State Route 4 will be closed in both directions from Lone Tree Way to Sand Creek Rd for construction on the Mokelumne Trail Bike/Ped Overcrossing. The Hwy 4 closure will run from Friday night, June 16, (9pm) through early Saturday morning, June 17 (6am). Details: http://bit.ly/cctamok
May is National Bike Month and Thursday, May 18, is Bike to Work Day. Start your work day with fresh air and exercise! Enjoy meeting other cyclists and pick up free goodies at various Energizer Stations along your route.
Don’t feel like you’ll be ‘road ready’ in time for Bike to Work Day? Preparing to bike commute isn’t as difficult as you might think. Take a little time to get familiar with your bike, figure out how to carry your stuff, and find a good route or even a bike buddy.
Take the guesswork out of preparing for May 18 with our Six Tips & Tricks to Get You Ready for Bike To Work Day!
If commuting all the way from home to work seems daunting, it’s not cheating to make the distance more manageable by adding BART to your commute. Although bikes are always allowed on BART, there are some rules to be aware of:
To read the full list of rules, visit the Bikes on BART webpage.
511 Contra Costa’s Bike Mapper lets you create a custom bike route by choosing from three hill tolerances and three types of routes: bike paths, bike lanes, or the most direct route. Find other bike maps and resources here.
Pledge to ride on Bike to Work Day – Thursday, May 18 – and you’ll receive a map of energizer stations, a digital goodie bag, and routes to ride to celebrate the day. On Bike to Work Day, you’ll be joining thousands of fellow cyclists as they pedal to work, school, or wherever.
511 Contra Costa offers a variety of incentives for biking more, especially for commuting by bike:
Find out how well you know the rules of the road by taking our Road Safety Quiz. Everyone who completes the quiz will be entered in a drawing for one of twenty $20 Starbucks gift cards. Winners will be notified on May 31.
You’ll find everything from social rides to classes geared towards improving your confidence on the bike on our Bike Events page.
Wondering what Bike To Work Day is like? Check out the video below.
If you’re an employer and want to inspire more of your employees to commute by bike, we can help! Our 2023 Bike to Work Day Employer Toolkit shares ideas and resources to encourage your employees to get out and ride during Bike Month. We also have great strategies and employer resources for making your workplace bike-commute friendly year round.
On Bike to Work Day, more than 45 Contra Costa energizer stations will welcome riders with a free canvas tote, snacks, and good vibes as they bike to work – or wherever. Whether you are an everyday rider or trying a bike commute for the first time, everyone is welcome.
511 Contra Costa has supported cyclists and Energizer Station hosts throughout Contra Costa County since 2001 using Bay Area Air Quality Management District funds and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority’s half-cent sales tax for transportation funds. Bike to Work Day 2023 is presented by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and 511.org.
To help you promote your involvement in Bike Month (aka Bike to Wherever Days) and the Bay Area’s Bike to Work Day on Thursday, May 18, we’ve put together a media kit with promotional copy and graphics.
State Route 4 will be closed in both directions from Lone Tree Way to Sand Creek Rd for construction on the Mokelumne Trail Bike/Ped Overcrossing. The Hwy 4 closure will run from Friday night, May 12, (12am) through early Saturday morning, May 13 (6am). Details: http://bit.ly/cctamok
Brentwood Area Traffic Advisory: Starting tonight (Fri 3/31) – State Route 4 in Brentwood will be closed nightly (in the late night/early morning hours) from Lone Tree Way to Sand Creek Rd for work on the Mokelumne Trail Bike/Ped Overcrossing through Thursday 4/6.
TONIGHT (3/31): EB Hwy 4 closed from midnight-6AM Saurday. Details: http://bit.ly/cctamok
Caltrans has scheduled one-way traffic control on the Antioch Bridge (CA-160), due to bridge inspections. One-way traffic control will begin on Monday, March 20 through Thursday, March 23 from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM each day. During the inspection one side of the bridge will be closed while traffic flows on the other side with one way traffic control assistance. March 20 and 21 Northbound CA-160 will be closed. March 22 and 23 Southbound CA-160 will be closed.
Caltrans has scheduled an overnight closure of the #1 bore of the Caldecott Tunnel on Wed., Jan.12 at 10pm through Thurs., Jan. 13 at 4:30am. The temporary closure is due to tunnel maintenance.
Avoiding Highway 4 traffic is easier than ever with the opening of 850 additional parking spaces at BART’s popular Antioch Station. The new lot is BART’s latest effort to welcome riders back and to encourage East Contra Costa County residents to take BART instead of driving.
Riders at all stations can now pay the daily fee or reserve single day or multi-day parking through the official BART app. The process to purchase monthly parking or join the wait list has also moved to the official BART app. There is no longer a wait list for monthly parking at Antioch.
