Richmond | 511 Contra Costa

Fare-Free October for WestCAT and County Connection

For the month of October, all routes for WestCAT and County Connection will be fare-free. No ticket, pass, or coupon required – just get on the bus and enjoy a free ride. This includes County Connection paratransit service and WestCAT LYNX to San Francisco.

WestCAT 31-Day Pass Users: WestCAT is advising all 31-Day Pass users to delay activating any 31-Day Pass until this promotion is over to ensure they do not use a paid pass on any free-fare day. If you use a WestCAT 31-Day Pass on Clipper, you should temporarily disable Autoload to avoid paying in October.

Free Rides Year-Round on Select County Connection Routes: When October is over, you can still take advantage of County Connection’s seven fare-free routes serving Walnut Creek and the Monument Corridor.

Go Fare-Free: With gas prices still high, October is a great opportunity to save money by taking the bus – for commuting, errands, social outings, or whatever. And if you haven’t ridden transit in a while, it’s an excellent time to get back on board. For more information about fare-free October, click below.

Free Richmond Ferry Fest – June 11

Enjoy free ferry rides, live music, food trucks, and more at the first-ever Richmond Ferry Fest on Saturday, June 11. The outdoor festival will take place at the Richmond ferry terminal from 9am to 3pm. It’s free to attend and all are welcome. Registration is recommended.

What to Expect: Food trucks, live music, free harbor ferry rides, local vendors, raffles and giveaways. Bike East Bay will host a free Bike Rodeo (safety class) for kids. The Richmond Promise 5K happening on June 11 will end at the Richmond Ferry Fest.

Getting There: If you’re traveling by bike, you can use the Bay Trail to get to the Richmond Ferry terminal. AC Transit’s Route 74 can drop you right at the event. For those who drive, overflow parking will be provided.

More Information: For full details on the Richmond Ferry Fest, visit the official event page.

Thanksgiving 2021 – Holiday Transit Service

On Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 25), all transit agencies serving Contra Costa County will run on modified schedules. In addition, some agencies will run on modified schedules the day after Thanksgiving (Nov. 26).

Thanksgiving Day – Nov. 25

Day After Thanksgiving – Nov. 26

  • WestCAT: JR/JL, DAR, 11 and 19 – Saturday service
  • Tri Delta Transit – 392, 393, 394, 395, and 396 only (on a Sunday schedule)
  • Capitol Corridor – Weekend/Holiday service
  • Wheels – Saturday service
  • FAST:
    • Local Routes – Regular service
    • SolanoExpress Blue Line – Saturday service
    • SolanoExpress GX Line – No service
  • Golden Gate Transit – Holiday service
  • SolTrans – Saturday service
  • All other transit on regular weekday schedules (BART, AC Transit, County Connection, San Francisco Bay Ferry)

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2021 Transit Service (January 18)

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday, January 18), some transit agencies will provide regular weekday service while others will run on modified schedules. Below, we’ve collected information on Contra Costa holiday transit service for easy reference.

Click any link below for additional schedule information.

Transit Service Changes: Status as of March 26

For additional information, click the name of any transit agency name to visit their service updates page.
For transit service updates for the larger Bay Area, visit 511.org.

BART: Reduced Service
BART is providing service Monday-Friday from 5am-9pm. Regular weekday train frequency will remain the same. All riders must be in the system by 8:45pm to have a guaranteed ride to their destination. Starting Saturday March 28, Saturday and Sunday service will be from 8am-9pm (currently Saturday service is 6am-midnight and Sunday is 8am-midnight). Current weekend train frequency will remain the same.

AC Transit: Boarding Changes, No Fare Collection
AC Transit has implemented rear-door boarding on buses with multiple doors. Fare payment is not required until further notice. Passengers requiring ADA ramps, utilizing mobility devices or need priority seating may continue to use the front door for boarding. Wheelchair riders may be allowed onboard without securements by bus operators.

County Connection: No Fare Collection
County Connection has temporarily suspended fare collection on all routes including paratransit.

