Upcoming Events

Mar
28
Thu
7:00 pm Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
Mar 28 @ 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm
The monthly Transportation Commission Meeting, the Fourth Thursday of every month, is a great place to make your ideas known, find out about the transportation issues and projects in Albany, and help improve things for[...]
Apr
25
Thu
5:00 pm AS&R Happy Hour Meeting – Eat, d... @ Everest Kitchen
AS&R Happy Hour Meeting – Eat, d... @ Everest Kitchen
Apr 25 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
AS&R Happy Hour Meeting - Eat, drink & problem-solve!! @ Everest Kitchen | Albany | California | United States
Come and talk about walking and cycling in Albany, while eating delicious Nepali & Indian food in Everest Kitchen’s Parklet! All are invited. Got a gripe, question or idea that would make cycling or walking[...]
7:00 pm Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
Apr 25 @ 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm
The monthly Transportation Commission Meeting, the Fourth Thursday of every month, is a great place to make your ideas known, find out about the transportation issues and projects in Albany, and help improve things for[...]
Apr
27
Sat
10:00 am Albany Community Expo – Voluntee... @ Albany Community Center
Albany Community Expo – Voluntee... @ Albany Community Center
Apr 27 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Albany Community Expo – Volunteers (and bikes) needed! @ Albany Community Center
The City’s Recreation Department is organizing its 3rd Annual Community Expo to showcase community based organizations like ours and City departments at the Albany Community Center. AS&R will be sharing a table with Bike East[...]
May
2
Thu
7:00 pm AS&R Meeting – You’re Invited to...
AS&R Meeting – You’re Invited to...
May 2 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
AS&R Meeting - You're Invited to Join Virtually!
Have a gripe, an idea or some input about anything that would further cycling and pedestrian conditions here in Albany? Then join us at our next meeting (every other month – odd-numbered months) where we[...]
May
23
Thu
7:00 pm Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
May 23 @ 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm
The monthly Transportation Commission Meeting, the Fourth Thursday of every month, is a great place to make your ideas known, find out about the transportation issues and projects in Albany, and help improve things for[...]
Jun
27
Thu
5:00 pm AS&R Happy Hour Meeting – Eat, d... @ Everest Kitchen
AS&R Happy Hour Meeting – Eat, d... @ Everest Kitchen
Jun 27 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
AS&R Happy Hour Meeting - Eat, drink & problem-solve!! @ Everest Kitchen | Albany | California | United States
Come and talk about walking and cycling in Albany, while eating delicious Nepali & Indian food in Everest Kitchen’s Parklet! All are invited. Got a gripe, question or idea that would make cycling or walking[...]
7:00 pm Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
Transportation Commission Meeting @ Council Chambers, City Hall
Jun 27 @ 7:00 pm – 10:30 pm
The monthly Transportation Commission Meeting, the Fourth Thursday of every month, is a great place to make your ideas known, find out about the transportation issues and projects in Albany, and help improve things for[...]

Discounts

Become an AS&R member and get discounts at local bike shops and businesses!

Blue Heron Bikes: 10% off parts and accessories.

Marie Bowser Acupuncture: 30% off your first visit.

Bikes on Solano: 10% off labor, parts and accessories.

Quad Republic Skate Co. 5% off SKATES, 10% off parts & accessories.

Offers are valid to members of Albany Strollers & Rollers and their households. Tell your friends!
Contact us with questions.

The Future of San Pablo Avenue

As if planning for the future of mid-Solano were not enough, the first public meeting regarding planning for the future of San Pablo Avenue took place in Albany a week ago last Thursday. Planning is really heating up as or because the planet is too.

The Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) as an agency is leading this effort. It presented three alternatives. Concept C leaves the street essentially as is with some minor adjustments. Concept B with center-running dedicated bus lanes, one through general traffic lane, and dedicated general traffic right turn lanes at major intersections. And Concept A is the same as the last but with a parking-protected cycling lane in one direction and a buffered cycling lane in the other.
The general preference was for Concept B (center bus lanes only). Concept C does not facilitate bus transit, which service is projected to decline dramatically due to increasing traffic congestion. Concept A removes parking all day long on one side and the cycling lanes provided end before major intersections to make way for general traffic dedicated right turn lanes, so they do not accomplish much. In contrast, parking in Concept B in the northbound direction is prohibited during the evening commute to reduce congestion but is otherwise available.
However, Concepts A and B move the bus stops away from major intersections to preserve space there for dedicated general traffic left turn lanes. It is odd, to say the least, to propose improving bus transit by degrading it by moving the stops away from the main intersections where retail is centered. Also odd is that Alameda CTC did not list keeping the bus stops at major intersections as an advantage in Concept C as the converse of this disadvantage in Concepts A and B.
Concept B also requires providing parallel relaxed cycling routes since they are not provided on San Pablo.  The Alameda CTC counts these a positive, discounting that using them would impose up to a three quarter mile detour in some areas (not in Albany). So this feature of Concept B is neutral as best, and reasonably considered a negative.
There is actually another concept considered by Alameda CTC that it ruled out without showing to the public. This is dedicated side-running bus lanes. Alameda CTC ruled this out because it would not sufficiently improve bus transit operations because motorists would be allowed to enter the lane to turn right and parallel park. However, it seems there may be signalization means to address the first concern. Against this downside, this concept, call it D, has the safest conditions for sidewalk users at major intersections because it allows bulbouts, the best conditions for people cycling because it provides protected lanes right up to all intersections.

It is not clear whether Concept B or D is better. AS&R is considering undertaking advocacy to get Concept D considered equally and in parallel with the others to provide a more meaningful process.

Submit your input in this quick survey (through April 30th)

1 comment to The Future of San Pablo Avenue

  • Mike Hall

    Bulb-outs are a proven hazard to cyclists. Once built, they’re harder to remove even than the 3-per-block speed bumps that we all enjoy. Please resist this bulb-out fad.

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