The parking expansion and access improvement project included:
For more details about station improvements at Antioch BART station, read the article at BART.gov.
Caltrans has scheduled an overnight closure of westbound CA-24 Caldecott Tunnel left bore due to tunnel maintenance work. The westbound closure will take place on Thursday, December 9 between the hours of 10pm to 4:30am. During the closure, all other bores in each direction will remain open.
The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) reminds drivers that tolls at the region’s seven state-owned toll bridges will go up by $1 on Jan. 1, 2022. Regular tolls for two-axle cars and trucks (as well as for motorcycles) at the San Francisco-Oakland Bay, Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael and San Mateo-Hayward bridges will rise to $7 from the current $6 on Jan. 1, 2022.
Tolls for vehicles with three or more axles also will rise by $1 on Jan. 1, 2022, at all seven of the state-owned toll bridges: to $17 for three axles, $22 for four-axles, $27 for five axles, $32 for six axles, and $37 for combinations with seven or more axles.
During the week of November 15, the fourth bore of the Caldecott Tunnel was named for Ellen O’Kane Tauscher, a former Congresswoman for California.
For more about the Caldecott Tunnel, visit our information page.
On this day in 2013, the Fourth Bore of the Caldecott Tunnel had its official opening. At the time of the groundbreaking on January 22, 2010, the Fourth Bore had the distinction of being the largest American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Stimulus project in the nation, in terms of dollars allocated. Since the ribbon cutting in 2013, the Fourth Bore has improved mobility for motorists and emergency crews, reduced delays and improved travel times, eliminated the need for daily tunnel reversals and lane merges, and enhanced safety of the traveling public and Caltrans maintenance workers.
To celebrate the Caldecott Tunnel’s anniversary, here are some facts and figures about the project, as well as some photos. For more about the Fourth Bore, visit the CCTA website.
Bike to Work Day is a promotional event to encourage the use of a bicycle instead of a car.
On Thursday, May 12, there were over 400 Energizer Stations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area where cyclists stopped by for refreshments and promotional items.
511 Contra Costa has supported cyclists and Energizer Station hosts throughout Contra Costa County since 2001 using Bay Area Air Quality Management District funds and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority’s half-cent sales tax for transportation funds.
Bike to Work Day 2016 was presented by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, 511 and Kaiser Permanente. Regional sponsors include the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), Clear Channel Outdoor, The Canary Foundation and Challenge, Clif Bar and KPIX TV.
Recap of This Year’s Bike To Work DayBike To Work Day 2016 saw over 100,000 people across the Bay Area commuting by bike, with more than 5,600 participants in Contra Costa alone! Morning counts across the Bay Area showed an increase in participation of more than 9 percent over last year. Read more about this year’s Bike To Work Day on the 511CC Blog.
Bike Commuter of the Year (BCOY) award recipients are recognized for their dedication to riding their bike for everyday transportation. They are a testament to the many benefits of bicycle commuting: from improving their health to bringing families together.
Contra Costa’s 2016 Bike Commuter of the Year is Karineh Samkian! She started biking to work a few years ago and makes her daily commute from El Cerrito using the Ohlone Greenway and I-80 Bikeway. She’s encouraged co-workers to commute by bike and is even getting her kids excited about cycling. For more of her story, click here.
Bike To Work Day is a great time to try commuting by bike, but it doesn’t have to be the only day you give it a shot! Just remember: Biking to work is all about what works for you. Maybe the weather, or having a bike buddy, or the copious amounts of stuff you have to haul on a bike factors into your decision to cycle to work, and that’s okay!
Biking to work should be enjoyable, so pick days when riding seems fun and reasonable, then go for it. Do that and you might find yourself planning more rides to work. That’s what happened for some of this year’s first-time Bike To Work Day Participants. Read what they had to say about their plans to try biking to work more often.
Antioch: Mokelumne Trail at Prewett Park (hosted by the City of Antioch)
Brentwood: City Park (hosted by Delta Pedalers Bicycle Club)
El Cerrito: Ohlone Greenway (hosted by the City of El Cerrito)
Martinez: Central Contra Costa Sanitary (hosted by Central Contra Costa Sanitary District)
Pleasant Hill: Contra Costa Canal Trail & Gregory Ln (hosted by Pleasant Hill Recreation & Park District)
San Pablo: City Hall (hosted by the City of San Pablo)
Walnut Creek: Contra Costa Canal Trail & Geary Rd
Walnut Creek: Contra Costa Canal Trail & N. Wiget Ln (hosted by Renaissance ClubSport)
Walnut Creek: Iron Horse Trail & Broadway/Newell Ave (hosted by Beeline Bikes & Whole Foods Market)
Walnut Creek: Iron Horse Trail & Contra Costa Canal Trail (hosted by CCTA, 511CC & EBRPD)
Walnut Creek: S. Main St & Newell Ave (hosted by Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center)
Walnut Creek: Olympic Blvd & Newell Ave (hosted by Bike Walnut Creek)
Walnut Creek: Ygnacio Canal Trail & Contra Costa Trail (hosted by Encina Bicycle Center)
Walnut Creek: Iron Horse Trail & Contra Costa Canal Trail (hosted by CCTA, 511CC & EBRPD)
Employers: Tips on Encouraging Bike CommutingIf you’re an employer and want to inspire more of your employees to commute by bike, we can help! You’ll find some great strategies on promoting bike commuting year-round at the YouCanBikeThere.com site. For tips on how to get more people in your organization pushing the pedals on Bike To Work Day, download the Bike To Work Day Employer Toolkit!
