This comment is a really good one about the sad state of Alameda’s transit planning:
That said, and turning to serious objections, the transit planning could be a lot more ambitious and thought of at the city level. Emeryville set up its shuttle system. The aim should be to get existing residents, not just new ones, out of their cars and onto buses, bikes and ferries. It’s very doable. And you don’t need to get too many to have a big effect of traffic at peak times: the effect of the marginal driver is greater than that of the earlier one.
Right now, we are relying, heavily, on grants and new developments to fund alternatives to AC Transit to get folks in select areas on the West End through the tube to get to Bart. Perhaps, if residents would like an Emery-Go-Around type public transportation option we should encourage existing retail corridors and shopping centers to put money into a pool along with these sub areas to create a Alameda-Go-Round that would be free (or have a small surcharge) for Alameda residents in general.
Also, the City should be looking into ways of getting Alameda residents to the ferry terminal other than by car. Right now biking on either Stargell or Appezzato to Main Street is not a pleasant experience. There are no dedicated bike lanes on Appezzato at all and after Fifth Street there is not a dedicated bike lane on Stargell either. Right now on Stargell there is a huge empty strip running parallel to Stargell which was to be reserved for widening Stargell to two lanes in each direction. If that is not going to happen, the strip would be a perfect cycle track for Stargell which would provide a safe biking path along that stretch of Stargell. Main Street to the ferry terminal still would need improvement too.
But enough about what we don’t have, what we do have is not too shabby and certainly beats the alternative of not having any cross-tube options. By the way, for some reason I find the concept of the Cross Alameda Shuttle a little intimidating, maybe because it’s free and I feel like I should be paying something to ride it. Anyway, here’s the route map with the schedule:
The headways, since it runs in a continuous loop are not ideal, but there’s always the AC Transit 51 to get you through the tube if you don’t want to wait.
Target is also running a shuttle which drops off at the 12th street Bart Station, which I like better than Lake Merritt for inexplicable reasons. The headways are a little better because it only has two stops to the Estuary Crossing Shuttle’s six stops.
Blogging Bayport Alameda 
I was standing in line waiting for a ferry about three months ago, and was talking to a fellow ferry rider about this very subject. She was real clear that she didn’t want to have to pay for the cost of transit for the new people moving into Alameda. That’s how she saw it.
We’re having trouble getting people to agree to any new tax to improve our City. This City voted down the sales tax measure, and Trish Spencer, David Howard, and some guy running for school board leads the pack to vote No against Measure I – the new school improvement bond measure. So the small surcharge you mention would be a tax – and I could see some folks lining up to protest it. They would just say “No” even though it would improve our transit system citywide.
But interestingly, there are some people who like the Transportation Demand Management programs that are being implemented in the new developments and have asked if and how they can buy into it. These people would perhaps support the small surcharge you mention.
Comment by Karen Bey — October 13, 2014 @ 6:56 am
People are tired of the Three Card Gilmore and Gang……They have stripped all the monies out of things being spent that Benefit Alamedans to all monies going to Things that Support her Backers.
While all that happens City Assets Decay like our Streets, Parks, Buildings and Program Cuts for the Citizens and Huge Fees skyrocket and New Ones Invented.
The Budget for Parks and Recreation was gutted so bad they merged it with another to hide….Brillant Leadership
Comment by Three Card Gilmore and Gang — October 13, 2014 @ 3:58 pm
Three card – could you be specific as to exactly what money has been “stripped” and what money has been “spent”? In line item form, please. This is the first I have heard of this and I am curious as to what you mean in specific terms.
Comment by Kate Quick — October 13, 2014 @ 5:17 pm
The record shows the opposite. Gilmore and the council majority votes have INCREASED funding for parks and recreation programs — new pool at Encinal, repair of pools at Emma Hood, soccer fields, baseball fields, bike path on Shoreline.
Comment by Alan — October 13, 2014 @ 5:37 pm
Alan and Kate……Give me a Park by Park , line by line, Year by Year on how much money has been spent for the kids in this town on Recreation Programs @ Each Park since 2010…… How much on Swim Programs at all the pools and preventative maintenance and upgrades ,….. Why are all our pools in disrepair…Where are the Baseball programs, Basketball Programs, Soccer Programs, Football Programs. These have all become private fee based programs and we have 40% of our kids attending school live in poverty and receive free lunches at school…..How many parks have park directors running programs 5 days a week running all these programs for the kids. This was the standard in this town……We have added fees like using a picnic table and a BBQ in a Park….How much in fees are collected just to use our parks….Look forward to your response.
Comment by Three Card Gilmore and Gang — October 13, 2014 @ 7:32 pm
It’s all for the kids
Comment by Three Card Gilmore and Gang — October 13, 2014 @ 7:37 pm
Exactly what is happening in Alameda
Published on Sep 25, 2014
Gentrification in the Mission enabled by the SF Parks & Rec in collusion with the private City Fields Foundation. Without community approval, the private foundation decided to issue costly permits to a small traditional pick-up soccer field. The entitled show up and try to kick the neighborhood kids off of the field at prime time without even showing their “permit.” They don’t want to wait their turn and play with everyone else. They finally agree to play together but then the guy with the permit finally arrives. “Don’t you understand? You have to leave ….. we’re part of the community, this is awkward and weird, disastrously weird” Off camera, the other guy says “Who cares about the neighborhood?”
Comment by Three Card Gilmore and Gang — October 13, 2014 @ 7:44 pm
7. John, exactly not anything like what is happening in Alameda. There is gentrification happening here, but it has been a long gradual process of younger people with kids migrating here FROM places like San Francisco to put there kids in schools, buying homes of people who are cashing out, like retirees, not a hyper influx of Tech Bros. Yes we have Google Buses etc., but your attempt at an apt comparison is wildly off base. Marie Gilmore is not Ed Lee.
Comment by MI — October 13, 2014 @ 9:42 pm
6. The answers can be found on http://www.alamedaca.gov. One example is at http://alamedaca.gov/recreation/projects/estuary-park-athletic-field-complex-renovation, Estuary Park is for disabled kids made possible by City funding.
Comment by Alan — October 13, 2014 @ 9:53 pm
My sense is that a lot is going on on behalf of kids and families, but with the big economic turndown almost all cities turned to fees and cut back on hours/staff to reflect the decrease in revenue. Some local cities even closed parks altogether. As the economy improves and we have a concomitant rise in revenues, I would anticipate that these services will be restored incrementally. Alameda has been getting grants and planning for increases in recreational services already. I hope that this will continue.
Comment by Kate Quick — October 14, 2014 @ 6:32 am
Totally off this tangent, Marina Village Business Park is running a BART shuttle too. http://www.cbre.us/o/oakland/AssetLibrary/MV_BART_Shuttle_Schedule.pdf
I can’t find anything about costs or eligibility for ridership on their website.
Comment by AK — October 14, 2014 @ 6:06 pm