Oakland officials cut the ribbon Wednesday, Oct. 21, on protected bike lanes connecting the 19th Street BART station with Lake Merritt's bike network, Streetsblog San Francisco reported.
What was built
The project, formally the 19th Street BART to Lake Merritt Urban Greenway, runs three blocks along 20th Street, also called Thomas L. Berkley Way. Along with concrete curb-protected bike lanes, it added new pedestrian crossings, LED street lights, wider sidewalks, median plantings and traffic signal upgrades, according to The Oaklandside. The city removed a driving lane to make room. The route ties into the two-way protected bikeway on Harrison Street along the west side of the lake.
Why it took a while
"I think we found utilities that no one knew existed — it's very complex," said OakDOT Director Josh Rowan. Streetsblog reported crews also found old trolley tracks with creosote-soaked railway ties and old basements. Bike East Bay's Robert Prinz said the group first wrote a letter backing the idea in 2016.
Reaction
Mayor Barbara Lee called it part of creating "a vibrant, resilient city where every resident and visitor can move around safely." BART Director Victor Flores said, "This is much safer." Councilmember Carroll Fife, whose District 3 includes the corridor, said concrete protection "makes the difference." Streetsblog noted one plastic post had already been knocked off by a driver at the time of the ceremony.