December 10, 2019

Note: Dolan Law Firm occasionally sponsors stories on Bike East Bay. Unless noted in the story, Dolan Law Firm is not consulted for the content or editorial direction of the sponsored content.

On Tuesday December 3, Berkeley City Council unanimously approved protected bikeway designs for Milvia Street. The improved twelve block stretch between Hearst Avenue and Blake Street includes protected bike lanes on both sides, with less vehicle traffic thanks to clever one-way conversions on certain blocks. Walk Bike Berkeley and Bike East Bay supporters turned out out to City Council to support the project, which is the culmination of decades of advocacy. Said Liza Lutzker of Walk Bike Berkeley during public comment: “I bike Milvia every single day. I cannot wait for this project to happen…This will really enable families who want to bike in Berkeley but are scared - particularly about Milvia Street - to bike safely through a highly congested area.”

Milvia has been identified for potential bike lane greatness since 1971, and we are beyond excited to finally move this project forward. As a key connection to downtown businesses, schools, and Berkeley’s Civic Center, Milvia has the highest volume of bikes in Berkeley, but is far from a safe connection. Advocates who spoke in support of the project asked the city to fast-track the improvements on this important corridor.

Detailed engineering design will take place from January - October 2020, and construction is slated for May 2021-January 2022 (view the full presentation and anticipated timeline). In the meantime, improvements are coming nearby to Hearst Ave., Adeline St., and Dana St. in 2020.

Thanks to dedicated Bike East Bay members, Walk Bike Berkeley members, and local champions, the Berkeley biking network is taking shape. After 50 years, we’re ready to see improvements on Milvia Street one step closer to becoming reality.

What’s the back-story on this important network connection? Read all about it here.

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