Do you or your family ride, walk, roll, scoot or skate on the Ohlone Greenway? I’m sure you do, as the multi-use path on the Greenway is Albany’s Active Transportation Highway – over 1,000 trips per day on regular days when last counted several years ago!
The City Council is considering Greenway improvements so now’s the time to give input in order to have a better experience to stroll, roll or just hang out!
The agenda for the meeting is at this link, item 9-2.
The Consultants’ “Preferred Master Plan” is here – (fyi, you can just open it up or download the 4.8MB pdf document.)
Do you or your family ride on the Ohlone Greenway? Now’s the time to give input to improve it!
A parcourse, wayfinding, art – all can have a positive effect on the experience, safety and atmosphere of strolling and rolling.
An orchard is proposed for the eastern edge of the Greenway. What a great idea… BUT if those trees are planted too close to the multi-use path, as was already done south of Dartmouth, they will drop debris on the path, encroach on the path itself and also invite more conflicts between people biking northbound & walking on the east dg path and people who are picking fruit.
Another point someone brought up was that some of the existing trees west of the path cast are planted directly between the overhead light and the path, casting shadows on the path and making the nighttime path experience more dangerous.
In short, as Albany’s Active Transportation Highway, the City must take care not to degrade this important function. If amenities to either side are to be added, it should be done with great care.
Please attend this meeting to give your input and improve the Ohlone Greenway for everyone – strollers, rollers, sitters, dog-walkers, and fruit-pickers!
Want to ride along our beautiful Bay? Come help clean up at the Bulb!
Do you and your family go out to the Albany Bulb to enjoy nature? Sure you do!
Please help “Friends of Albany Parks” clean up the Bulb so you, your friends and family can enjoy the experience more!
Plus, get a FREE PIZZA LUNCH from the Albany Community Foundation !
These racks that AS&R bought are perfectly situated for folks who want to enjoy the beach, a hike or just enjoy the beautiful view.
Help clean up the Bulb to make it more enjoyable!
The “Friends of Albany Parks”program is designed to encourage community members to get involved with the care, maintenance and beautification of their favorite neighborhood park. These events also help foster a better sense of community and build social capital as neighbors meet and work with one another.
Volunteers who attend the Clean-Up Day will receive an official Friends of Albany Parks t-shirt. Lunch is provided by the Albany Community Foundation.
Do you or your family ride, walk, roll, scoot or skate on the Ohlone Greenway? I’m sure you do, as the multi-use path on the Greenway is Albany’s Active Transportation Highway – over 1,000 trips per day on regular days when last counted several years ago!
The Parks & Rec Department is overseeing Greenway improvements so now’s the time to give input in order to have a better experience to stroll, roll or just hang out!
Do you or your family ride on the Ohlone Greenway? Now’s the time to give input to improve it!
The information with the Project Plans and what was discussed at previous meetings is at this link. However, the proposal will be updated based on feedback that they received at February 1, so people should come to see how it evolved!
At this meeting the consultants will have 35% designs for you to see and provide input. This is a crucial time in the planning process!
Preferred Concept plan that was presented to Council on February 1 included:
- Plaza area as presented in the 250K Focused amenities (Adventure play with climbing wall, fitness pod with 3 stations, both diagonal ramps, social path short cut to Solano
- Redwood Grove informal play area
- San Gabriel sculpture play
- Social paths
- 3 Creek paintings
- 3 fitness stations along Greenway with 2 pieces of equipment at each
- Dartmouth Circle improvements
- Orchards
- Public Art locations
A parcourse, wayfinding, art – all can have a positive effect on the experience, safety and atmosphere of strolling and rolling.
An orchard is proposed for the eastern edge of the Greenway. What a great idea… BUT if those trees are planted too close to the multi-use path, as was already done south of Dartmouth, they will drop debris on the path, encroach on the path itself and also invite more conflicts between people biking northbound & walking on the east dg path and people who are picking fruit.
Another point someone brought up was that some of the existing trees west of the path cast are planted directly between the overhead light and the path, casting shadows on the path and making the nighttime path experience more dangerous.
