The bike lanes on Central Ave. were extended between Walnut and Oak in February. Diagonal parking in front of the historic high school was removed in order to re-install the lanes. The next section of this bicycle artery will open between Oak and Park streets when the Alameda Theater reopens. At that time, riders will be able to cruise straight from High to Grand.
BikeAlameda volunteers spent long hours convincing city staff and city council that restriping this bike lane was important. There used to be one here, before the 1989 earthquake moved the library to Central Avenue into the high school. The idea started with the proposal for a 500 car parking garage. With that new parking it seemed that the loss of about 10 spaces couldn't possibly be important and it should be a no-brainer to put bike lanes back on Central Avenue.
That thought process didn't seem to work with city staff working so hard to give Alamedans a new parking garage. They didn't feel that Central Avenue was in the "scope" of their project on Central Avenue and Oak. So BikeAlameda called in some advocates to a City Council meeting. Volunteer speakers showed up in force with prepared arguments for why the bike lanes should be restored. It was a wonderful turn out and a great show for bicyclists. City Council was convinced that it was a "no-brainer" and it was decided that the lanes would be striped.
The only remaining issue was when. In the end, when turned out to be the month that the parking garage opened. Only four years after those first parking garage discussions.
posted: Wed, 27 Feb 2008