Milvia Street Bikeway Improvements Project

Objectives of the project are to:

• Improve safety for everyone traveling along Milvia Street
• Provide a more comfortable bicycling and walking experience for people of all ages and abilities
• Encourage trips made by bicycling and walking by improving connectivity and accessibility
• Maintain and support and the economic vitality of the corridor

The project plans include a Class IV protected bikeway with separation from motor traffic by way of a vertical element, intersection treatments and traffic calming features, and elimination of the slip lane at Milvia and Center Street. Initial funding for conceptual design and environmental review has been provided by a grant from the Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC). Funding for detailed engineering design and construction has been provided by a grant from the State of California Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program.

Berkeley has the highest rate of bicycling to work in the United States among cities with over 100,000 residents, and Milvia is the City’s primary north-south bikeway. In recent years, there's been a significant rise in bicycle activity in Downtown Berkeley, particularly along Milvia Street. At last count, over 500 people on bicycles pass through the intersection of Milvia and Channing during the 2-hour PM peak period alone. During the same period, over 400 pass through the Intersection of Milvia and Hearst. While the high volume of use is encouraging, there has also been a high volume of collisions. According to analysis completed for the City Bicycle Plan 2017, Milvia Street had the highest number of total collisions between 2001 and 2012, which suggests that design changes should be evaluated to better accommodate the mix of roadway users along this downtown Bicycle Boulevard. The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) recommends vehicle volumes lower than 1,500 per day to provide a comfortable bicycling environment for children, families, and others who feel unsafe riding in traffic. 

A number of City plans and policies have highlighted the stretch of Milvia Street in Downtown Berkeley as a high priority area for bicycle facility improvements. The Strategic Plan (2018), Bicycle Plan (2017), and Strategic Transportation Plan (2016) recommend replacing the existing segments of Class III bicycle shared-roadway markings and Class II bicycle lanes on Milvia between Hearst Avenue and Blake Street with a Class IV protected bikeway (also known as a cycle track). Similarly, the Streets and Open Space Improvement Plan (2012) and Downtown Area Plan (2012) recommend establishing a continuous bicycle lane and traffic calming on Milvia through downtown.