Your Input Wanted on Alameda County Bicycle & Pedestrian Plans
Weigh in Before September on County Bike and Pedestrian Plans –
The Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) is updating the Alameda Countywide Bicycle Plan and Pedestrian Plan. The update process began in May 2010, and final plans are scheduled to be considered for adoption by the ACTC in September 2012.
Comments on the draft updated plans may be sent to Rochelle Wheeler, Countywide Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator rwheeler@alamedactc.org. She may be reached by phone at (510) 208-7471. Mayor John Chiang is Piedmont’s Representative to the ACTC, and Council Member Garrett Keating is the Alternate.
Planning for “Bikeable Communities” Programs by 2015
Piedmont is the only Alameda County city without a Bike Plan. That is expected to change as our City’s planning process gets underway. Alameda County cities will be required to have a “Complete Streets” policy by June 30, 2013 and to have adopted a pedestrian (or combined bike/pedestrian) master plan by Dec. 31, 2015 in order to gain access to certain funding. In 2011, the ACTC adopted this new requirement in order for cities to qualify for pass-through payments from Measure B ($.005 sales tax) and Measure F ($10 Vehicle Registration Fee), as well as Measure F funds, and the proposed Measure B increase on the November 2012 ballot. (All support improvements to local streets, bicycle and pedestrian safety as well as public transit.)
Statistics on County Bike Riders
The County relies on the Bay Area Transportation Survey from 2000 (BATS2000) for its description of who uses bicycles for transportation: more men (2.1%) than women (.9%) make bicycle trips; one-third of bike trips are recreational; the dominant bicycling age group is 23-29 years, and residents 65 and older are the least likely to bicycle. Since Piedmont has a large and growing elderly population who represent a much higher percentage (15.4% 2010 census) of residents 65 and older than any other city in Alameda County, with a dearth of residents in their 20’s, and Piedmont’s median age (46.2 2010 census) is 10 years older than any other community in the county, it is not surprising that the City is just now embarking on a Bike Plan.
According to BATS2000, three-quarters of all bike trips are in the cities of Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland and Piedmont while “very few people” bicycle in Hayward, San Leandro, Fremont, Newark and Union City. Dublin, Livermore and Pleasanton fall in the middle. Berkeley has the highest percentage of bicyclists commuting to work while Hayward and Newark have the lowest percentage of bike commuters.
The public is invited to attend the meeting of the Alameda Countywide Bike/Ped Advisory Committee on Thursday, September 6, 5:30 – 7:30 pm, at the office of the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC), 1333 Broadway in Oakland.