Download the 2016 Bike To Work Day Poster
Construction of a portion of the Bay Area Express Lanes on I-680 (between Walnut Creek and San Ramon) has begun and is scheduled to last approximately 15 months. Construction includes installation of variable message signs and overhead toll readers, concrete foundations for overhead freeway sign structures, and laying conduit and fiber optic communications cables for traffic management system communications.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is scheduling construction work so that it will have minimal impacts on traffic. Construction will mainly occur at night, although there may be occasional activity on the shoulder and on arterial streets adjacent to the highway during the day to complete the communications network. Nighttime construction will typically involve closing one or two highway lanes, depending on the nature of the work.
Express Lanes are specially-designated highway lanes that offer toll-free travel for carpools, vanpools, transit, motorcycles and eligible clean air vehicles. Solo drivers also have the choice to pay a toll to use the lanes for a more reliable trip. The Express Lanes between Walnut Creek and San Ramon will have an open access configuration, similar to HOV lanes.
The I-680 Express Lanes between Walnut Creek and San Ramon are scheduled to open in fall of 2016. For more information, you can visit bayareaexpresslanes.org or email info@bayareaexpresslanes.org to request project updates.
Construction is a dynamic process and information is subject to change without notice. Work is subject to weather conditions.
The City of Pittsburg invites you to round up the family and start summer break with the Green Footprint Festival this Thursday!
On July 11, Small World Park will play host to a day of eco-Friendly fun and entertainment celebrating the many aspects of living green. The park will be filled with educational exhibits for kids and adults, highlighting topics like recycling, water & energy conservation, and alternative transportation.
In addition, there will be kids’ crafts, interactive activities and even some magic, comedy and ventriloquism from Dr. Solar’s Good Time, Sunshine, Traveling Medicine Show.
The event runs from 11am-3pm on Thursday, June 11. Special for the festival, admission to the park is $2 per person and ride wristbands are only $1.25. Since it’s a green festival, carpooling, biking, walking and riding Tri Delta Transit are all encouraged.
For more details, visit the City of Pittsburg’s website.
511 Contra Costa is rolling out a new youth biking program in Pleasant Hill. The Summer Youth Bike Challenge provides fun, healthy, no cost summer recreation that challenges participants to explore their hometown via bicycle.
Challenge destinations include public parks and athletic fields, the library, Farmers Market, and Downtown Pleasant Hill. The Summer Youth Bike Challenge is open to all students in grades K-12. Participants are asked to take the challenge and bike to local places by August 29.
For more information, visit the Pleasant Hill Summer Youth Bike Challenge webpage.
Caltrans is reminding motorists that one-way traffic controls will be in effect on the Highway 160 Antioch Bridge as crews perform routine inspections of the span this week and next week. Crews will alternate lane closures in both northbound and southbound directions, with flaggers and a pilot car helping direct traffic. The work is slated from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on four consecutive weekdays – Monday through Thursday of this week and March 16 to 19 next week. This will allow one traffic lane on the bridge to remain open during the inspections. Motorists should expect delays and allow for extra travel time. Work is dependent on the weather. Vessels will pass normally beneath the bridge on the San Joaquin River.
A recent report released by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) shows that people in the US are taking transit in record numbers. This high level of ridership hasn’t been seen since 1956, with almost 10.7 billion trips taken in 2013 — making it the eighth consecutive year with over 10 billion trips on public transportation.
Two of the important factors involved in the rise in ridership are economic recovery and the investments made by transit agencies to expand systems and improve services. APTA President Michael Melaniphy said, “When more people are employed, public transportation ridership increases, since nearly 60 percent of the trips taken on public transportation are for work commutes… We’re seeing that where cities have invested in transit, their unemployment rates have dropped, and employment is going up because people can get there.”
An interesting side-note is that the increased demand for public transportation flies in the face of conventional wisdom that past a certain price point, transit use rises and falls with gasoline prices. In 2008, with gas prices between $4 and $5 a gallon, the number of transit trips taken (10.59 billion trips) was still lower than for 2013 (10.65 billion trips), when gas averaged under $4 a gallon.
