It has been ten years since Oakland released its Bicycle Master Plan with the intent of significantly reducing bike accidents. As bike accidents are on the rise throughout the country and the state, some are looking to Oakland to see if the measures made a difference – and if they did, if those measures can make an impact elsewhere.
Today we are going to take a close look at what has worked and what hasn’t. Remember that if you are injured in any type of accident that was even partially the fault of someone else, you may have grounds for a personal injury case. You can contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
The Improvements That Have Been Made So Far
Not all of the suggested improvements laid out in the Bicycle Master Plan have been implemented. Those that have include the creation of the largest group of bike lanes ever created in one single effort, the expansion of the BART Bikeways project to better incorporate biking and public transit, and the repavement of numerous miles of city streets in an effort to lower the road hazards for riders.
There is More to Be Done
Though like bike enthusiasts are generally happy with the work so far, there is still work to be done. The city wants to focus more on downtown and adding bikeways on key streets, such as 11th, 10th, and Telegraph Avenue. There are also some unrelated major public works projects on the way and the city plans to add bike-centric improvements when those are made.
Oakland is Now One of the Bike-Friendliest Cities – And Some Say It’s Paying Off
As the process continues and more bike lanes are added, the real story will be clearer about what the real impact will be. At this point, the Leagues of American Bicyclists find that Oakland is one of just a few truly bike-friendly cities in the country. They point to the fact that the city has invested more than $26 million in the last decade just for bike lanes, there have been nearly 10,000 publicly accessible bike parking spaces, and there have been 50 miles of bike lanes added since 2007. In total, there are now 220 bike-friendly traffic lights as well.
Those who are concerned about bike safety point to a reduction in bike accidents and bike fatalities as evidence that the measures are working. As accidents rise in the rest of the state, it seems reasonable that a closer look at what Oakland is doing will soon be a serious undertaking.
However, at Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas we know that no matter what any city or state does, there will always be bike accidents. If you are involved in one then we suggest you contact us at 909-982-0707 for your free legal consultation.
