Berkeley Celebrates Southside Complete Streets Ribbon Cutting - Streetsblog San Francisco

""This was a freeway," said District 8 Councilmember Mark Humbert, at a ribbon-cutting event held at the intersection of Bancroft Way and Dana Street in Berkeley. "Now this is a better quality of life." Humbert was one of some 50 advocates, city officials, workers, and students who joined the official opening celebration of the Southside Complete Streets project, which added protected bike lanes near the UC Berkeley campus on Bancroft Way, Dana Street, and Fulton Street."

"In building infrastructure to make it safer and easier to get around, the Southside Complete Streets project helps advance existing City policies, such as the Vision Zero Action Plan, the Climate Action Plan, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan, the Pedestrian Plan, the Bicycle Plan, and the Transit First Policy. The project was funded through various local, state, and federal sources, including a one-time federal aid grant which covered half the total cost."

"The new streets, now significantly narrowed by the addition of dedicated bus lanes and bike lanes, are also far calmer for pedestrians and all who use the street. "The street is now 25 percent for bikes, 25 percent for transit, 25 percent for loading, and 25 percent for cars," said District 7 Councilmember Cecilia Lunaparra, adding that she was able to ride her bike from her home to the event entirely on protected infrastructure."

Berkeley opened the Southside Complete Streets project at Bancroft Way and Dana Street, adding protected bike lanes and dedicated bus lanes on Bancroft Way, Dana Street, and Fulton Street near the UC Berkeley campus. The redesign narrows vehicle lanes and reallocates street space to roughly 25 percent each for bikes, transit, loading, and cars, producing calmer, safer conditions for pedestrians and other users. The project advances municipal goals including Vision Zero, the Climate Action Plan, ADA transition priorities, the Pedestrian Plan, the Bicycle Plan, and the Transit First Policy. Funding combined local, state, and federal sources, including a federal aid grant covering half the cost. Advocates urged streamlining future projects and expressed gratitude to former District 7 Councilperson Rigel Robinson.

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