Hundreds of Cyclists Protest at the Richmond San-Rafael Bridge

Thanks to everyone for coordinating a wonderful event to kick-off Bike Summer in the Bay Area (especially Jason, Sarah, Debbie, Alex, Derek and Chris). Among the throng of eighty cheerful cyclists on the Richmond side was Yehuda Sherman, EBBC Secretary, who returned from an extended trip to Israel just in time to join us on the bridge approach. Back in 1996, it was Yehuda's suggestion that led to our first "feasibility ride" with 23 bicyclists (Sept. 28, 1996). A year later on Sept. 4, 1997 we participated in a Caltrans sanctioned ride on the bridge. Last year we documented the simple physical modifications needed for safe bicycle travel over the bridge in the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Public Access Feasibility Study (Caltrans, Dec. 1998).

Now in 1999, bicyclists have effectively demonstrated that we can occupy the high ground while calling public attention to the unused lanes on the bridge. As well, our bike-shuttle bus service worked as well as any indirect access approach can function (after waiting for others to load their bikes, many potential passengers and their bikes had to be turned back for lack of room). The only low point of the day was the CHP overreaction to briefly close the toll plaza to all traffic. Overall, we yet again exposed the State's continued denial of direct access to bicyclists as an untenable policy.

Yehuda Sherman

Bridge Access in Florida

by: Derek Shuman

There are a number of bridges in Florida that have bicycle access on the shoulder. Theo Petrisch, State Pedestrian and Bicycle Coordinator for the Florida DOT has provided an "informal" estimate of bike counts and accident statistics for a number of such bridges in Florida.

1. Pensacola Bay Bridge, 4 lanes total, 5 ft shoulder, 3 miles long, 20 bikes/week. Bridge was bike accessible for many years without the shoulder, and lots of bike car accidents occurred. Shoulder access was provided with a restriping 8 years ago, which took out a lane. No accidents since then. 24,000 bike miles traveled. Vehicle traffic 30,000 average daily trips (ADT).

2. Acosta Bridge, Jacksonville, 6 lanes total, 10 ft shoulder, 1/2 mile long, 20 bikes/wk, 8% grade. Bike accessible for 7 years now. No accidents in 7 years. 3500 bike miles traveled. 50,000 ADT

3. Danes Pt. Bridge, 4 lanes total, 8 ft shoulder, 6 miles long, 30 bikes/week, 10 years since bikes allowed, 90,000 bike-miles, no accidents. 60,000 ADT

4. Vellano Beach Bridge, St. Augustine, 8 ft shoulder, 1.5 miles long, 80 bikes/week, high elevation grade, new bridge built 3.5 yrs ago, bikes allowed since opening, 21,000 bike-miles, no accidents.

5. Greenco Springs, SR 16, no shoulder, 3 miles long, two 10 ft lanes each direction, bikes not accessible, yet they use it anyway (club rides, early in the morning). No accidents. Years and bike miles ridden unknown.

Totals are 138,000 bike-miles traveled with no accidents. All these bridges except Greenco Springs are heavily used by traffic, with substantial rush hour peaks. Typical speeds are 55-65 mph. Some fog is occasionally present on some of the bridges.

Mr Petrisch feels that the presence of driveways and intersections are the main problem for cyclists, and the bridges are safe for cycling because of the lack of them. He has no concerns about bridge length, but feels bridges with steep grades need about 2 ft of extra width. He feels 6 ft of clearance from passing trucks is all that is required to minimize the wind blast effect. Trucks usually travel 2 ft from the right lane limit line, making a 5 ft shoulder adequate to obtain this clearance.

Short Reports

WALNUT CREEK BAC SEEKS NEW MEMBERS to advise the City Council on bicycling issues. The requirements are that applicants must live in or within the city's sphere of zoning influence. This applies to city residents and those in unincorporated pockets are the city's edges. Applications can be picked up at the City Hall, 1666 North Main Street, Transportation Division. The filing deadline is September 3. Further information on the application process is available from Jim Kellar at 925-256-3529.