WestCAT: Reduced Service, Boarding Changes, No Fare Collection
WestCAT isn’t collecting fares on any service until further notice and is suspending all mail orders. The JX Route has been suspended. WestCAT Lynx will operate on a holiday schedule only. The Early Bird Express will continue to operate. All passengers able to board & exit through the rear door should do so.

Tri Delta Transit: Boarding Changes, No Fare Collection
Passengers will board fixed-route buses through the rear door unless they require the wheelchair ramp. Additionally, no fares will be collected on any Tri Delta Transit buses.

Richmond Ferry: Suspended Service
The Richmond Ferry will not operate until further notice.

Capitol Corridor: Reduced Service
Train frequency has been reduced to five round trips daily between Sacramento and Oakland, with four of these round trips continuing to San Jose. This schedule will be the same all seven days of the week, meaning no weekend/holiday schedule differences.

Wheels Bus: Reduced Service, Boarding Changes, No Fare Collection
Fare collection has been suspended and passengers without disabilities are to use the rear door for boarding and exiting. Service frequencies have been reduced on Rapid Routes 10R and 30R. Operation of Routes 2, 20X, and 580X has been suspended. Dial-a-Ride Paratransit, Para-taxi and GoDublin are still available.

Altamont Corridor Express: Reduced Service, Ticketing Changes
Until further notice, ACE has suspended Saturday service as well as the ACE 07 and ACE 10, and will be running shorter trains. ACE has suspended in-person ticket sales at the Lathrop/Manteca and Tracy stations and is encouraging passengers to use mobile ticketing when boarding. In-person ticket sales will still be available during mornings at the Pleasanton station.

Golden Gate Transit: Reduced Service
Service adjustments have been made, including the cancellation of some southbound and northbound commute trips until further notice. Additional cancellations may be necessary on a daily basis.

Fairfield and Suisun Transit: Reduced Service, Boarding Changes, No Fare Collection
FAST local service and SolanoExpress commuter service have been reduced. Details of changes are available on FAST’s Service Advisory page. No fares are being collected and passengers are being asked to board and exit through the rear door if able to.

Solano Transit: Reduced Service, Boarding Changes, No Fare Collection
SolTrans Local, SolanoExpress, and Paratransit service are operating on a Saturday service schedule on weekdays until further notice. Passengers should board using the center doors. Those who need assistance from the ramp may board at the front doors. If possible, the use of Token Transit is recommended for easy visual fare adherence boarding (so that money does not need to be handled). SolTrans will not collect fares on Local, SolanoExpress and Paratransit service.

Presidents’ Day 2020 Transit Service (Feb. 17)

american flagOn Presidents’ Day (Monday, February 17), some Contra Costa transit agencies will offer regular weekday service while others will run on holiday schedules. We’ve collected service information for all transit providers below for easy reference.

Click any link below for additional information.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2020 Transit Service (January 20)

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday, January 20), some transit agencies will provide regular weekday service while others will run on modified schedules. Below, we’ve collected information on Contra Costa holiday transit service for easy reference.

Click any link below for additional schedule information.

New Year’s Eve 2019 & New Year’s Day 2020 Transit Schedules

On New Year’s Day 2020, all transit agencies serving Contra Costa County will be on Sunday or Holiday schedules, except for County Connection and the Richmond Ferry, which will offer no service. On New Year’s Eve 2019, Tuesday, December 31, BART will offer regular weekday service until 8pm, then special service until 3am. Wheels and WestCAT are the only agencies providing modified or holiday service on Tuesday. All other agencies will be on a regular weekday schedule.

Special Note Regarding BART: San Francisco-bound Antioch and Richmond trains will not stop at Embarcadero Station after 8pm on New Year’s Eve. Passengers may exit at Montgomery Street Station for the fireworks show.

After the San Francisco fireworks show is over, passengers bound for Antioch and Richmond must use Montgomery Street Station. Trains on these lines will not stop at Embarcadero Station on their way out of San Francisco.

Free Transit:

Click any link below for additional schedule information.