In short, as Albany’s Active Transportation Highway, the City must take care not to degrade this important function. If amenities to either side are to be added, it should be done with great care.
Please attend this meeting to give your input and improve the Ohlone Greenway for everyone – strollers, rollers, sitters, dog-walkers, and fruit-pickers!
**THE AGENDA AND 35% PLANS ARE HERE** (NOTE: 4.3 MB FILE)
Would you rather have the Bay Trail look LIKE THIS…
Do you and your family ride or walk on the Bay Trail? Then come on down to help clean it up for yourself and everyone…and get a free lunch for your time!
Join AS&R, Albany Community Foundation, Albany Rotary, and the City of Albany as we work together to clean-up and improve the Bay Trail in Albany. Between Buchanan Avenue and our border with Richmond, the Bay Trail runs along Freeway 680. This stretch receives a lot of trash from the
freeway, and is hard to access for servicing. A recent clean-up job has left this area in a much improved state, but there is work still to be done.
…OR LIKE THIS??
Join us as we paint over graffiti, sweep rocks off of the path, and trim trees to allow easy cycling access. Bring gloves, sunscreen, and a water bottle. Wear clothes you can paint in. Tools will be provided.
Rotary is covering supplies to $100, ACF is providing lunch, and the City will help with trash removal.
Meet at Buchanan and the Bay Trail, just west of the freeway underpass.
Want better conditions on BART? Come to this forum!
Do you take the train and/or bus in addition to biking & walking? If so, this forum is important for you to attend!!
This forum for BART & AC Directors, as well as info on the BART Bond Measure, will be co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters Berkeley Albany Emeryville and the Berkeley Chinese Community Church.
- AC Transit Ward 2 (Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville) –
AC Transit buses could have better conditions, too.
Greg Harper, Russ Tilleman
- AC Transit At Large – Dollene C. Jones, H. E. Christian (Chris) Peeples
- Bart Director District 3 – Ken Chew, Worth Freeman, Varun Paul,
Rebecca Saltzman - Bart Director District 7 – Roland Emerson, Zakhary Mallett, Will Roscoe, Lateefah Simon
**IF YOU WANT TO BIKE FROM ALBANY OR NEARBY, PROPOSE SOMETHING IN “COMMENTS” HERE ALONG WITH CONTACT INFO FOR YOU
Come on down and learn how to ride a bike more safely – and have more fun!
Do you or anyone you know want to ride more but don’t feel confident enough?
Here’s a FREE bicycle skills class, courtesy of Bike East Bay, and it’s right here in Albany!
Learn basic rules of the road, how to share the road with cars on busy streets, how to equip your bicycle, lock your bike, fit your helmet, and avoid crashes by riding predictably, visibly, and communicating with other road users by your actions and signals.
For adults and teens, no bike needed.
This is the classroom workshop – the on-the-road Part 2 (not mandatory) is on April 16th.
Class is FREE but please register here.
Come on down and learn how to ride a bike more safely – and have more fun!
BECAUSE OF A WET FORECAST THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FROM APRIL 16TH SUNDAY APRIL 23RD!
Do you or anyone you know want to ride more but don’t feel confident enough?
Here’s a FREE bicycle skills class, courtesy of Bike East Bay, and it’s right here in Albany!
Join Bike East Bay for a half day of bike riding! This is the second part of Urban Cycling 101 (this is the first day event.) We’ll cover on-road, on-your-bike practice sessions, working in small groups with our certified instructors to improve your handling skills, learn crash-avoidance maneuvers, and ability to bike confidently on any street. Laws and best practices particular to Albany and nearby neighborhoods will be covered.
Every attendee will receive a free set of bike lights!!!
A functional bike and helmet are required, drinks and snacks provided. (The idea is to have attended an Urban Cycling 101 Day 1: Classroom course first. If you were not able but still want to attend this class, please email Robert Prinz and he can make other arrangements.)
Please register on the Bike East Bay Website.
These racks that AS&R bought are perfectly situated for folks who want to enjoy the beach, a hike or just enjoy the beautiful view.
