Richmond-San Rafael span to gain 5.5-mile bicycle lane

It will provide a great view and a commute alternative, backers say

By Rebecca Rosen Lum, Contra Costa Times

Thirty years, one drought and plenty of political wrangling after advocates first pushed for a bicycle lane on the Richmond-San Rafael bridge, the project won approval from the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission on Thursday.

Only one member, Guy Morrison, voted against a motion drafted by Wayne Bell that "supports the goal of providing safe, direct access for cyclists" on the 5.5-mile span.

The resolution calls on Caltrans to begin working immediately with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which is the entity responsible for seeking improvement funds for the bridge, to make the motion a reality.

Bike advocates went to the commission last month, seeking approval for a project to begin as soon as the current seismic retrofit is completed. Since then, state Sen. Tom Torlakson, D-Antioch, and state Sen. President Pro Tem John Burton, D-San Francisco, both weighed in to support the project.

"Ultimately, this means there is an affordable, safe and healthy commute alternative for people who move between Contra Costa and Marin counties -- and one with stunning views," said Deb Hubsmith, executive director of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition.

The cost of a lane on each deck of the bridge has been pegged at about $3.7 million.

The bridge's 12-foot shoulder is three times the size of a standard bike lane. In 1975, Caltrans approved a path. But when drought came, the space was used for a water pipeline instead.

A Caltrans study in 1997 and an additional safety study last year from the Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies both revealed cyclists and motorists rarely collide on high-speed bridges.

Caltrans crews have been working on a $484 million retrofit of the two-deck span; its completion is set for late 2006.

While the work is under way, cyclists suggested they access the bridge on Golden Gate Transit and AC Transit buses. Their ultimate goal is a cantilevered structure separated from traffic, which would allow two-way travel by cyclists and pedestrians. The estimated price tag: $93.4 million.

Most Bay Area bridges offer bicycle access or soon will, including the Dumbarton, Carquinez, Benicia and Antioch. The San Mateo bridge offers no bicycle access. The Bay Bridge transports cyclists on its bicycle shuttle. A 151/2-foot lane on the east span has received the approval of planners as part of the new construction, which is under way.