Screen shot 2014-12-15 at 3.14.59 PM

 

2011 ↔ 30 miles of new, safe bikeways
2015 ↔ Continuous bikeways on five key travel corridors
2020 ↔ Complete all 218 miles of Oakland’s bicycle network

Oakland adopted a strong Bicycle Master Plan in 2007, but after four years, less than ten miles of new bicycle infrastructure had been installed. We launched the Oakland Bikeways Campaign on Bike To Work Day 2011 to push the city to implement the Master Plan by 2020, starting with completing crosstown bikeways. See the City’s 2013 cyclist map for an overview of the Oakland’s bikeway network.

Biking in Oakland is on the rise

  • Oakland has the 7th highest bike commuter rate of the largest 100 U.S. cities, bicycling here is up by 40% in six years.
  • Oakland’s Safe Routes to School program is active at 22 schools, encouraging thousands of students to walk and bike to school.

And yet

  • Unsafe streets still threaten our city’s health, environment, and public safety.
  • Twice as many Oakland residents report having no safe place to exercise around their home than the county average.
  • Oakland’s childhood obesity rate is 31% – nearly twice the national average.
  • One-third of Oakland’s greenhouse gas emissions are from local (non-highway) transportation.
  • Throughout the city we see gaps where bike lanes end abruptly, leaving bicyclists to fend for themselves.

We need a safe, continuous bicycle network to connect our city and help our neighborhoods thrive!

Our Goals:

1. Get paint on the ground
  During 2011-2012, Oakland realized 48 miles of new and upgraded bikeways. This is a huge improvement over the previous years and demonstrates the growing public and political support for biking in Oakland. In 2011 -2012 we helped secure approval of bikeways on Webster/Shafter, Broadway, MacArthur Blvd, and E 12th St, some of which required City Council resolutions authorizing a road diet. We also advocated for the approval of the Bus Rapid Transit project inclusive of bikes for International Blvd.

2. Continuous bikeways on five key corridors by 2015 We want to see all of Oakland’s neighborhoods connected with at least one cross-town, safe, and continuous bikeway. Prioritizing bikeways on the most direct routes and in neighborhoods with limited access to parks will make the most impact for the most people. We advocate for connectivity in five of these priority corridors:

  • Broadway: N-S from Lake Temescal to City Hall
  • East 12th/International: E-W from Downtown to San Leandro
  • 14th Street: E-W West Oakland to Downtown
  • Telegraph: N-S from Downtown to Berkeley
  • Foothill Boulevard: E-W from Lake Merritt to San Leandro
  • Grand/MacArthur: E-W from the Bay to San Leandro
  • Park Blvd: N-S from Highway 13 to connect to Laney College

3. Focus on Three Key Corridors in 2013 We are partnering on this year’s joint campaign with the East Bay Bicycle Coalition. Together we advocate for world-class cycling improvements and continuous bikeways along:

  • 14th Street, Brush St (I-980) to Oak St
  • Telegraph Ave, 20th St to Aileen St
  • Park Blvd, E.18th St to Leimert Blvd

The WOBO-EBBC team and volunteers have reached out to local stakeholders along the routes and pertinent City Council Members to include them in discussing how we make streets safe for all transit modes, and will continue to map out and engage relevant entities throughout the year.

4. Complete all 218 miles of Oakland’s bicycle network by 2020
 Through the Spring of 2013, Oakland has achieved 130 miles of its 218 mile Bicycle Master Plan. Over the last five years ridership across the city more than doubled; imagine what it will look like with a complete bikeways network.

How we get there:

  • Prioritize the safest, most direct bike routes throughout the city.
  • Push the city towards innovation and best practices.
  • Engage volunteers, businesses, and neighborhood partners who share our vision for a more bikable and livable Oakland.
  • Help foster bike parking infrastructure to ensure that bikes are welcome in commercial corridors. Engage local businesses to remind them of Oakland’s request-a-rack sidewalk parking option and innovations such as on-street bike corrals.

Join the call for Oakland to complete the plan it approved in 2007

  • Sign up for campaign email updates and volunteer opportunities with Dave.
  • Attend a monthly Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Meeting to contribute to the conversation with City Staff
  • Join the conversation @WalkOakBikeOak on facebook and twitter.
  • Not a member yet? Become a WOBO member today!

 

Read the latest campaign news and note our other policy issues.