EBBC and Berkeley Bike Station Open House Party & Movie Night
Come celebrate the East Bay Bicycle Coalition's new office and the opening of the Berkeley Bike Station (the second largest in the country!). Bike Station operator Alameda Bicycles and the Bicycle Coalition are teaming up for an open house party and movie night. On Wednesday August 4th, roll down, make use of the free valet bike parking, check out the multitude of bike racks and Alameda Bicycle's show room, and help the Bicycle Coalition warm up our new digs. We'll have food, locally brewed beer, and our new projector will be showing bikey films. Then, at 9:15, we'll walk to a nearby movie theater to watch Inception together. The first 100 people who RSVP to the party will get a discounted ticket - only $3 - to the movie!
To RSVP, send an email with your name to jim (at)alamedabicycle(dot) com. Location: 2208 Shattuck Ave., Downtown Berkeley
Transportation Services Fee Resurfaces in Berkeley
West Berkeley is bringing a Transportation Services Fee to Berkeley, which is estimated to bring an additional $6.17 million for traffic improvements. Included in the plan are some good bike improvements such as:
- colored bike lanes
- advance bike stop boxes
- HAWK signals (see below)
- high-visibility pedestrian crossings
The Bicycle Coalition is delighted to see these much needed bicycle safety improvements in upcoming plans.
What is the Transportation Services Fee and how does it help cyclists?
A Transportation Services Fee (TSF) is a fee that developers pay for projects that generate additional traffic. Without a Transportation Services Fee in place, a developer pays for traffic safety improvements associated with traffic impacts of their project. For example, the new West Berkeley Bowl is paying for a traffic light at San Pablo Avenue and Heinz St. to handle additional traffic coming to the Bowl via Heinz. With a TSF, a developer pays into a general TSF Fund based on the number of new vehicle trips the project generates. The TSF fund then pays for a variety of transportation improvements throughout West Berkeley, including bicycle, walking and transit improvements. Collectively, the projects funded by the TSF mitigate the traffic impacts of all development in West Berkeley. It's a better way to plan transportation improvements, rather than project by project.
Berkeley Pedestrian Master Plan Nears Completion
City of Berkeley is finalizing environmental clearance of its comprehensive Pedestrian Master Plan. The Transportation Commission is recommending that a dedicated pedestrian fund (similar to the dedicated bike fund) be used to speed implementation. Many of the proposed projects would benefit cyclists too -- through traffic calming and intersection improvements. The City will accept comments on the CEQA Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) document until 5 p.m. on February 11, 2010. After that, it will go to Council.
The Plan has some interesting map data, including survey of pedestrian counts, and SWITRS accident data:
Berkeley City Council - Speed Table / Raised Crosswalks
Location: Council Chambers - 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Staff proposal for experimental vertical deflection devices (i.e. speed humps, speed tables, and raised crosswalks) will be on the City Council agenda. This is a very important issue for cyclists, pedestrians, and neighborhoods because if the experimental installations are successful, traffic engineers will get a very powerful tool for the city's Traffic Calming 'toolkit'.
Background:
Current City Berkeley Projects
Here is a list of current projects that BFBC is monitoring
BFBC's statement on the LPA
BFBC prepared a statement on the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA), prior to the public workshop planned for October 17. You can read it here
Hearst Avenue Bike Lanes
Proposal
Stripe the bike lanes on Hearst Avenue prior to Bike to Work Day, May 13, 2010. To complete the bike lanes up to Arch, the University may need to remove some curb-side parking. For these reasons, I have placed this item on the agenda for their next Campus Bicycle Subcommittee Meeting, coming up in early October.
The Bicycle-Friendly Berkeley Coalition presented this request at the Bicycle Subcommittee of the Transportation Commission on September 24, 2009 and staff is considering it.
The Nickelsen Family's Big Bicycle Adventure
"Over Christmas when my four year old niece started talking about camping, her mother (my sister) didn’t seem so excited. In fact, the thought of sleeping without a pillow terrified her, not to mention all the other discomforts associated with the great outdoors. However, with a little encouragement, she agreed to fly her family out from Massachusetts to go camping with us at Point Reyes National Seashore. This left us with an interesting challenge. How were we to get supplies for 4 adults and 5 young kids out to a campsite?
Pavement Marking Maintenance
Your help is needed for the annual City maintenance of Bicycle Pavement Markings
Bike in Berkeley? Your observation skills are needed to report any pavement markings that are worn, damaged or otherwise appear to need an update. Please email Eric Anderson, City of Berkeley's Bike Ped Planner at eanderson AT ci DOT berkeley DOT ca DOT us, if bike lane markings, Bike Boulevard pavement legends, bike stencils, etc.... could use refreshing. Your clear description of exact location and specific marking will be very much appreciated.