PLEASANT HILL CONTINUES BICYCLE PROHIBITIONS ON LOCAL STREETS In 1993, the EBBC got the City of Pleasant Hill to remove "Bikes Use Sidewalks" signs on Boyd Rd. Our arguments that the state vehicle code gives us the same rights as motorists to use the roads were not contested and the signs were removed. Recently, Pleasant Hill cyclists have pointed out that stretch of Paso Nogal between Golf Club Rd. and Norse Dr. is posted with regulatory "Bicycles Prohibited" graphic signs (R-95) at both intersections. For six residences on this street, it is legal to drive a car but illegal to bicycle to their properties. EBBC will again formally contact the City to have these new signs removed. It is ironic that Paso Nogal is shown in the General Plan as an existing bicycle route.

PLEASANT HILL PLANS TO UPDATE GENERAL PLAN TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT Despite Pleasant Hill's reputation of being anti-bicycle, there is an opportunity to amend the General Plan to recognize that bicycles are a legitimate transportation mode. The 1990 General Plan acknowledges that the bicycle circulation network is fragmented. The Transportation Element is scheduled to be updated in the next year and should obviously address cyclists' needs. Since the City does not have an active BAC, the EBBC will have to form its own committee to formulate recommendations. Interested Pleasant Hill cyclists should call John Ruzek at 925-939-5181 to discuss strategy.

GO BIKE POSSIBLE DEMISE Chaired by Michael Jackson, the Contra Costa County Bicycle Facilities Coordinator, the Go-Bike Committee last met on July 27. Michael's positive report on on-going bicycle promotion and facilities implementation was tempered by the announcement that the funding for this program is nearly exhausted and that the program may be curtailed by November. His position has been funded by a State of California grant from the Petroleum Violation Escrow Account. While it is apparently not renewable, the county has a single application to the Federal government for a TCSP (Transportation and Community and Systems Preservation) grant for the continuation of this program. Results of that competition will not be announced until October. Rather than allow this program to die for lack of funds, individual cities and the County should be encouraged to provide interim funding until long-term grants can be secured. Interested advocates should contact Michael at 925-335-1287.

SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT FOR ROAD DIETS A report by Bernardo A. Huberman and Dirk Helbing published in Nature magazine finds that roads that are too crowded for easy passing carry greater traffic volumes. When drivers have fewer options to pass and interrupt the flow of the "pack" traffic reaches a steady speed in one solid block of traffic. Moreover, reducing passing opportunities significantly reduces accidents. The Dutch are trying to create this "steady state" by lowering speed limits, and other traffic calming measures. This is yet one more argument in favor of reducing travel lanes on 4-lane arterials.

Letters

The following letter was sent to BART Director Roy Nakadegawa:

For a few weeks I've wanted to write to you about the sorry state of bicycle parking at the MacArthur BART station. Today, when I arrived at the station at 5:30 PM, I had even more reason to complain - my locked bicycle was stolen for the second time in less than two weeks. Both were older bikes - I wouldn't dare ride a new one to BART - but they were not cheap. The one stolen today was $180.00 used. These are not the first bikes I've had stolen from BART, but just the first time it happened twice in a two-week period!

Of course when I told the station agent, he uttered a suggestion that reflected the mentality that for a long time has pervaded BART "Well maybe you shouldn't bring a bicycle anymore."

But to appreciate the problem I urge you to visit the station some weekday morning. Because the lockers are non-functional, there are the two small bike racks (from which my bikes were stolen) filled the bicycles jutting from every angle, some with both wheels missing. When I assisted the policeman searching the ivy near the bike racks, we found a half dozen sawed or broken locks and cables. On just about every lamppost and bar of temporary fencing you'll find other bikes attached. The rows of bike lockers, with cheap hasps sawed or broken, stand useless.

