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It’s nice on occasion to do an update on the construction of the Bay Area’s first real protected bike lane through a commercial district: on the Koreatown Northgate section of Telegraph, from Thomas Berkeley Way to 29th in Oakland.
The project is nearing completion, with concrete islands, protected intersections, and a nice decorative brick pattern. Here’s a look at the wide protective islands with clear sight-lines to keep driveways relatively safe.
The project, which should be partially finished this summer, has come a long way since December when Streetsblog last looked at the project. Most of the concrete forms are now poured. New pavement will be next with green Kermit paint. But it’s already one of the most relaxed places to bike in Oakland. It’s going to get even better in a few more years, when full protected intersections are added at major intersections.
But Bike East Bay, along with Oakland advocates, essentially said “no f*cking way” (and many literally said that). McElhaney was defeated by newcomer Carroll Fife (how often does that happen in Bay Area politics?) who supported the protected bike lane unambiguously. The project was approved unanimously by Oakland lawmakers who understood that ultimately OakDOT, the mayor, merchant groups, and powerful, wealthy people don’t decide the law, they do.
And now it’s being built, with floating loading zones, bus stop islands, and the works. Farther up the street, in Temescal, a quick-build version of a protected bike lane will soon be backed up with concrete too. The diagram below, provided by Bike East Bay’s Robert Prinz, shows how bike lanes can work with parklets.
“Oakland figured this out ten years ago in their original Telegraph Complete Streets plan,” he wrote to Streetsblog about parklets and protected bike lanes.
Motorists will park anywhere and everywhere that they physically can. Paint, plastic posts, and tiny little bullsh*t rubber curbs *do* *not* *work* anywhere, ever. Never have. Never will.
This was the situation as soon as Streetsblog left the protected portionThis was the situation as soon as Streetsblog left the protected portion
Here one can see a motorist parked in the center of the street and another one double parked in the vehicle lane, mostly hidden by the pedestrian trying to cross safely.A motorist parked in the center of the street and another one double parked in the vehicle lane.