Help give input to make the Waterfront even more enjoyable!
The Bay Conservation & Development Commission will hold a Hearing on the Albany Beach Project.
Albany Beach Restoration & Public Access Project (first review) is the first actual agenda item of the meeting.
Won’t it be nice when we have a Bay Trail Connection through Albany?
The Design Review Board will review the design by the East Bay Regional Parks District, Questa Engineering, and 2M Associates for the Albany Beach Restoration and Public Access Project in the Cities of Albany and Berkeley, adjacent to Golden Gate Fields. The project would enhance the existing beach and dunes and would create approximately 4,765 linear feet of new Bay Trail, overlooks, and a 20-space parking lot.
Link to Meeting Materials which includes exhibits for the above which is Item 4 (but the first actual agenda item) on the Tentative Agenda.
Come on down and learn how to ride a bike more safely – and have more fun!
BECAUSE OF A WET FORECAST THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FROM APRIL 16TH SUNDAY APRIL 23RD!
Do you or anyone you know want to ride more but don’t feel confident enough?
Here’s a FREE bicycle skills class, courtesy of Bike East Bay, and it’s right here in Albany!
Join Bike East Bay for a half day of bike riding! This is the second part of Urban Cycling 101 (this is the first day event.) We’ll cover on-road, on-your-bike practice sessions, working in small groups with our certified instructors to improve your handling skills, learn crash-avoidance maneuvers, and ability to bike confidently on any street. Laws and best practices particular to Albany and nearby neighborhoods will be covered.
Every attendee will receive a free set of bike lights!!!
A functional bike and helmet are required, drinks and snacks provided. (The idea is to have attended an Urban Cycling 101 Day 1: Classroom course first. If you were not able but still want to attend this class, please email Robert Prinz and he can make other arrangements.)
Please register on the Bike East Bay Website.
Help ensure that Albany’s segment of the Bay Trail will be completed, and safe & fun for all!
After a group of Albany residents, including fellow Strollers & Rollers, pointed out improvements that should be made to our Waterfront, there will be a chance to see the plans and give input on the Albany Bay Trail and beach project, officially known as the Albany Beach Restoration and Public Access Project.
Let’s make sure that OUR Waterfront is optimized for people who want to bike, walk, stroll and roll. There is a lot of car parking, but not nearly as much attention paid to parking for bicycles.
Note: a quorum of the City Council and/or an advisory body to the City Council may be present at this public meeting.
Here is the site plan
And the existing conditions map
And the complete packet from the most recent public meeting (April 17), which was at the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission Design Review Board. This packet has cross-sections and more detailed plans and a staff report.
Albany resident and landscape architect Hugo Larman drafted this updated plan based on community input, which expands the beach area, adds bike racks and moves car parking near existing parking.
EIR and other info from EBRPD (scroll down to where is says “Albany Beach Habitat Restoration and Public Access Project.”)
These racks that AS&R bought are perfectly situated for folks who want to enjoy the beach, a hike or just enjoy the beautiful view, but they are lonely! We need more “there” at the Waterfront, and more bike racks near other destinations.
AS&R member Dan Johnson prepared comments and alternative plans . After further discussion, Dan & others believe that the location for parking might not be feasible. However his diagram about the amount of paving is relevant.
While not a part of EBRPD’s plan, the Albany Waterfront Committee’s Cove Enhancement Plan should be completed by the City of Albany and taken into account by EBRPD for a comprehensive plan at the entire waterfront. The only reason it was not completed in 2012 was because EBRPD requested the City hold off because of upcoming construction. That reason is long past.
In response to recent community comments, the designers are making efforts to reduce the large amount of pavement for the vehicle driveway and turnaround to leave more open space for recreation at the south end of the site. However, a number of us believe that it would be more functional and would preserve more open space (as well as reduce bicycle-pedestrian conflicts) to locate the parking near the existing parking, on the north side of Buchanan St., which would eliminate the need for the long driveway. However, this area is City-owned and outside the EBRPD project area.
