February 22, 2024

Deputy City Manager, LaTanya Bellow 2180 Milvia Street,
Berkeley, CA 94704
AC Transit General Manager Hursh 1600 Franklin St
Oakland, CA 94612
CC: AC Transit Board of Directors and Berkeley City Council

Deputy City Manager Bellow and General Manager Hursh,

Access to low- or zero- emission transportation solutions such as walking, biking, and taking the bus align with Sierra Club’s mission; and we will not be able to meet our climate goals without them. Low-income, disabled, and elderly people, as well as communities of color, are especially isolated and impacted by a lack of reliable public transit and safe walking and cycling conditions.

The Sierra Club in the past has supported BRT and bus-only lanes in Berkeley, and we look forward to reviewing the project plans when they are available.

In order to enhance safety for all users, we urge the City of Berkeley to take steps to avoid repeating what happened on the City of Oakland’s project along International Blvd. Since the completion of the project, there has been a large increase in injuries and deaths along this stretch of street because drivers are now freely using the bus-only lane to speed and pass slower traffic, endangering pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. Since the installation of the bus-only project, speeding drivers have killed almost 1 person per month along International Blvd, significantly more than before the project.

To avoid that outcome, we ask that Berkeley adhere to NACTO recommendations for street safety when designing new bus-only lanes in high-injury corridors.

NACTO recommends they be “separated with soft barriers (i.e. rumble strips) or hard barriers (concrete curbs). If hard separation is used, bus lanes should be designed to allow passing at selected points.” Speed cushions are also being studied and, if implemented in Oakland, should be planned from the beginning on any bus-only lane projects in Berkeley. Paint and signage alone are not enough to discourage unsafe speeds.

We urge that these speed reduction/safety measures be included wherever bus-only and BRT lanes are planned. Paint and signage alone are not enough to discourage unsafe speeds.

Respectfully,

Maxwell Davis, Chair and Melinda Howard-Herrarte, Vice Chair Sierra Club Northern Alameda County Group

Sierra Club Transportation Policy
NACTO speed cushion information