Reducing Richmond bridge bike lane access is Thursday meeting topic

Bicyclists and pedestrians who’ve enjoyed having their own dedicated lane on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge the past five years may want to attend a workshop Thursday where decision-makers plan to discuss reducing access to three days a week.

The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) plans to review and discuss a proposal to modify the existing bike path program, which currently allows seven-day access.

The much anticipated discussion comes months after Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) officials and Caltrans proposed closing the bike lane Mondays through Thursdays during peak commute hours for emergency vehicle use, limiting cyclist and pedestrian access to Fridays through Sundays.

Since 2019, cyclists have used the 10-foot-wide path on the bridge’s north side, separated from traffic by a moveable concrete barrier. The MTC, which oversees the region’s toll bridges, submitted the proposal to the BCDC as a modification of the existing pilot program, which hundreds of bicyclists recently celebrated with a group ride from Richmond to Marin County. The BCDC, a state commission that exists to protect public access for Bay Area shorelines, will now decide whether to approve the changes, which aim to improve traffic flow by using the bike path as an emergency lane Mondays through Thursdays.

According to the BCDC’s agenda, the California Department of Transportation is proposing reducing the days and hours of operations of the public path for two years to collect additional data about how having the lane available for emergencies would impact traffic and response times.

Cities, agencies and thousands of cyclists oppose bridge bike lane proposal

The Richmond, Albany and Berkeley city councils, as well as the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee and San Francisco Bay Trail Project Board of Directors, have formally opposed reducing bridge access.

Additionally, 3,265 people and more than 70 cycling organizations nationwide, including Save the Bay, have signed a petition demanding that the bike lane remain open 24/7, consistent with other Bay Area toll bridges. According to the Trails for Richmond Action Committee, about 385,000 cyclists and pedestrians have used the bridge path since it opened in November of 2019, making it potentially the most frequented route of its kind on California’s state-owned bridges.

Marin County drivers have consistently advocated for removing bicycle access at public meetings, and usage statistics tell an interesting story. The bridge carries more than 80,000 vehicles on a typical weekday. In contrast, according to transportation commission reports cited by the Marin Independent Journal last November, the bike path averages 115 cyclists on weekdays and 325 on weekends.

According to a report by UC Berkeley’s California Partners for Advanced Transportation Technology (PATH) released in May, the bike lane’s impact on bridge traffic has been minimal. While the lane does reduce the bridge’s overall vehicle capacity, the study found that average peak travel times to cross the bridge remained largely unchanged from pre-installation levels across all days of the week.

The research revealed that westbound drivers experienced only a marginal increase in travel time — less than one minute — after the bike lane’s installation. However, the study noted one significant drawback: Weekday peak travel times became less predictable, primarily because the barrier prevents disabled vehicles from being removed from the flow of traffic.

An MTC report presented to the Marin County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 5, 2024 looking at cycling patterns showed a distinct difference between weekdays and weekends. 

During typical weekdays, the path sees about 140 cycle trips in both directions combined. This number increases significantly during weekends and holidays, when usage jumps to 360 trips per day. The study also revealed clear patterns in how cyclists utilize the path: The vast majority — 85% of riders — use it primarily for recreational purposes and exercise, while only 15% of cyclists use the bridge for commuting.

Cyclists, however, told Richmondside in November that the bike lane is critical for people who commute to and from the East Bay, as high housing prices in Marin County force many to live further away from their jobs.

At least 200 cyclists rode across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on Nov. 16, 2024 to celebrate the anniversary of the bike lane and to demonstrate to transportation officials their desire to keep the bike and pedestrian lane open permanently.

Bike East Bay, an advocacy organization focused on alternative transportation, agrees that the bridge’s congestion issues stem from the high volume of vehicular traffic rather than bicycle usage. The group added that eliminating bicycle access during peak traffic periods would not address the underlying congestion problems.

“Clearly there’s more people driving on the bridge than biking…but what we are saying is, the pathway is not the cause of the congestion,” Robert Prinz, advocacy director for Bike East Bay, told Richmondside at the event. “Largely through land use, we need more housing and more public transportation. We’re looking for solutions that don’t just kick the can down the road.”