The bottom line:

On July 28, Berkeley City Council will vote on whether to repave Hopkins Street with pedestrian, bicycle, and transit improvements (including protected bike lanes). Please send them a letter to support making Hopkins smooth, safe, and accessible for all!

More details:

Back in April, at safe streets advocates’ urging, City Council’s infrastructure-focused committee unanimously recommended that Council reject a proposal to repave Hopkins with only pedestrian improvements unless it is changed to include bike lanes and transit improvements. Since then, Councilmember Kesarwani (D1) has developed a new proposal that largely aligns with the committee’s recommendations and adopted City plans. On July 28, Council will vote on it.

The proposed design has one-way protected bike lanes on each side of the street from The Alameda to Peralta (where they will connect to the Ohlone Greenway). It also proposes painted bike lanes and traffic calming from The Alameda to Sutter, traffic calming from Peralta to San Pablo, and pedestrian safety and transit improvements. While there’s room for improvement, the proposed design would be a very good outcome.

The switch to one-way protected bike lanes is an improvement over the earlier two-way concept, as it will be even safer. And we’re excited that this proposal would create low-stress bicycle connections to Martin Luther King Middle School and track/park/pool, Hopkins businesses, Gilman Street, and the Ohlone Greenway. However, the lack of protected bike lanes east of The Alameda and west of Peralta is a disappointment, so we are continuing to push for them, while supporting the referral.

In line with multiple adopted City plans, these improvements will rebalance space on Hopkins to advance our community’s climate, safety, and equity goals. From The Alameda to California/Monterey, the new protected bike lanes will require removing car parking from the north side of the street, while retaining parking on the south side, including in front of the businesses between McGee and California. From California/Monterey to Peralta, car parking will need to be removed from both sides. However, the item also includes strategies to better manage curb space so that merchants have loading zones and residents and visitors who need to drive can park their vehicles.

Unfortunately there is still opposition to this proposal, so please voice your support! We need Council to hear from as many supporters as possible!