New Year’s Eve (Tues., December 31)

  • WestCAT:
    • Dial-A-Ride, Local Fixed Route, C3, JPX, 30Z, JX – Modified Service 7pm close (approx.)
    • Lynx- Limited Service (last outbound from SF at 8PM)
    • JR/JL – Regular Service
    • No other service
  • Wheels (LAVTA): Routes 1, 3, 8, 10R, 14, 15, and 30R on a weekend schedule; no other service
  • All other transit on regular Tuesday schedule

New Year’s Day (Wed., January 1)

Christmas 2019: Holiday Transit Schedules (Dec. 24 & 25)

lightsOn Christmas Day, all transit agencies serving Contra Costa will be on holiday schedules, with County Connection & the Richmond ferry offering no service. On Christmas Eve, only Tri Delta Transit, WestCAT, and Wheels will be on holiday schedules.

Click any link below for additional schedule information.

Christmas Eve (December 24)

  • Tri Delta Transit: Routes 392, 393, 394, 395, and 396 will operate on a Sunday schedule; no other service
  • WestCAT:
    • JR/JL: Regular service
    • Lynx: Limited service (last outbound from SF at 8PM)
    • Dial-A-Ride, local fixed route, C3, JPX, 30Z, JX: Modified service 7pm close (approx.)
    • All other routes: no service
  • Wheels (LAVTA): Weekend service – Routes 1, 3, 8, 10R, 14, 15 & 30R on a weekend schedule
  • All other transit on regular Tuesday schedule (BART, AC Transit, County Connection, Capitol Corridor, Richmond Ferry)

Christmas Day (December 25)

BART Twitter Town Hall (May 2017): Contra Costa Highlights

Last week BART conducted a Twitter Town Hall, fielding questions from the public on a variety of topics. Great information came out of it including plans & projects affecting Contra Costa. We collected the Contra Costa-related questions and responses below:

Hercules/Richmond (West CoCo Transit Study):

https://twitter.com/Niktereuto/status/867093708335792128


The West County High-Capacity Transit Study will identify one or more projects to improve high-capacity transit in West County, expand alternatives to driving on congested streets and highways, and improve regional air quality and quality of life. Read more: westcountytransitstudy.com

BART to Antioch:


The goal of the eBART Project is to bring BART service to Antioch and the rest of east Contra Costa County, connecting the growing region of east Contra Costa with areas already served by BART. More info: East Contra Costa BART Extension (eBART)

New Clipper:


MTC and the transit operators plan to launch the next generation of Clipper (aka ‘Clipper 2’) by 2020. They’ve already incorporated public input on different ways to pay, more convenient account management and other transportation uses for Clipper (e.g. parking at stations). Take their survey & give feedback to further guide the development of the next-generation Clipper system: futureofclipper.com

Delays/Crowding on P/BP Line:


https://twitter.com/alueder/status/867096494695776256


Visit BART’s Fleet of the Future page to learn about the new train cars. To jump to information on the schedule for adding new cars into service, visit the Delivery Plan page.

Concord/Bay Fair Development:

New Transbay Tube Study:

Seat Removal:

https://twitter.com/rusher81572/status/867105712123502593


After testing three different layouts, BART conducted a survey to determine the reduced-seating layout passengers felt most improved their ride experience. BART is applying that layout to 380 cars in the fleet. Also, as new train cars arrive and BART is able to lengthen trains and eventually run trains closer together, there will be many more seats for customers. More information: bart.gov/testcar

Wheel noise:


More information: New Wheel Tech Quiets Screeching Rails (article)

Overnight I-80 Closure June 18, 2016: San Pablo Ave to San Pablo Dam Rd

Overnight on Saturday, June 18, I-80 will be closed in both directions in the Richmond/San Pablo area for construction on the San Pablo Dam Road Interchange. The closure will be between San Pablo Ave and San Pablo Dam Rd and be in effect from 11pm Saturday, June 18 to 7am Sunday, June 19. Temporary detours will be in effect.
For more details on the closure, please visit the San Pablo Dam Road Interchange information page.
06Regional_Detour_Map

