Safety on Hopkins Street is at risk! Show your support for prioritizing people and climate action, not parking!

In May 2022, after a year and a half of planning and community engagement, Berkeley City Council approved conceptual designs for a safer Hopkins Street (from Gilman to Sutter) in an 8-1 vote. Council also asked staff to extend safety improvements on Hopkins west, to Kains, after engaging the community. The City's plans to implement safety upgrades when the street is repaved in 2023 - saving money and minimizing construction impacts.

But, Councilmember Sophie Hahn is now proposing Council "reconsider" their decision. She wants to delay the addition of safety features for the most dangerous part of the Hopkins corridor (Gilman to McGee), and spend another $400,000 to re-study those blocks.

Why? Because making the street safe requires removing more vehicle parking spaces than she expected.

The item (available here) goes to Council Tuesday, October 11 (agenda).

"Reconsidering" Hopkins would mean an unsafe status quo repaving from Gilman to McGee.

• Smooth pavement without traffic calming will mean faster vehicle speeds.
• People walking will be less safe without the planned raised crosswalk at Monterey/Hopkins, narrower vehicle travel lanes that slow traffic, and shorter crossing distances throughout the segment.
• People biking to and from West Berkeley won't be safe without protected bike lanes connecting them to Hopkins destinations.
• Transit users will have less reliable service without bus boarding islands.

Further, spending an additional $400,000 to re-study a few blocks on Hopkins is inequitable. The City should use that money to make the many high-injury streets in West and South Berkeley safer!

Tell Council to show their commitment to safety, equity, and climate action by voting NO to reconsidering Hopkins designs!