The crucial Kains/Adams Bicycle Blvd project is on the agenda of December 4th’s City Council Meeting so we need your support!
OR THIS?? SPEAK UP TO MAKE THIS A REALITY IN ALBANY!
WOULD YOU RATHER BIKE ON THIS…..
In October, Albany’s Traffic & Safety Commission passed a plan that included two-way bicycle boulevards with semi-closures, so there will be no additional motor vehicle traffic at all – just safe two-way passage by bicyclists wanting to avoid San Pablo Avenue.
This is Option 3, which the Traffic & Safety Commission chose, without moving any stop signs nor utilizing traffic circles.
There was some local opposition by residents who didn’t see any need for bicycle facilities in Albany but YOU and your neighbors showed up and wrote letters. Let’s make sure that happens at this meeting, too, so bicyclists can ride safely in our town! If you and your family would use either of these Bicycle Boulevards because you want to AVOID bicycling on San Pablo Avenue, live on Kains or Adams, go to the YMCA, please act!
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
1) Send a letter of support to citycouncil@albanyca.org , requesting that your email is forwarded to all City Council members, and cc or bcc me, Amy Smolens , so I can track support, which is important. Even a brief “I support the Kains and Adams Bicycle Boulevards and my family and I would ride on them…”
“My family and I don’t feel safe riding on San Pablo so please approve the Kains and Adams Bicycle Boulevards.” Any additional detail about your support is beneficial, but just do what you can do!
2) Attend this meeting and tell City Council that you and your family need these Bicycle Boulevards that the Traffic & Safety Commission has recommended.
If you are going to go to one meeting this year, this should be it, because Kains/Adams is a central project for our bike network and it’s at risk due to local opposition. I will tell you that I have lived on Kains for 25 years and I and other neighbors support it.
You know what the Warriors say – “Strength in Numbers” so we need you to made your voice heard – thanks!
I’m sure many of you have ridden the Bicycle Boulevards in Berkeley and seen how more comfortable it is to ride Milvia instead of MLK or Shattuck, Russell instead of Ashby, and 9th instead of San Pablo.
If not, here is info on Berkeley’s Bicycle Boulevard system.
Now imagine if people could avoid San Pablo until a half-block from their destination by riding safely & comfortably on Kains and Adams!
Yes, we mind the gap!
Here are a map and chart of the REGIONAL BICYCLE ROUTE from Oakland to Richmond – Albany is the only gap in a 12+ mile North-South bike route. Yes, we “mind the gap!!”
This is the FINAL COMMUNITY MEETING before it becomes a reality, so your attendance is crucial!
Hal’s Office Parklet is OPEN!
BUS STOP PARKLET OPENING CELEBRATION:
1207 Solano Avenue – Sunday, February 25th Noon–2 pm
Construction has finished and the westbound bus stop is again operational!! Hurrah! Come out next Sunday and help celebrate this new public space. It’s Albany’s 1st Parklet and the 1st Bus Stop Parklet in the United States. This project was made possible by a partnership between the City of Albany, AC Transit, the owners of Hal’s Office and As You Wish, and other donors like AS&R.
Many thanks to the project team:
Design: Abraham & Bonnee Elterman, Stephen Heinen
General Contractor: Taylors Nailers
Steel Fabrication: Larry Brown
Construction Manager: Gale Rossi, City of Albany Public Works
The sign at Hal’s Office Coffee Shop
It’s even more inviting now to stop on into Hal’s for a nice hot cuppa, or visit As You Wish for some delicious self-serve soft yogurt!
There’s plenty of handy bike parking next door and across the street, too, with two Bike Bike Racks!
This one’s across the street, too, so ride on over!
This Bike Bike Rack at Winkler Real Estate Group is perfect when you want to hang out at the new Parklet!
Bike East Bay is working for continuous bike lanes on San Pablo Avenue, as part of a safer street for everyone who bikes, walks, drives, or takes transit.
(photo credit – BikeEastBay)
Join Bike East Bay supporters in your neighborhood to learn about options for bikeways and transit on San Pablo Avenue.
Share your vision for the corridor and get organized for kicking off advocacy.
WHERE:
1313 Ninth Street
Farm Burger
Berkeley, 94710
WHEN: March 14th, 2018 6:00 PM through 7:00 PM
(This event is organized and hosted by BikeEastBay, who request you RSVP to participate)
(photo credit – BikeEastBay)
Share your vision for the corridor and get organized for kicking off advocacy.
Elevation 66
El Cerrito, CA 94530
(This event is organized and hosted by BikeEastBay who request you RSVP.)
This meeting is at a perfect time for you to attend and then head to AS&R’s Meeting at 7:30!
LOOKING FOR THE JANUARY 16TH, 2019 MEETING?
DUE TO A TECHNICAL WEBSITE ISSUE THE LISTING HAS BEEN MOVED TO http://www.albanystrollroll.org/event/asr-meeting-youre-invited/?instance_id=8764 .
Sorry for the bother and hope to see you at that meeting.
ciao – Amy
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 discuss policy and projects, and talk about what’s going on in Active Transportation in Albany.
Plenty of bike parking at our meeting location, St. Alban’s Church!
Have something you want to talk about? Request an Agenda Item in “comments” (scroll down to the bottom for the next meeting).
Look forward to seeing you!
LOOKING FOR THE JANUARY 16TH, 2019 MEETING?
