Berkeley Bicycle Boulevards Eric Anderson Alta Planning + Design

What is a Bicycle Boulevard? Open to all road users Low-traffic neighborhood streets Optimized for bicycling Safe for all rider levels (young to old) Direct Efficient Attractive

Open to all road users

Low-traffic neighborhood streets

Optimized for bicycling

Safe for all rider levels (young to old)

Direct

Efficient

Attractive

History - Planning 1990 – Milvia St. “Slow Street” Traffic Calming Spring 1999 – City adopted Berkeley Bicycle Plan , network of seven bicycle boulevards Fall/Winter 1999 – Public workshops; development of Bicycle Boulevard Design Tools and Guidelines . Spring 2000 – City Council authorizes three-step implementation: 1. Create identity - signs and pavement legends 2. Improve bicycle crossings of major streets 3. Remove stop signs and replace w/traffic calming

1990 – Milvia St. “Slow Street” Traffic Calming

Spring 1999 – City adopted Berkeley Bicycle Plan , network of seven bicycle boulevards

Fall/Winter 1999 – Public workshops; development of Bicycle Boulevard Design Tools and Guidelines .

Spring 2000 – City Council authorizes three-step implementation:

1. Create identity - signs and pavement legends

2. Improve bicycle crossings of major streets

3. Remove stop signs and replace w/traffic calming

History - Implementation Early 2001 – Signs and pavement stencils demonstration on one test corridor Fall 2002 – First demonstration crossing improvements; first demonstration diverters Winter 2002/3 – Signs and pavement stencils installed on remaining six boulevards, completing first phase of bicycle boulevard implementation 2003-Present – Evaluating/implementing remaining crossings and stop sign removal/traffic calming

Early 2001 – Signs and pavement stencils demonstration on one test corridor

Fall 2002 – First demonstration crossing improvements; first demonstration diverters

Winter 2002/3 – Signs and pavement stencils installed on remaining six boulevards, completing first phase of bicycle boulevard implementation

2003-Present – Evaluating/implementing remaining crossings and stop sign removal/traffic calming

Criteria for Boulevard Selection Local, low-volume Not a transit or truck route Not commercial Within ¼ mile of a major street ¾ to 1½ miles from another Bicycle Boulevard Continuous – extends over half of City Linear – main segments at least 0.5 mile Traffic signals at major streets (existing or potential) Access to major destinations Connect to routes in neighboring cities

Local, low-volume

Not a transit or truck route

Not commercial

Within ¼ mile of a major street

¾ to 1½ miles from another Bicycle Boulevard

Continuous – extends over half of City

Linear – main segments at least 0.5 mile

Traffic signals at major streets (existing or potential)

Access to major destinations

Connect to routes in neighboring cities

Bike Boulevard Strategies Shared low traffic street (or bike lanes where higher) Discourage non-local motor vehicle traffic Free-flow travel for bikes (bikes have right-of-way) Traffic control to help bicycles cross major streets (arterials) Distinctive feel cyclists become aware of the bike boulevard system motorists are alerted: priority route for bicyclists

Shared low traffic street (or bike lanes where higher)

Discourage non-local motor vehicle traffic

Free-flow travel for bikes (bikes have right-of-way)

Traffic control to help bicycles cross major streets (arterials)

Distinctive feel

cyclists become aware of the bike boulevard system

motorists are alerted: priority route for bicyclists

Bike Boulevard Design Treatments Bike Lanes (standard and contraflow) Signs and Stencils Crossing Improvements: Proximity to signalized intersection New Signals Bicycle Detection at Signals Refuge Islands Stop Sign Removal or Turning Traffic Calming Traffic Circles Median Islands Speed Humps Curb Extensions Chicanes Diverters/Street Closures Aesthetics – Landscaping, Route Choice

Bike Lanes (standard and contraflow)

Signs and Stencils

Crossing Improvements:

Proximity to signalized intersection

New Signals

Bicycle Detection at Signals

Refuge Islands

Stop Sign Removal or Turning

Traffic Calming

Traffic Circles

Median Islands

Speed Humps

Curb Extensions

Chicanes

Diverters/Street Closures

Aesthetics – Landscaping, Route Choice

The Berkeley Bike Boulevard Network North – South Ninth California/King Milvia Hillegass/Bowditch East – West Virginia Channing Russell

North – South

Ninth

California/King

Milvia

Hillegass/Bowditch

East – West

Virginia

Channing

Russell

Photo of bike lanes

Photo of bike lanes

Photo of speed humps

Photo of speed humps

Photo of traffic circle

Photo of traffic circle

Photo of signal detection

Photo of signal detection

View astridrea's map Taken in a place with no name (See more photos or videos here )

Photo of signage

Photo of signage

Other?

Other?

Virginia Street (E/W)

Virginia/San Pablo

Virginia/San Pablo

N Berk BART parking

N Berk BART parking

Russell Diverter at Piedmont

Russell Diverter at Piedmont

Closure at Russell/College

Closure at Russell/College

Thank you! Thank you to the City of Berkeley, CA Office of Transportation For more information about Berkeley Bicycle Boulevards: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/transportation/ Bicycling/BB/BicycleBoulevard.html For more information about this presentation: Eric Anderson Alta Planning + Design [email_address] www.altaplanning.com

Thank you to the City of Berkeley, CA

Office of Transportation

For more information about Berkeley Bicycle Boulevards:

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/transportation/

Bicycling/BB/BicycleBoulevard.html

For more information about this presentation:

Eric Anderson

Alta Planning + Design

[email_address]

www.altaplanning.com