oh it’s that time of year isn’t it?  gift giving, and Oaklanders just got one from the city council when they adopted our new bike plan and its tedious but critical environmental report (ask SFBC about this one)!!!!!!!!!!!!  This is great news, give a shout to your city council person and thank them for the leadership.

it’s dark and wet out there this time of year so all be safe and bust out a light.  any light is better than none, so get on it.  don’t be a hood ornament!  it’s strictly not worth it.

whatever your holiday this season, i hope it involves a nice new-to-you bike thingy and some relaxing walks around your neighborhood.

Yesterday was a good day for the future of bicycling in Oakland.  The updated bike plan and associated environmental document passed the Community/Economic Development committee easily!

More importantly, we got firm commitment from the city at the direction of Councilmember Brunner to add another bike staff for the city, so we can better IMPLEMENT the bike plan.  Also, at the direction of Councilmember De La Fuente, we received another strong commitment to deal with the bike parking shortage brought on by the parking kiosk deployment!

Thanks to WOBO members and everyone for showing up and speaking in favor of the plan.  With almost 50 public meetings, the word is out far and wide.

Today at 4pm we expect the Community and Economic Development Committee (CEDA or just Planning for us mortals) to approve the bike plan update under way for 2.5 years.  This great piece of work by city staff makes ready dozens of bike lane and bike route projects.

There’s a catch:  WE NEED MORE STAFF who can make these projects HAPPEN!  You can take a look at a previous blog on this item - it’s the central message for your Councilperson and the Mayor’s office.

Check our site for contact info.  And for your calendar, the final bike plan adoption will take place Dec. 4th at the Council.  Now, to bring this matter to the Mayor’s attention…

Hey WOBO,

This Wednesday at 6 pm Oakland’s Planning Commission (City Hall
Hearing Room 1) will review our amazing bike plan update. It needs
YOUR support NOW and over the next 7 weeks!

• Nov. 13th 4 pm Community Economic Development Committee
• Dec. 4th   6 pm CITY COUNCIL!!!!

Speak on behalf of WOBO, your friends, your neighborhood and ask for:

-more staff to implement the plan
-commitment to build the routes at the same time as development
projects of all kinds
-a bicycle parking ordinance
-your own favorite project like Broadway, Telegraph or Downtown!!!
(see below list of resources)

There are 80 miles built, but 160 miles to GO - Get Yours!

More detailed info on the Planning Commission & packet below:

The meeting starts at 6:00pm and the Bicycle Master Plan is Item #3.
The staff recommendation to the Planning Commission is to certify the
EIR and make a recommendation to City Council to adopt the Bicycle
Master Plan as part of the General Plan.

To access the agenda and the staff report, go to www.oaklandnet.com
<http://www.oaklandnet.com> , then from pull-down menu titled
“Frequently Visited Pages” (on the left side of the page), select
“Planning Commission Meetings” and then scroll down the page to the
link for “Planning Commission Meeting October 17, 2007.”

Come on out and HELP support the City’s adoption of the bike plan update at the Planning Commission and City Council.  It is a great plan, outlining improvements throughout the City to help us all ride.  Just the way things ought to be - and can be with your support!

—-

The update to the City of Oakland’s Bicycle Master Plan is scheduled for completion in December 2007. At this time, we are releasing the Revised Plan and Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for public review. This letter provides information on the adoption process and how to access the Revised Plan and Final EIR.

·         Public Hearing: On Wednesday, October 17, 2007, at 6:00pm, there will be a public hearing at the City Planning Commission (Hearing Room 1, City Hall). This hearing is on the certification of the Final EIR and recommendation to City Council on the adoption of the Bicycle Master Plan through a General Plan Amendment.

·         Public Hearing: On Tuesday, December 4, 2007,  at 7:00pm, there will be a public hearing at the City Council (City Council Chambers, City Hall). This hearing is on the certification of the Final EIR and the adoption of the Bicycle Master Plan through a General Plan Amendment.

·         CED Committee: Additionally, the Community and Economic Development Committee of the City Council will consider this matter on Tuesday, November 13, 2007, at 4:00pm (Hearing Room 1, City Hall).

For additional information, see the project’s web site at:

www.oaklandpw.com/bicycling/bikeplan.htm

The documents are available in pdf format under “Download Planning Documents.” For the Plan, see the links under “Revised Draft Bicycle Master Plan (October 2007).” For the Final EIR and Notice of Availability, see the links under “Environmental Review Process.”
Sincerely,

Jason Patton

Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager

City of Oakland, Community and Economic Development Agency

Transportation Services Division

510-238-7049 (phone)

As Fall comes rolling in, so does some of the very best weather of the year.  I mean, it’s Nice outside.  Capital N- Nice.  Those showers over the weekend were misplaced.