DUE TO A TECHNICAL WEBSITE ISSUE THE LISTING HAS BEEN MOVED TO http://www.albanystrollroll.org/event/asr-meeting-youre-invited/?instance_id=8764 .
Sorry for the bother and hope to see you at that meeting.
ciao – Amy
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 discuss policy and projects, and talk about what’s going on in Active Transportation in Albany.
Plenty of bike parking at our meeting location, St. Alban’s Church!
Have something you want to talk about? Request an Agenda Item in “comments” (scroll down to the bottom for the next meeting).
Look forward to seeing you!
Join the fun!
Photo courtesy Amy Smolens
Grab your bikes and invite your friends & family – it’s time for the annual Bike About Town rides!
The Albany Peloton rolls down Peralta Avenue for another fun Bike About Town
Photo courtesy Amy Smolens
Join the City of Albany’s Department of Recreation and a bunch of your fellow Rollers as we explore Albany by bike on Spring, Summer and Autumn evenings. Each of the events will trace different routes that pass through parts of Albany you may not have biked before. All levels of cyclists are encouraged to join.
The ride begins at 6:30 at Bikes on Solano at Solano and Peralta in Albany.
We ALWAYS need Ride Guides to help guide folks around town from the front, middle and back so if you’re a confident rider please come 10 minutes early and help your neighbors out!
Come a few minutes early to pump up your tires. Ride maps are distributed, and we take off in a big group. There are experienced cyclists to lead and bring up the rear. After wheeling about for a half hour or forty-five minutes we return to Peralta Park, just across the street from our start, for light refreshments, a raffle, and general carousing. Thanks so much to the Chelle, Eva, Liam and Brennen with City’s Department of Recreation & Community Services for organizing, printing maps and getting the FABULOUS RAFFLE PRIZES for riders!
Dates this year are Fridays May 18, June 15, July 20, August 17 and September 21st.
Bring yourself, your friends and your family to Bikes on Solano for the Bike About Town rides!
School kids learn how to cycle safely and have fun doing it, while following the rules of the road.
courtesy Peggy McQuaid
Bring your kids to Albany Police Activity League’s Annual Bike Rodeo!
Planning is ongoing, but this event usually features free helmets for kids, bike safety inspections, a skills course, and cycling entertainment! (Details will be updated as they become available.)
Albany Strollers & Rollers contributes by fitting helmets, offering local cycling information, and hosting bike-blended smoothies for all, so everyone can pedal-power a delicious smoothie!
Bicycle + fruit + blender = delicious fun!! Want to help like Tenisha is doing here? Email Ken!
Photo courtesy Amy Smolens
We’ll also have our “Check for Bikes” clings and stickers on hand for parents, our Reflective Leg & Arm Bands for all, and will be available to talk to kids and parents about biking and walking in and around Albany!
PLEASE VOLUNTEER: AS&R relies on volunteers to help run the bike blender station, fit helmets, and engage parents & kids about cycling in Albany. Volunteers get our undying gratitude and a special thank you gift. Local businesses BLUE HERON, BUA LUANG, TAY TAH CAFE AND FERN’S GARDEN ARE ALL DONATING SPECIAL GIFT CARDS OR COUPONS FOR OUR BIKE MONTH VOLUNTEERS, IN APPRECIATION FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY!!!
Please contact Ken McCroskey to help out!!
Kids, don’t try this at home…just yet!
Do you want Solano Avenue to be more walkable, bikeable and safe for all?
The City of Albany is developing a Complete Streets and Corridor Revitalization Plan for Solano Avenue from Masonic Avenue to Tulare Avenue to create an active main street environment. An extensive community engagement process will be deployed to identify ideas and strategies to:
Improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists
Enhance access to transit
Promote a cohesive streetscape
Support local economic activity
The outcome will be a plan with Complete Streets designs for roadway, sidewalk and intersection changes that support all modes and users of all ages and abilities, builds foot traffic for local businesses, encourages interaction in public spaces, and adds vibrancy to the community.
Let’s make mid-Solano even more bike friendly!
The first public input event includes a walk along a few blocks of Solano to observe what is in place, and then a workshop at the Albany Community Center to generate ideas and collect concerns for the project. Refreshments will be provided at the Workshop.
Participate in this site walk and/or workshop to share your ideas of how this avenue could be safer and more comfortable for you and your family.
The streets are closed to cars and open to YOU – get out and enjoy!!
Get out and connect with your community and urban environment in a transformative way!
Sunday Streets (also called “Open Streets”) closes streets to automobile traffic for a day so that people may use the space for other physical and social activities. The streets become parks as people replace car traffic. People walk, bike, skate and dance and play. Everyone from businesses and community organizations to musicians and artists use the space creatively, engaging the public and providing spontaneity and discovery. This temporary public space inspires creativity and change for the better, on that day – and beyond.
Dancing in the Streets in Berkeley! All photos courtesy Amy Smolens
The first Sunday Streets Berkeley was on October 14, 2012. More than 42,000 people came to Shattuck Ave to stroll, skate, cycle, dance, play in the street. People came from all over the Bay Area to experience Berkeley anew. Local Berkeley businesses reported a 30-50% increase in sales on the day of the event. The first-ever Sunday Streets Berkeley was by all measures a great success.
Ride on over!
Previous routes have been expanded – Sunday Streets now runs the length of Shattuck from Rose to Channing, and continues on Durant to Telegraph.
Here’s an interactive map of Sunday Streets activities.
