Olympic Blvd | 511 Contra Costa

Walnut Creek's Green Bike Lanes & Top US Bike Lanes (BTWD 2016)

Green bike lanes have landed in Walnut Creek just in time for Bike to Work Day! The bike lane on Olympic Blvd has been painted green on the segment between N. California and the I-680 on ramp.
Walnut Creek Olympic BlvdThe creation of green bike lanes has been on the rise in the Bay Area since San Francisco’s first green lanes on Fell Street in 2010. It’s an inexpensive way to remind motorists to stay alert for cyclists, especially when drivers have to enter the green-painted area to change lanes or make a turn.
Does the painting of bike lanes help? A report on Portland’s painted bike lanes concluded:

The percentage of motorists yielding increased to 92 percent, a 27 percent increase… The overwhelming majority [of cyclists] (76 percent) felt that the locations were safer since the installation.

Given the benefits of painted bike lanes, it’s no surprise that at least 7 of the projects that made People for Bikes‘ list of the Best New Bike Lanes feature green paint.
If you want to see what the future of bike lanes might look like (or just drool over some amazing bike infrastructure), check out People for Bikes’ America’s 10 Best New Bike Lanes of 2015.

Photos: Adam Foster, John Greenfield

Olympic Corridor Trail Connector Study (2013)

Contra Costa County, together with the cities of Lafayette and Walnut Creek are conducting a planning study to examine a preferred alignment for a feasible alignment and a preferred alternative for a pedestrian/bicycle facility from the Lafayette-Moraga Trail to the Iron Horse Trail in downtown Walnut Creek.  Review the study area map.
The first Community Workshop will be held  Thursday, December 5 at 6:30 p.m. in Walnut Creek.
6:30-8:30 pm
Multi-Purpose Room
Parkmead Elementary
1920 Magnolia Way
Walnut Creek, CA 94595
[google map]

The specific purpose of the Community Workshop is to capture community ideas about the preferred alternative and the criteria that will be used to select the recommended alignment.
After the Community Workshop a preferred alternative will be selected, designed and studied for feasibility and cost.  A second Community Workshop will be held to present the conceptual drawings and design elements for Preferred Trail Alternative and to receive comments.  Public comments will be incorporated into the Final Study Report.