Category Archives: Campaigns

Temescal News and Views features 40th St Parklet

Campaigns, Parklets
– Mackay Gibbs, Manifesto Bicycles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the summer days pass by, Walk Oakland Bike Oakland is eagerly awaiting the unveiling of Oakland’s first parklets. Inspired by programs in San Francisco, New York, and among other cities, WOBO advocated in 2011 to start a pilot parklet program in Oakland. The 40th Street Parklet, one of seven locations chosen for the pilot program, is featured in the latest issue of Temescal News and Views.

The 40th Street Parklet is a great location because of the high volume of foot and bike traffic through the neighborhood… Manifesto and Subrosa hope to enhance our neighborhood by building the parklet in an area where customers, employees, business owners, neighbors and passersby alike will benefit.

The seven parklets are expected to be built this year, hopefully some in time for Park(ing) Day!

Read more about the 40th Street parklet at temescaldistrict.org/In_The_News (pdf) and get updates at facebook.com/40th-st-parklet.

Visit our parklet campaign page to learn more about parklets or email Shannon to learn more about how to get more parklets in Oakland.

Speak up for Better Biking and Walking in Chinatown!

Action Alert, Biking, Campaigns, Walking

Lake Merritt Station Area Plan rendering 2

Have you seen the plans to improve community vibrancy, connectivity and safety in the Lake Merritt Station Area Plan? If not, check out the latest draft (July, 2012). It’s awesome, BUT there are a few problems. Even though:

  • The Planning Commission clearly indicated one-way roadways presented major barriers to safe, vibrant communities in November, 2011.
  • Community members have spoken loudly about the dangers of auto traffic speeds and difficult crossings, especially on one-way streets.
  • Major connections from BART and preferred transit routes to adjacent destinations such as Old Oakland, Jack London Square, Civic Center, Eastlake, West Oakland, Chinatown are difficult on foot and by bike.

The plan proposes delaying significant roadway improvements that can safely support increased foot and bicycle traffic, as well as improved auto traffic circulation; and some important details are going by the wayside. Fixes to the most egregious roadway segments in the area are being pushed out 6 to 10 years! The Bicycle Master Plan for improved street bicycling facilities through Chinatown is also threatened.

Council Members Kernighan and Kaplan need to hear support from you today. In just five minutes, you can let them know that you want improved walking and bicycling facilities in this area, and you want it sooner, not later. Send an email to Councilmembers Kernighan and Kaplan.

We’ll get the email started but you can personalize the message with who you are and why improving biking and walking conditions in the neighborhood is important to you. Use the email in the link above or personalize the message below.

Want to know more about the Lake Merritt Station Area Plan? Visit the project website or emailChris@wobo.org to learn more about Walk Oakland Bike Oakland’s invovlement in the planning process.

SAMPLE EMAIL:

Dear Councilmember Pat Kernighan, Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan:

I, [as a member of WOBO/ neighbor / visitor / local business], applaud the creative and visionary elements in the Lake Merritt Station Area Plan that can transform the area into a regional destination. BUT deferring street improvements on critical active pedestrian links and delaying the re-conversion of significant one-way roadway segments to two lanes will hinder the ability of Oakland residents and visitors to get to the area as well as to adjacent destinations.

  1. The Plan must immediately prioritize the reconversion of the two-block one-way segment of Harrison Street to two-way, without deferring to Phase 2…a distant six to ten years out.
  2. Keep bicyclists safely moving with the flow of traffic through Chinatown core as designated in the Bicycle Master Plan. The Plan must address a permanent solution for better loading and unloading zones to mitigate dangers to auto and bicycle traffic.
  3. Anything else about the plan that concerns you.

I want the Lake Merritt, Eastlake and Chinatown and adjacent destination areas to thrive. But I want the areas to be safe and accessible to all users of the roadway.

Name

Address/District
Contact info

2012 Campaigns and Policy interests

Campaigns

Bikeways Campaign

Complete Oakland’s Bicycle Master Plan by 2020: complete continuous bikeways on five key travel corridors by 2015, complete all 218 miles of the bicycle network by 2020.

To achieve these goals, in 2012 we are continuing our campaigns to complete the bikeways on Broadway and East 12 St by the end of the year and are starting campaigns on the next three priority corridors. Contact: Liza Pratt Liza@wobo.org

For more information about the progress of the Bicycle Master Plan, visit:

www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/PWA/o/EC/s/BicycleandPedestrianProgram/OAK024586

  • Bike Broadway: complete an important north south route by completing bike lanes on Broadway from 38th Street to Broadway Terrace. Resolution to City council meeting in May. Review and work to integrate AC Transit Broadway Efficiency Study: Potentially eliminating bus stops improving conditions for riding bikes. Included in TEP funding plan, new Safeway project at 51st & Broadway, expansion plans at Rockridge Montessori on upper Broadway.

