News Briefs
Bike Share For All
Bike East Bay has joined other key local cycling organizations in “Bike Share for All,” an outreach program created to inform residents about Ford GoBike, the Bay Area’s new bike share transportation system. This community-based initiative engages Cycles for Change, the Scraper Bike Team, Rich City Rides, and Bike East Bay, plus the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and San Francisco Yellow Bike Project across the bay. With the support of Transform, a local transportation advocacy organization, we are working to ensure there is an equitable plan to make Ford GoBike accessible to low-income and marginalized communities.
As a coalition, we advocated for policies and changes that removed obstacles to using bike share. We secured a low-income discount, which starts at $5 for the first year and increases to $5 per month in following years. To increase access, we are giving away free Clipper cards, which low-income residents who do not have a smartphone or bank account can use to rent the bikes.
These progressive gains have come by way of community organizing and putting equity and the need for healthy transportation options at the forefront of our mission. We still have a ways to go, and are continuing to work with Ford GoBike ensure that low-income community needs are met.
Read more at BikeShareForAll.org
Bay Bridge Path Closures
From August to late November 2017, the Bay Bridge People Path is closing every other week for demolition activity on the old Bay Bridge. The closures will start on Sundays and continue through midday on the following Saturday. During the closures, Caltrans will be placing explosives and detonation equipment on the remaining bridge foundations.
Upcoming Bay Bridge People Path closure dates, with additional later closures possible if needed:
Sunday October 8 — Saturday October 14
Sunday October 22 — Saturday October 28
Sunday November 5 — Saturday November 11
According to Caltrans, fall is the best time for demolition work to minimize impact to marine species in the bay. Caltrans engineers are aiming to reopen the path by midday on Saturdays, but say this may be delayed in order to protect marine life.
Prior to this announcement, Bike East Bay and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition met with Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol to ensure these closures allow as much public access as possible. Previously, Bike East Bay successfully advocated for seven-days-a-week access on the Bay Bridge People Path starting May 2017.
Back to the Fall 2017 issue of RideOn, Bike East Bay’s quarterly newsletter.
