Do you or your family ride to the Tom Bates ball fields, the Bay Trail, César Chávez Park, Emeryville or anywhere else passing along Gilman and the I-80 interchange? Would you rather have a safer, more pleasant ride? Here’s an opportunity to give input so that happens.
In 2014, Caltrans gave the City of Berkeley permission to move ahead with plans for double-roundabouts at the I-80 and Gilman Street interchange, located in West Berkeley near the boundary with the City of Albany. 
Such roundabouts are not friendly to active transportation. Consequently an active transportation overpass of I-80 and the West Frontage Road is proposed as part of the project. This project element is not shown on the schematic to the right because it was a late addition.
Unfortunately the overpass is to the south rather than north of Gilman. In this position it will require users to go more than a thousand feet out of their way after navigating the congestion on Gilman and crossing through motorist traffic on that street to reach the overpass.
As if that is not bad enough, the Alameda County Transportation Expenditure Plan also includes building a railroad underpass on Gilman. This information has not been included in or mentioned as part of the context for the current project in the publicity so far. This underpass will make the active transportation overpass even less desirable to reach by those it would otherwise best serve.
There is another option that should be studied – placing the overpass north of Gilman. This could connect to the Codornices Creek path upon construction, or be built to facilitate such connection in the future. This would provide a motorist-separated approach that matches the overpass. It would allow people to ride from Hearst and Milvia in Berkeley all the way to the Bay Trail entirely on cycling paths except for the few low motorist-volume blocks of Dartmouth between the Ohlone Greenway and San Pablo. It would also directly connect the two sports complexes at either end. For these reasons, Albany’s Active Transportation Plan is the only one that shows an overpass in this area, and it shows it at Codornices Creek not Gilman.
The project engineering consultant has said the northern crossing was not studied because it would require some right-of-way from Golden Gate Fields. However there is precedent for garnering land from Golden Gate Fields for active transportation facilities. The East Bay Regional Park District successfully used eminent domain to secure property from Golden Gate Fields along the shoreline for the Bay Trail.
The Alameda County Transportation Commission, City of Berkeley, Caltrans, and the Consultant Team will prepare traffic studies, community outreach, preliminary engineering studies, and CEQA/NEPA environmental review studies. AS&R invites you to attend the first community meeting to share your thoughts on the Gilman Street interchange project! And if your thoughts include studying a northern alignment for the active transportation overpass, please let them know.
Want to ride to the meeting from Albany? Leave a comment here with a suggestion and make it happen!
These racks that AS&R funded at the Waterfront are perfectly situated for folks who want to enjoy the beach, a hike or just enjoy the beautiful view.
Help keep our access there!
Do you ride your bike, walk, hike, jog or otherwise enjoy the Albany Bulb & Neck areas? Do you want to continue to have access so you can enjoy the Albany Waterfront to its fullest? Both pieces are scheduled to be transferred to the East Bay Regional Park District and some groups and individuals want to curtail recreational use and bicycle access.
The City is completing its “Albany Neck & Bulb Transition Improvement Plan” public process so this meeting is your final opportunity to give your input in order to ensure that the Waterfront area is something that can be enjoyed by all.
Representatives from Albany Strollers & Rollers and Bicycle Trails Council of the East Bay were invited to a Stakeholder meeting with Albany City Staff and the Planning & Design Consultants, and we were able to voice our opinions.
BUT it is crucial that City Staff, Consultants and City Council hear from YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO SET FORTH PRIORITIES and a plan to communicate to EBRPD.
Want to ride along our beautiful Bay? Speak up!
Bike & hiking paths? Bathrooms? Bike racks? Picnic tables? Improved bicycle access from all directions?
What would make this a great recreational area, like the areas that Berkeley has in its Marina?
This City Council meeting is the FINAL PUBLIC FORUM TO SAY THAT YES, RECREATIONAL ACCESS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
Consultants from WRT will give a brief presentation on the process and the final study, and there will be an opportunity for public comment.
More details will be posted as we have more information but please save the date to make sure we keep access to OUR WATERFRONT!
We risk losing access to our Bay if we don’t speak up!
Written comments can be provided in advance of the meeting to cityhall@albanyca.org. We encourage written comments be sent before the day of the meeting to ensure they can be taken into consideration.
Documents related to this effort are included here:
1. Final Albany Neck & Bulb Transition Study (very large – 143 pages)
2. Conservancy Staff Report 05-29-2014
3. WRT_Albany Neck & Bulb Stakeholder Meeting_Access and Recreation
4. Scope of Consultant Services for Albany Neck and Bulb Transition Plan
5. WRT Transition Improvement Plan as of April 2015
