Our push for more street space for walking and biking during COVID-19

Soon after the City’s Shelter in Place Order went into effect, we recognized that people needed more space to maintain physical distance while walking and biking for essential trips. In late March 2020, we requested that the City temporarily disallow motor vehicle through traffic on Berkeley’s existing and planned bicycle boulevards help address this issue. Read our full letter here. We also developed a petition, which 570 people eventually signed, and identified nearly 300 people ready to volunteer to help with implementation.

We’re proud that our advocacy has been featured in local and national media, helping to inspire similar efforts across the world. In fact, Oakland’s Slow Streets program mirrors the model we proposed for Berkeley. On May 21 the City plans to launch a Healthy Streets program. While we wish it had started earlier, we look forward to helping.