I don't know what the station agents or the police are doing - certainly not watching bike racks - but I think the lack of security is inexcusable. These thieves obviously used hacksaws or bolt cutters, and in my experience did so in broad daylight. BART should be doing everything in its power to promote biking to BART, but this negligence is doing just the opposite.

Other than having BART police pay to bike parking a fraction of attention they pay to auto patrons, there are a couple of very positive and inexpensive measures that can be taken:

1. Restore at least some of the heavy chain racks that were removed for lockers. They were heavily used and secure when they were there.

2. Install surveillance camera over the bike area to discourage or help apprehend thieves. (This suggestion was made in a recent Montclarion by another unhappy cyclists who lost his bike at Ashby.)

3. Remove or repair non-functional lockers. These comments come from a daily user of BART for almost twenty years; I hope they will be respected and answered.

Sincerely,
William D. Manley

Broken latch on new BART
locker at MacArthur Station

Mr. Nakadegawa responds:

Thank you for your suggestions on improving bicycle parking for our customers. We are always interested in hearing from you. Your ideas are especially timely since we are currently exploring alternatives and evaluating various types of bicycle parking facilities to increase opportunities and security of bicycle parking throughout the system. BART, through it Bicycle Parking Demonstration Project, recently installed a variety of bicycle parking facilities at four stations in an effort to test which facilities most encourage bicycle use. The MacArthur BART station is one of the stations where we are testing use of the new bicycle lockers and wave racks. Unfortunately, the free, first-come, first-served bicycle lockers we installed have not been successful due to arson attempts and a significant number of break-ins. I would like to take this opportunity to let you know how we have responded to the situation and describe our progress to date to rectify the situation.

The U-type Kryptonite lock was used as a lever to pry and break the stainless steel handle and stationary ring on the new bicycle lockers. BART Engineering redesigned the ring on the door that the lock goes through. In the meantime, BART staff wired and placed "out off service" tags on all the lockers to restrict access to bicyclists. Although these tags were supposed to remain on the lockers until we are more confidant of their security, people have been cutting the wire in order to use the lockers. Several locker handles, however, were too damaged to close the lock. We are now negotiation a contract with the locker manufacturer to replace the doors with new doors designed for reserved bicycle lockers.

The wave racks, unlike the lockers, have been very successful. We recently interviewed BART customers at both MacArthur and North Berkeley BART stations. Although the evaluation is still being conducted, all preliminary information indicates that the wave racks are the most successful element of the demonstration. At the Ashby BART Station, a survey on June 24, 1999, indicated that not one bike was parked in the existing pole and chain racks, although 28 bicycles were parked at the new wave racks several feet away. A 1996 study indicated that systemwide only 333 bicycle were parked in the old pole and chain racks throughout the system - a usage rate of only 25%.

Station-by-station data indicates that the old pole and chain racks were also ineffectively used at MacArthur, although the figures are higher than the systemwide average. In 1996 only 9 out of 24 available bike rack spaces were being used, and in 1999 that figure increased to 12. The new wave racks at MacArthur are presently in an awkward location due to Caltrans Seismic Retrofit Project. BART is currently negotiating with Caltrans to finish the construction project by paving the disturbed area for a more open and usable bicycle parking area. Security cameras will also be discussed for this area.

In addition, BART recently applied to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District for matching funds to install additional bicycle racks throughout the BART system. If granted, a variety of bicycle racks will be considered for this project. If you have recommendations for other types of bicycle racks, please contact Jill Keimach in BART Customer Access at 510/464-6202.

Sincerely,
Roy Nakadegawa

Jill Keimach (BART staff) adds:

"The obsolete post and chain racks have not been popular among bicyclists. BART is replacing all post and chain racks with new wave racks in the same position as the old racks, but since they offer higher density, we get up to three times as many parking positions as we used to. Now up to 2,888 bike parking positions."

William Manley responds:

"Secure use of the wave racks requires two locks, whereas the old chain racks did offer high security for a smaller number of users. I'd like to see a combination of guarded parking, wave racks, high-security racks, reserved and on-demand lockers and enhanced security patrols."