So, where to walk.  Where did you walk?  Maybe a trip to work for a change, BART, school?  Maybe you already walk all the time, but when it’s this nice out, take a minute to enjoy.  Yeah, I know, that can be hard…

… which is why we need WOBO, to make walking in Oaktown an enjoyable experience.  Imagine how easy it should be for you to walk around your neighborhood.  Well, the city changes what the city hears about.  Keep chiming in, with the city, your neighbors, and your family to get out, enjoy, and love this great time of year.

Well, we are back on the fall side of Labor Day and that means Oakland’s 50,000 kids are back in school.  Do you give much thought to HOW they get to school?   There has been extensive research on how kids no longer walk or bicycle to school, which is a real shame and a real problem.  We need to help make our childrens’ lives a little more active to fight off higher rates of obesity and the diabetes which follow.

 But how?

 One simple step Oakland can take is to identify a Safe Routes to Schools staff person.  This person would focus on coordinating with the school district and city staff, including OPD, to help make walking and bicycling to school safe and convenient.  Roads like Hegenberger and Park are difficult for children to cross.  San Francisco, by comparison, has a team of staffers working on this very issue.

 It’s time the City stepped up to help our kids!

write officeofthemayor@oaklandnet.com 

June 22 we found out the city would waive all but $35 for private installation of racks.  As well, the parking dept. folks agreed at last to leave in two parking meters per block while bike parking impacts are evaluated!  Might not sound like much, but this is big progress I’m happy to report.  Imagine no meters, no nuttin’ to lock your bike up to….
my email from last Friday:

Councilmember Brunner,

On behalf of WalkOakland BikeOakland I would like to
thank you for your office’s support of our efforts to
preserve bicycle parking in Oakalnd’s most vibrant
neighborhoods as the multistation parking kiosks are
installed.

Finance & Management’s commitment to leave two meters
per block as short-term bicycle parking, combined with
Council’s action to waive the encroachment fee for
private installation of bike racks, will help maintain
bicycle access to shops & activity centers.

Hopefully we can work together to help secure the
additional $150,000 needed to replace all of the
bicycle parking in time.

With our appreciation,
Doug Johnson

WalkOaklandBikeOakland.org

5000 parking meters are coming out this summer in Oakland, but the plans to make sure bike parking is in place isn’t coming together.  Please contact your city council office, the mayor, and anyone else you can with the message below……… Thanks!!!!

>>>>>>>>>>>>

The $4.8 million contract for the installation and
financing of the pay and display parking kiosks is on
the council agenda (consent) this Tuesday, June 5th.
Roughly 500 city blocks worth of meters are
coming out and it’s understood there is not sufficent bike parking in place.  The necessary racks (average 2/block) will cost $200,000. Basic racks are $200 installed.

Now is the time to commit to a short and long-term solution to what may become a bicycle parking nightmare in the city’s most active districts.  We appreciate your concern regarding this issue as evidenced by comments at Bike to Work Day and from your council office.

Current Status:  The Pedestrian/Bicycle program staff
has negotiated with the Finance and Management staff
to have three car park information sign poles on each
block installed so that they will offer serviceable
bicycle parking. Note that poles are substandard for
bike parking because they offer poor bike security
(bikes lifted over top) and are unstable (bikes will
fall over onto sidewalks if bumped).

Further, the Pedestrian/Bicycle Program staff has
secured a $70,000 grant to install ~250 bicycle racks throughout the city (over 20% of the grant will
actually pay for staffing, not racks!).  The parking meters will be removed before staff can get the bike rack contract through the bidding process and begin installation.

Walk Oakland Bike Oakland and the East Bay Bicycle
Coalition suggest the following measures to address
the situation:

First, Parking information poles should be outfitted
with a sticker identifying them as appropriate for
bicycle parking.  Poles must be in when the meters
are removed, and placed consistent with city
standards.
http://www.oaklandpw.com/AssetFactory.aspx?did=2158

Second, eliminate the $1000 encroachment fee to privately install a rack on public property.  It severly inhibits the placement of racks by businesses and other groups.

Third, commit $150,000 from either the increased
parking revenue or the city budget (program is currently entirely grant funded) to cover the funding
gap identified above.  This represents only 3% of the
$4.8 million lease!

Thank you for your attention to this matter.  We are eager to work with city staff from all departments to get a specific plan adopted to resolve this issue.

Thank you,

Walk Oakland Bike Oakland
Mission: To improve neighborhood quality of life in Oakland by making walking and bicycling safe,