Will the demand for transit continue to grow? Based on the data, Mr. Melaniphy says it will. “There is a fundamental shift going on in the way we move about our communities. People in record numbers are demanding more public transit services and communities are benefiting with strong economic growth… This is a long-term trend. This isn’t just a blip.”
Follow the links for more facts from APTA’s 2013 report or to view the complete report.
Back-to-School season is upon us, and if you’ve got a young person who’ll be using transit, make sure their school supplies include a Youth Clipper Card. With it, you’ll receive discounts on monthly passes, ride books, tickets, cash value fares and transfers. The Youth Clipper Card is available for riders ages 5 and up for the following transit operators only: AC Transit, BART, Caltrain, Golden Gate Transit and Ferry, Muni, SamTrans, and VTA. The maximum age varies by transit agency (e.g. BART’s ‘youth’ age range is 5-12 while AC Transit’s is 5-18). You can call 511 to check individual transit agency rules.
How it works: When you use cash value on a Youth Clipper Card, Clipper automatically calculates the discounted fare and applies any applicable transfer discount. For information on the discounted fares offered by each transit agency, click here.
How to get a Youth Clipper Card:
For more information: Visit the Youth Clipper Card page.
Arlington, Virginia contains more than 5,000 bike-parking spaces as a result of its development review and approval process. The county’s commitment to cycling is shown in the attention it pays to the construction of these facilities, as specified in its Guide to Effective Bicycle Parking for residential and commercial buildings, updated in February 2014.
The guide is intended to inform developers, contractors, planners, architects, and property owners regarding the construction of high-quality parking that encourages cycling. The following 10 rules are derived from the guide’s more expansive list of specifications.
See more at Mobility Lab
Street Smarts Diablo took their bicycle blenders to Freedom High School to promote bicycling and teen traffic safety education. A good time was had by all.
CONGRATULATIONS to Alexandria Rickli, a 6th grader from J. Douglas Adams Middle School in Brentwood.
The Central/East office of 511 Contra Costa conducted a student artwork contest among middle schools in Central and Eastern Contra Costa County for the 2014 511 Contra Costa market bag design. The winning artwork of Alexandria Rickli was chosen among 12 entries. The theme of the artwork contest was Explore New Ways to Get Around: carpool, transit, bike, skateboard and walk and was to depict how these environmentally-friendly ways of getting around help reduce pollution and promote clean air. Required elements included the incorporation of the funding partner logos. The contest winner won a $50 gift certificate to a local cinema.
The bags will be given away to the public at the John Muir Birthday – Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 26th at the John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez, and the Pittsburg’s Green Footprint Festival on June 12th, and other community events.
You are invited to participate in the development of the Walnut Creek Pedestrian Master Plan
The Pedestrian Master Plan is the first citywide planning effort focused on making walking in Walnut Creek safer, easier and more popular. The Plan will assess existing conditions for walking; develop goals and policies to guide the implementation of walking facilities; recommend programs and activities to promote walking; and formulate guidelines for the implementation of sidewalks, crosswalks and footpaths. Particular attention will be paid to improving access to schools and transit within the Downtown, as well as to parks, trails and neighborhood shopping centers.
The City is relying on the public’s involvement and your input to help shape the Pedestrian Plan. The first major opportunity for Walnut Creek residents and others to provide input and feedback on the Plan is a public stakeholder workshop taking place on Tuesday, April 22, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm in the 3rd Floor Conference Room of Walnut Creek City Hall, located at 1666 N. Main Street. At the workshop, the public will have the chance to learn more about the project; find out about potential types of pedestrian improvements; and provide their input on all aspects of walking in Walnut Creek.
To give the public more opportunities to provide input on the Pedestrian Plan, the City is also conducting an online survey. The survey is available at www.surveymonkey.com/s/WCwalks; it will be open through April 30, 2014. For more information about the Pedestrian Plan, visit www.WCwalks.org or contact Jeremy Lochirco, Senior Planner at the City, at (925) 943?5899 ext. 2251 or email: lochirco@walnut-creek.org
Electric car drivers, listen up! Last month (March 5th, to be precise), the City of Martinez adopted charging fees at electric vehicle charging stations. Users now have to pay $1 for each hour of charging. With gas prices climbing back towards $4 per gallon the fee is nominal, not to mention necessary to keep such charging stations publicly available and to ensure turnover to allow multiple charging sessions per day at each charging station.
Additionally, charging stations now have varying time limits. Here are the limits listed by location:
To locate available charging stations, visit chargepoint.com and click “Find Stations,” or call 1-877-370-3802 for 24/7 support.
The County Connection is proposing services changes focused in Walnut Creek and Martinez with some changes in Concord and Pleasant Hill. Visit County Connection’s website for more information and to submit a comment.
