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.
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
Do you, a friend or family member want to ride your bike more but don’t feel confident enough?
Here’s a FREE bicycle skills class RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD, courtesy of Bike East Bay!
In addition to the regular first-Mondays classes at UC Berkeley, they have now set up a free Urban Cycling 101 Day 1 classroom workshop for adults and teens at the Albany Library/Community Center on Saturday, July 16th, from 1-3pm. Complete details and registrations are available here.
The class is FREE but it’s mandatory to register here.
Albany has a chunk of change to spend on improving creek access and quality. And it has to start spending it within a year or two to avoid substantial financial complications (its bond money from a measure passed in the 90’s, and the duration is running out). So the City has scheduled a public discussion at City Hall starting regarding which project(s) to pursue.
There are a couple that would improve active transportation: 1) path from Tenth to Eighth Street along Codornices Creek and 2) a bridge across Cerrito Creek at Adams. The potential project at Codornices Creek would close the last gap on the Codornices Creek path from San Pablo to the soccer fields west of Fifth Street (the path from San Pablo to Tenth is about to be built as part of the senior housing under construction there).
The potential project at Cerrito Creek would allow people to walk east-west along Cerrito Creek from San Pablo to Pierce. Among other, this would benefit Albany High School students living on Pierce that currently ford the creek at Adams.
Amazingly, it would also remove the only barrier along a regional north-south cycling route stretching from near downtown Richmond to the West Oakland BART station and beyond. Most of the other cities along this route (Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley, El Cerrito, and Richmond) have completed their segments and the only other city (Richmond) has completed a large portion of it contiguous with El Cerrito and approved a plan to complete the rest. In contrast, Albany has completed almost none of its segment.
Consequently Albany is the only gap along the existing nine mile long route and the soon to be 12 mile long route. A bridge over Cerrito Creek between Adams and Carlson would literally bridge that gap.
If either of these active transportation projects, or other aspects of creeks is of interest to you, please attend the meeting to learn more and provide your input. Thanks.
The planned I-80 Gilman Interchange Project will improve travel for all users of that area, including people who bike to the Bates Fields, Berkeley Marina and south on the Bay Trail.
CalTrans has adopted a Negative Declaration for the project, which is excellent news.
This page has additional information on the entire project and plan.
This Open Open Forum Hearing will give you an opportunity to show your support for this project, or discuss improvements that might help Active Transportation access and safety.
If you can’t attend but would like to voice support, please send an email to Zachary.Gifford@dot.ca.gov
Do you or someone 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. Every workshop has the same content so you only need to attend once. For adults and teens, no bike needed.
Attending this or any of our other classroom workshops qualifies you to also sign up for one of Bike East Bay’s free “Day 2” on-the-bike road classes and earn a free set of bike lights!
Class is FREE but please register here.
Do you or someone 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. Every workshop has the same content so you only need to attend once. For adults and teens, no bike needed.
Attending this or any of our other classroom workshops qualifies you to also sign up for one of Bike East Bay’s free “Day 2” on-the-bike road classes and earn a free set of bike lights!
Class is FREE but please register here.