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Sunday will offer people biking and walking their first opportunity to make the trip from the East Bay to the outer edges of San Francisco’s city limits. While the dream of crossing the Bay entirely by bike or on foot remains some years off, CalTrans is opening the Bay Bridge People Path landing at Yerba Buena Island this Sunday, Oct. 23, from around noon to 6:00 p.m.

The completion of the Bay Bridge People Path is the culmination of years of dreaming by advocates in San Francisco and the East Bay. The path is officially named after one of those advocates, Alex Zuckerman, the late co-founder of the group that became Bike East Bay.

“We’ve been working to make this path a reality for over two decades,” said Renee Rivera, executive director of Bike East Bay. “Since the path partially opened three years ago, it has already become a unique way to experience the bay. We are thrilled to finally be able to walk and bike to Yerba Buena Island.”

After this Sunday, the Bay Bridge People Path landing on Yerba Buena Island will next open on Saturday, Nov. 5. The landing will then regularly be open on weekends and holidays between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., excepting closures for demolition of the old East Span of the Bay Bridge. Updates to the accessibility of the complete Bay Bridge People Path will be posted by CalTrans at www.BayBridgeInfo.org/path.

The landing places people biking on Yerba Buena Island’s Hillcrest Road, a street for fast-moving local traffic. With no facilities for people biking and walking, the SF Bicycle Coalition and Bike East Bay advocated for shuttle service to pick up people reaching the landing in the short-term, and are working towards a long-term vision of redesigning this street. The shuttles will have bike racks and run between the landing and Treasure Island at the intersection of The Avenue of the Palms and 9th Street regularly. From there, people may catch SF Muni’s 25-Treasure Island bus to and from the Temporary Transbay Terminal or enjoy Treasure Island. There is not currently any AC Transit service to the islands.

Image courtesy of CalTrans. The Bay Bridge Trail section marked “under construction” is that portion now completed and open Sunday.

“There are still so many more improvements coming to Yerba Buena and Treasure Islands, and we’re working with planners to see truly inspiring, enjoyable infrastructure built there, much of which will have spectacular views,” said Brian Wiedenmeier, executive director of the SF Bicycle Coalition. “That said, seeing the Bay Bridge People Path built halfway across the San Francisco Bay and touching down in SF city limits is really exciting.”

There are three East Bay access points for folks to enjoy the Bay Bridge People Path, which is a short ride from West Oakland BART. The complete path is 2.2 miles between Oakland and Yerba Buena Island and 15.5-feet wide, with demarcated lanes for people biking and walking.

Victories like this are a direct results of our members’ advocacy and support of our work. Not yet a member? Please empower our work on behalf of everyone who bikes in San Francisco. Join today.