Recap: Salvio to Todos Santos Plaza

This afternoon as planned, Kenji, Smitty, and I (Claire) met with outgoing City of Concord Transportation Manager Ray Kuzbari to discuss improvements on Salvio Street from Port Chicago Highway to Colfax Street.  Currently, the lanes on Salvio Street end at Port Chicago Highway.  This, combined with car-optimized signal timing and right turning traffic make the last two blocks difficult to traverse by bike.

We were pleasantly surprised to hear Mr. Kuzbari suggest for future capital improvement dedicated bike lanes (with removal of on-street parking to accommodate same), improved signal loops, and potentially Concord’s first bike box.  (In the short term, we can expect longer light cycles so bicyclists have enough time to get through the intersection.) This would change the current plan for Salvio from Colfax to Port Chicago Hwy in the Bicycle, Pedestrian and Safe Routes to Transit Plan from Class III sharrows (as discussed in today’s earlier post) to Class II dedicated bike lanes.  (The last block from Colfax to Grant would remain Class III as currently indicated in the BPSRT Plan.)  This is a far cry from the stencil-and-a-sign treatment originally planned by the City!

The bad news is that the pavement on Salvio between Colfax and East has deteriorated to the point that it would have to be replaced prior to installing the new detector loops and repainting – a costly repair, and one that will take considerable time to realize. Realistically, it may be a couple of years before this project is implemented.  But the good news is that persistent, targeted advocacy makes progress!

Working for a Salvio St connection to Todos Santos

You may have ridden in the new bicycle lanes on Salvio St between Port Chicago Hwy and Parkside Dr. Aren’t they nice? However, they don’t connect all the way west to Todos Santos yet. So far you have to ride alongside motor traffic without separation for the couple of blocks west of Port Chicago Hwy. That’s enough to deter a lot of people from bicycling to Todos Santos and persuade them to drive instead, taking up more car parking space and increasing traffic congestion.  (If you’ve ever been to the Thursday night Music in the Park series, you’ll be particularly familiar with this scenario.)

Unfortunately, BC learned recently that City staff have no intention of extending the lanes to close that gap. The plan is sharrows and signage, which as you probably know from experience, are just about meaningless for safety. We’ve discussed the matter with several members of City Council and believe there is support to direct staff to get serious and close this gap, which should never have been difficult in the first place.

BC Advocacy Committee members will be meeting at the site with Transportation Manager Ray Kuzbari late this afternoon to discuss options. Wish us luck!

Update of the Contra Costa Bike & Ped Plan – Input Needed

From the Contra Costa County Transportation Authority:

Let’s work together to make bicycling and walking more enjoyable in our community. The Contra Costa Transportation Authority is updating the Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan and we want your input.

Visit KeepContraCostaMoving.net to get involved with the planning process. Take the survey, leave comments and suggestions on the interactive map, and stay up to date with events, meetings, and the latest news!  

Meet with Our State Rep

Would you like the chance to influence active transportation funding without making the trek to Sacramento?  Your opportunity is here!  Bike Concord members will be meeting with CA-14 Assembly Member Tim Grayson (formerly of Concord City Council) on Friday, April 21, 2017 at 10:00 AM at  the district office located at 2151 Salvio Street (the Salvio Pacheco office building on Todos Santos Plaza) in Suite 395.  We will be urging the Asm. Grayson to support the governor’s proposed budget, which earmarks $100 million in active transporation projects.  This means local projects for bicycles, pedestrians and transit could get the funding needed to become a reality.

Meeting TONIGHT: CAC for CNWS Reuse Project

As we wrote here two weeks ago, the first meeting of the Community Advisory Committee for the Concord Naval Weapons Station (CNWS) Reuse Project will take place tonight at 6:00 pm in the Council Chamber at the Concord Civic Center at 1950 Parkside Drive**.

We are now entering a phase of paramount importance in our efforts to ensure that the City and Reuse Project Phase One master developer Lennar–Five Point commit to guaranteeing not only routine but superb accommodation for historically neglected modes—pedestrian, bicycling, and transit—with the aim of securing a Specific Plan that calls for community design that incorporates from the ground up safe, convenient, and comfortable access for these modes.

Following over a decade of debate and initial planning, the looming development of Phase One affords us the first concrete opportunity to advocate for the inclusion of first-rate accommodation for walking, bicycling, and transit. As noted in our previous post two weeks ago on this subject, Bike Concord is in stalwart support of the full implementation of Complete Streets principles for the CNWS Reuse Project. Reuse of this site consistent with Complete Streets will allow for the unprecedented opportunity for Concord to achieve full modal separation on streets from project inception, with dedicated space for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit, and motorists.

Although we don’t expect tonight’s meeting to delve into much, if any, wonkish discussion of Phase One—staff will present an overview of the CNWS Reuse Project planning process as well as outline the role and responsibilities of the newly formed CAC and the next steps; it’s the “first day of school,” if you will—for those of you able to attend tonight, your presence and involvement is most certainly welcome for the start of this exciting new chapter in the long and storied evolution of the former CNWS property.

(** For those of you arriving by bicycle and are holders of a BikeLink card, secure parking is available in a pod of four lockers a mere two-minute walk away from the Council Chamber entrance. The lockers are located on the north side of the Civic Center directly across from the entrance to the Concord Library on Salvio Street.)

We hope to see you there.