Bike to Work’s tomorrow
Tomorrow’s (May 15) Bike To Work Day and the weather is making it a perfect day to try out (or get back in the habit of) bicycling to work.
If you’re heading to Oakland, here’s the preferred route (sorry West Enders, you can either pedal down to Park Street, or use AC Transit to carry you through the tubes, I’m not recommending a ride through tubes, though it can be done).
Step One: Get yourself to the Park Street Bridge and cross it on the eastern side (don’t use the west path, you’ll find yourself dangerously riding against traffic on the other end).
Step two: head towards I880 as if you were going to San Jose (don’t get involved in the weave at the Triangle, go past it and past the entrance to the 29th Ave overcrossing.
Step three: about 25 yards from the freeway entrance, turn left under the 29th Street overcrossing. (Traffic is much lighter here than you would expect, this is easy. Take the lane when there’s a large break between cars, you have a legal right to do so.)
Step four: Ride along E. 7th Street, when you 23rd Ave, stay on the right side of the lane, this removes you from the traffic that is merging from the right. Head straight onto Embarcadero. It’s an easy ride from here.
Decision time: Since I work near Frank Ogawa Plaza, but South of Broadway, I ride up 5th Ave, turn left at E. 10th Street, cruise past Laney College, Turn Right on Oak (at the Oakland Museum) and Left on 12th Street down to Franklin, then right to 14th where I park my bike in the parking garage (the bike parking is watched by the ticket booth folks).
If you work on Washington, Clay or north of Broadway, most people like to stay on Embarcadero to Oak, turning Left on 2nd Street and then Right on Washington. I’d recommend not using Broadway unless you are really comfortable riding with lots of traffic.
And you’re there.
Lastly. I’ll be working at the Bike To Work Day Energizer Station at Alameda City Hall, stop by and get your free BTWD Bag and BikeAlameda water bottle. And if you want, come by at 9am and we can ride into Oakland together.
whitney
May 14th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Thanks! A preferred, pedal-by-pedal, route is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you also to “Alameda” who provided the bike mapping link the other day. It was helpful although it still left me a little unsure of which bridge/streets to take. I’ll give this route a try and hopefully can start a new habit.
Erik
May 15th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I’ve used this route since you laid it out on the BikeAlameda mailing list. Works well, but you don’t mention the return trip. Part of the trick is getting back to 10th without getting caught in Oakland’s sudden one way-to-two way street conversions.
I’ve found that taking Madison to 10th seems to be best from my starting point (around 20th & Franklin).
I still get guilt feelings riding on the Park Street bridge sidewalk (either direction), but that seems to be the consensus route.