light-weight structure. The goal is to providefor the efficient movement of people along elevatedbikeway tubes showcasing a new people moving technologyfor the 21st century over teh Bay Bridge and throughoutthe propsed Treasure Island World's Fair and new Giantsballpark. This new mass transit system for bicyclistsand electric vehicles could handle up to 16,000 passengers anhour to offer an alternative to the motorized congestion ofthe Bay Bridge. This Express Bikeway would serve as a modelfor other metropolitan areas in the US and the rest of theworld, while advancing composite technology and light-weightelectric vehicle production.
- Karen Gatter, President
Legislative bills endorsed at EBBC General Membership Meetingsalso need your personal support. Write your stateSenator and Assembly representative today (see listingsunder "State Government" in the blue pages of the telephonedirectory and address letters to the State Capitol Building,Sacramento, CA 95814) and send copies to the bills' author,Senator Byron Sher.
SB 367 (Sher) would indefinitely keep bicycle projectseligible for Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA)grant funds through the Bay Area Air Quality ManagementDistrict (see rideOn, Jan '97). This successfulprogram uses Bay Area motor vehicle fees to build"bicycle facility improvement projects thatare included in an adopted countywide bicycle plan orcongestion management program." Without your supportthe TFCA is slated to end effective 1/1/98.
SB 1048 (Sher) gives special attention to theBay Area's need to protect and provide recreational accessto open space lands by creating the Bay Area Conservancy.Recreational bicycle trails must be a component of the desirable projects.This bill would not create a new bureaucracy, but woulddefine a regional program - whose jurisdictionis definedas the watershed of the San Fransisco Bay - within theexisting State Coastal Conservancy. The sponsoring Bay AreaOpen Space Council (tel 415-543-4291) has modeled the billafter other state-authorized regional (e.g., Tahoe, Santa MonicaMountains, Coachella Valley, and San Joaquin River).
Last summer, Caltrans secretly cancelled the last vestigesof shuttle service for bicyclists across the Richmond-San Rafaelbridge. Cyclists were stunned to lose that crucial connectionacross one of the most important and beautiful spans in the BayArea. Although an enormous extra lane exists on the bridge,Caltrans has failed to provide for the needs of non-motorizedtransportation despite overhwelming need.
Since September 1996, monthly protests to the bridge haveoccured, garnering television and newspaper coverage forour cause. Many cyclists have attempted to cross - manyhave made it, some have been cited. On February 1, 1997, agroup received 16 citations for trying to cross thebridge - they had no other way.
Cyclists have pledged to continue cycling to the bridge untilaccess is granted. Next rides are 4/26, 5/31 and 6/28. We always meetat the Richmond BART station at 11:30 a.m. the morning after SF CriticalMass.
Please write to your legislators, editors and Harry Yahata (Deputydistrict Director/Caltrans District 4/P.O. Box 23660, Oakland, CA94623-0060) about how important it is - and how easy it would be - toprovide access to the R-SR bridge.
-Jason Meggs
Join the email forum by sending the message "subscribeba-bridge-access" to majordomo@cycling.org or call the Bike the Bridge Coalition at (510) 273-9288.