For more information about the progress of the Broadway Bikeway, visit:

www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/PWA/o/EC/s/BicycleandPedestrianProgram/OAK024586#broadway

  • East 12th Street: complete an important east west route by completing bike lanes on East 12th Street from Fruitvale Ave to Chinatown. Resolution to City council meeting in May. Potentially install by end of year.

For more information:

www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/PWA/o/EC/s/BicycleandPedestrianProgram/OAK024586#12

  • Next priority corridors include three of the following: Telegraph Ave (see BRT below), 40th Street, 10th Street, 14th Street downtown,

Parklets campaign

This is our primary campaign of 2012 to create more pedestrian amenities and make it a more pleasant experience to walk in Oakland. The city created pilot parklet program in fall of 2011 and Walk Oakland Bike Oakland is working with City staff, businesses, and neighborhood organizations to ensure the pilot parklets are a success and that City Council passes legislation by the end of the year to make the pilot program permanent.

For more information about the pilot program, visit:

www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/CityAdministration/d/Redevelopment/OAK031249

Contact: Shannon Tracey Shannon@wobo.org

Policy Watch

In addition to our two primary campaigns, the Walk Oakland Bike Oakland Campaigns & Policy committee is keeping an eye on several other key issues and projects that are important to ensuring the success of these campaigns.

Contact: Doug Johnson doug@walkoaklandbikeoakland.org

These include:

  • Complete Streets Policy: expected to come before PW committee in the next few weeks.  Required by Measure B (see below).  Affects implementation of every bike route in the city’s bike plan.
  • Measure B: The Alameda County Transportation Effectiveness Plan includes a recommendation for a half cent sales tax to fund transportation. While there are several positive aspects of the plan – including increased funding for bicycle and pedestrian improvements and a county Complete Streets policy – and the funding is important to filling a gap, Walk Oakland Bike Oakland wants to ensure any money Oakland receives from Measure B is used in a way consistently with Complete Streets policy. If City Council approves recommendation, Measure B will be placed on the November ballot.

For more information, visit: transformca.org/advocacy/measureb or ebbc.org/fairshare

  • AC Transit East Bay Bus Rapid Transit (BRT): This project has the potential to ensure bike lanes are installed on Telegraph Avenue and East 12th14th Street in addition to major upgrades for pedestrians on these corridors. The project proposal is currently in the Draft Environmental Impact Review stage. Walk Oakland Bike Oakland is partnering with a coalition of other organizations to ensure the proposal is approved by Oakland City Council and Alameda County Supervisors. Community meetings held in March, goes before City Council and County Supervisors in March – May.  Contact: Autumn Bernstein Autumn@wobo.org

For more information, visit:

actransit.org/planning–focus/your–guide–to–bus–rapid–transit/brt–in–the–east–bay

  • Lake Merrit Station Area Plan: Inclusion of good facilities for biking and walking will make an important connection between downtown and the proposed bike lanes on East 12th Street, as well as routes on Oak, Madison, 8th & 9th, 10th Streets. Contact: Chris Hwang Chris@wobo.org

For more information, visit:

www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/CEDA/o/Redevelopment/s/Projects/DOWD008194

  • Broadway Valdez Specific Plan: The plan will develop strategies to provide destination retail and mixed-use development along Broadway between Grand Avenue and Interstate 580. The land use strategies have the potential to make the area a more vibrant corridor, more pleasant for biking and walking, and reduce dependence on transportation by private vehicles in the area. Contact: Marla Wilson Marla@wobo.org

For more information, visit: www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/PBN/OurServices/Plans/DOWD00819

Bike Parking

Bike parking

New Bike Parking Ordinance ADOPTED
The City of Oakland’s Community & Economic Development Agency adopted the Bicycle Parking ordinance in summer 2008 with WOBO’s enthusiastic support. It will require bicycle parking for various types of development.  WOBO members attended all of the meetings and developed unanimous support from City Council which passed it with total consensus.

According to the City of Oakland, “Adoption of a bicycle parking ordinance (has been) a priority recommendation in the recently approved Bicycle Master Plan (2007), as well as the prior bike plan approved in 1999.

The ordinance addresses bicycle racks, lockers, cages and showers, and how these facilities would be included in future development.”