John Ewing

Their arguments seem to be to be a layer cake of lies with BS frosting.

I read that they currently move the barrier once a week to sweep the path, so they should have plenty of data already?

One can only imagine the smoke detectors in that meeting room were activated by all those pants on fire. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Transportation is a direct outgrowth of land use. The reason for so much traffic on the RSR and on Hwy 37 further north is because we have completely ceded the entirety of Marin County to well-to-do white people who simply refuse to let working people of color live next to them. That’s the truth.

Yes, it is a curious design. I only rode it for the purpose of documenting for street view. I do occasionally see other cyclists using that lane on the west side. Occasionally.

At our block’s National Night Out gathering last night, to chat with several members of City of Berkeley Staff & even Mayor Ishii stopped by.

While chatting with city reps, I got the distinct vibe that people who advocate for safe, non-automobile transport infra are still viewed as outliers.

Always interesting how these complex requirements can suddenly be streamlined when there is a traffic fatality. 🤷‍♂️

A big shortcoming with Berkeley's approach is that it's the 15% of the drivers who may not be adhering to the speed limit that are the problem. Speed bumps help curb outlier behavior.

"Speed humps embody what I like to call mundane mobility: under-the-radar transportation upgrades that are cheap, easy and effective.”

Too often, city DOTs think they have to go all-in on street redesign. In Berkeley, traffic calming is a years-long process with many hoops that need to be cleared.

Northbound Solano Ave, no vehicle traffic is seen, vast majority of parking spaces are not being used.

Southbound Solano Ave, one car can be seen in the distance, virtually all the parking spaces are empty.

Monday morning on Solano Ave in Berkeley/Albany. There's almost no car traffic, & virtually all of the parking spaces are empty, so shouldn't this street be pedestrianized with only buses and bikes allowed?

When your only way of moving through the world is in a car, every other person (vehicle) you encounter is an irritation, impediment, or threat.
#WindshieldBias

Access to Berkeley's Gilman cycle track was not thought through. AT ALL.

No signal detection for westbd bikes at 4th/Gilman

Beg button out of reach for a cyclist

No protection from drivers turning right on red

Many use Cordonices Path to access the cycle track, so this intersection is important.

A cute baby elephant

Elephants are born weighing 250 lbs. They are the biggest babies on earth except for motorists when they see a bike lane

My city (Berkeley,CA) would be a LOT better for people if decision-makers would start implementing policies that reduce VMT and stop enabling personal auto use.

A retro-themed collage with different cut-outs of East Bay bicycle riders smiling, with abstract shapes in the background. Text reads "help us reach our goal of 150 sliding scale gifts! We're 78% of the way to our goal. You have until July 31 at 11:50pm to become a BEB member with a gift of any amount"

A final plug for our sliding scale campaign— genuinely, we believe in people power and know that putting money (even $1 💙) towards the things we care about is a cool way to align values + action.

We're grateful for all the support and don't take it for granted! bikeeastbay.org/sliding-scal...

Currently a Tsunami Watch (threat still being evaluated) for entire U.S./Canada West Coast following very large M 8.7) sub-oceanic quake near eastern Russia in West Pacific. Plenty of time to refine/crunch numbers further for West Coast, but more imminent threat closer to epicenter.

Hey Berkeley, here's the Berkeley Tsunami risk map.

berkeleyca.gov/sites/defaul...

Punched cards! Brings back so many memories ...

And therein lies the root of the problem - no unified approach to implementing safe bike infra between various cities and counties nor with (gasp) Caltrans.

I honestly don’t know the East Bay, California, or the country at large will ever escape our car-centric perspective.

Bicycling in the NL, it was clear that designers & planners respected bike priority.

That's not the case in Berkeley in my experience. Traffic lights never favor bikes. Crossing at arterials seldom favor bikes.

The unified bike experience everyone wants?

Not to be killed or injured by a driver.

Glad we have BART & I use it regularly, but board CalTrain, ride for a bit, then transfer to BART at Millbrae. The contrast is astounding.

CalTrain is quiet & food/drink is allowed.

BART is so noisy & slow in most tunnel segments.

CalTrain is adult transpo. BART is like high school detention.

A true original who gave us songs like “Werner Von Braun” and “National Brotherhood Week” has passed at age 97.

RIP Tom Lehrer

If more engineers, planners, & council members actually walked & cycled, they’d understand how it feels to be outside of a car & it could lead to better decisions.

It seems that for now it’s up to peds & cyclists to keep explaining & educating them about the designs work & the ones that don't.

With 20+ years experience bike commuting, I found a side street thru Berkeley into Oakland/Emeryville. It is not a bike blvd, but has traffic calming features added time over time. It’s not perfect, but I won't say where it is because if the city re-designs it, they’ll most certain ruin it.

Serious misgivings about using Berkeley Bike Blvds as a model. Berkeley’s bike infra has serious shortcomings, including:

Not a complete network

Dangerous intersections w/ arterials

Many bike bvlds have stop signs at every block 🤦‍♂️

This is NOT how one encourages & prioritizes cycling.

Progress on Gilman/I80

Detour sign has been placed saying sidewalk ahead is closed & to turn right & cross Gilman. Seems pretty hazardous.

I went left on 2nd St, right on Page, right on Eastshore & found no caution tape blocking the sidewalk & 2 ramps providing a way around the construction.

🤷‍♂️

Lakeshore Protected Bikeway Breaks Ground - Streetsblog San Francisco Event captured the sadness of a family's loss and the hope for a safer future

Glad to see this Oakland cycle track project breaking ground, but kept reading only to see a photo of Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee’s car parked … wait for it, wait for it … in the bike lane.

YouTube video by Mobycon Efficiency and Flexibility: Decoding Dutch Traffic Signal Design | Mobycon Academy

I wish I had never witnessed adaptive traffic signals in the Netherlands, but I can’t unsee what I saw there.

US traffic “engineers" just can’t migrate away from stupid, timed traffic signals programmed to punish & frustrate all road users, but especially peds & bikes.

youtu.be/gOBYW2kewwg

The odd response from Caltrans to my Service Request:

As this is a Traffic Ops, and not a Maintenance issue, your concern has been forwarded to them and you will be notified once we receive more information. Thank you for your interest in the safety and operation of California's highways.

🤔

Save the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Trail! The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Trail is at risk of weekday closure! Learn more and sign the petition to keep it accessible 24/7.

If you think Caltrans’ actions should match their words (& their own plan priorities) then sign the petition at BikeEastBay.org/RSR & either save the date August 7 to speak in-person or via Zoom at the BCDC meeting, or email publiccomment@bcdc.ca.gov on agenda item 9

www.bcdc.ca.gov/event/august...

“July 24, 2025 Application Summary Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Pilot Project Modifications (For Commission consideration on August 7, 2025) BCDC Permit Application Number: 1997.001.06 (Material Amendment No. Six) Applicant: Project Description: California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Use the right-hand shoulder of the eastbound lower deck as a part-time travel lane during peak hours on a permanent basis and continue the multi-use pathway pilot project on the westbound upper deck shoulder for three years with modifications, including reducing availability of the path to the period between Thursday afternoon and Sunday evening, converting the path back to an emergency shoulder at all other times, and providing a free bicycle shuttle Mondays through Thursdays.”

What Caltrans is doing: Trying to close the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Trail 4 days per week for at least 3 years (from their Bay Conservation & Development Commission permit amendment application summary)

www.bcdc.ca.gov/wp-content/u...