Go towards the light

The latest entry into the “who’s covering Alameda now” is the Berekely Graduate School of Journalism, the last Alameda story written by North Gate News Online was about the election, but the most recent story is about the Supervisor Lai-Bitker’s meeting last Monday regarding CalTrans retrofit projects.   Highlights from the story:

…“We have been having a very difficult time with our maintenance, trying to just keep up with keeping the lights on, for safety of the public that’s using it, both for traveling in the cars and for pedestrians and bicyclists that do use the tunnels,” CalTrans District Director Bijan Sartipi said at a citizens’ meeting called by Alameda Supervisor Alice Lai-Bitker. The meeting was prompted in particular, Lai-Bitker said, by questions from constituents worried about the light replacement project in the Posey and Webster Street tubes. Although CalTrans officials said the new lighting system will be more efficient and provide more illumination, the temporary lighting during the project has alarmed some drivers and bicyclists using the tubes.

The officials said commuters should not be affected because all of the CalTrans construction work is done at night, and sidewalks are open 24 hours a day. But bicycle commuters from Bike Alameda had come to the meeting to voice their concerns about the impact of the light replacements on their safety.

One bike commuter said, “Because now everybody is turning on their headlights, you are basically blinded by the headlights, so even if there is a sufficient amount of light, it is much darker than it used to be, and you can’t see because of the headlights.” Lai-Bitker and CalTrans are now considering providing shuttle busses through the tunnel for pedestrians and bicyclists…

Of course, this was an issue highlighted by SDR prior to the meeting:

…let’s not think that there have been lessons learned just yet. In June, Caltrans performed a test shut down of the east-side lights in the Posey tube. These are the lights that cover the bike/pedestrian path in the tube, and the only way for pedestrians/cyclists using the path to see where they are going, especially when they are heading towards oncoming traffic whose headlights are on.

Complaints were filed, apologies made, all things right in the world.

Until the lights were turned off again yesterday, leaving the brave tube commuters in the dark once again.

The question quickly becomes, does Caltrans understand the safety hazards they are creating and if so, do they feel that the safety of non-motorized tube users is insignificant? Unfortunately, Caltrans has been incredibly unresponsive to issues regarding the tubes and ped/bike access. The tube seismic retrofit project that was recently completed without even considering improvements to the walkway. This is but one of many instances where Caltrans has completely ignored this important, but nearly unusable connection.

Caltrans, including their local office, perhaps needs to better understand that Alameda is not a small island community, but one of the largest cities in the Bay Area and that cross-estuary access between the west end and Oakland is vital for not only vehicles, but bikes and pedestrians as well.

Well the shuttle busses are all well and good for traditional pedestrians and bicyclists that are heading through the tube, but what are the chances of those busses being welcoming for the non traditional ones.   I know you’ve seen them, the folks shelpping either on a bicycle or carried over their shoulders the big bags full of recyclables to sell in Oakland.   Interestingly enough this was an issue that Councilmember Doug deHaan brought up at a past council meeting under council communications.  Although his solution was instead to bring the recycling center to Alameda Point citing a lack of recycling locations as a reason why these folks have to make the long trek through the tubes.   However, as well intentioned as Councilmember deHaan’s idea is, I don’t know if just having a recycling center at the Point would be enough, it would have to pay as good as or better than the one they are all schlepping to in Oakland, you know the one, with the high fences and the very odd sculpture of Raiders football players.

You’ve probably heard it said before, but Alameda really does need a better estuary crossing on the West End than the tube for pedestrians and bicyclists.   I don’t know how feasible a new structure is, but one can dream can’t they?   It really is not ideal for pedestrians and bicyclists to have to risk life and limb each time they want to go to and from Oakland, not to mention the amount of exhaust that is breathed in while trying to get through it.  I’m sure we’ve all seen –at least once – the tube dance done by two cyclists or pedestrians or rollerbladers or whathaveyou trying to move past one another without falling over the very unsecure railing and into the traffic.   Maybe when the water taxi comes to fruition with Alameda Landing some folks will have an alternative means, but there will still be those few people for whom its the tube or nothing.