Upcoming Service Changes: County Connection, AC Transit, Wheels, SolTrans (Aug. 2015)

County Connection, AC Transit, SolTrans & Wheels (LAVTA) have all announced upcoming service changes. Here’s what you need to know:
Agency: County Connection
Changes Take Effect: August 16
Full Details: http://www.countyconnection.com
Digest:

  • Route 1M – New Service: Service to the Marchbanks neighborhood is being restored between WC BART, John Muir Medical Center and Marchbanks
  • Route 3 – New Martinez Community Shuttle: New route will serve Amtrak, CC Regional Medical Center, Adult Education Serivces, Kaiser, Arnold Dr, and the Senior Center
  • Route 19: Alignment changes to serve Sun Valley Mall and Diamond Blvd
  • Route 310: Two AM and two PM trips added between Concord BART and Clayton/Kirker
  • Route 314: Trip added leaving DVC at 6:10pm
  • 600 Series: Changes to the 611, 613, 616, and 619 school day service

Agency: AC Transit
Changes Take Effect: August 23
Full Details: http://www.actransit.org
Digest:

  • Line 800 will operate more frequently on Friday night/Saturday morning and Saturday night/Sunday morning, with service every 20 minutes from 12:30am–6:30am On Sunday mornings, buses will operate every 30 minutes from 6:30am–7:30am
  • Line 76: Two new trips added heading toward El Cerrito del Norte BART on weekdays, leaving Hilltop Mall at 7:13am and 2:24pm
  • Minor schedule changes to Line 72R and G

WHEELSAgency: Wheels (LAVTA)
Changes Take Effect: August 22
Full Details: http://www.wheelsbus.com
Digest:

  • Route 70X has been modified to bypass Walnut Creek in the non-commute direction, operating directly from Dublin to Pleasant Hill in the AM and directly from Pleasant Hill to Dublin in the PM
  • Route 12/12X: Certain trips of the 12X and trips that begin at the Airway Park-n-Ride have been re-arranged within the schedule
  • Route 54: The 5:36am trip is to be discontinued
  • Route 503: The PM schedule has been re-arranged to accommodate Wells Middle School and Dublin High School with separate trips; the previously operated 5:30pm trip has been moved to 5:00pm in order to accommodate the after-school program at Dublin High School
  • Route 501: A second, later departure has been added in the PM to accommodate the after-school program at Dublin High School
  • Schedule changes to Route 3, 10, 12, 54, 70X, 501, 502, 503, 603, 607, 609, and 610

Agency: SolTrans
Changes Take Effect: August 15
Full Details: http://www.soltransride.com
Digest:

  • Minor adjustments to printed schedules for Route 80 & 80s (1-2 minutes) to accurately reflect travel time

Bike & Pedestrian Path Coming to Richmond-San Rafael Bridge (2015)

Screen Shot 2015-04-14 at 12.27.27 PM
Plans are underway to build a separated bike/pedestrian path on the upper deck of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. As part of a four-year Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTC) pilot project, the shoulders on the upper and lower decks of the bridge will be converted to a bike/pedestrian path and a traffic lane, respectively.
The bike/pedestrian path is slated to be 10 feet wide, separated from vehicles by either a movable barrier or temporary concrete walls, and include a raised approach on the bridge’s east side. In addition to the new path, transportation officials plan to build a bike/pedestrian trail connecting the bridge and Richmond to Point Molate.
If all goes according to plan, the bike/pedestrian path will be completed in the fall of 2017. Once complete, the new path will fill a major gap in the Bay Trail.
More information is available here.

Image courtesy Bay Area Toll Authority

Bike/Ped Path Coming to Richmond Bridge (2015)

Plans are underway to build a separated bike/pedestrian path on the upper deck of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. As part of a four-year Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTC) pilot project, the shoulders on the upper and lower decks of the bridge will be converted to a bike/pedestrian path and a traffic lane, respectively.
RIchmond Bridge Bike and Pedestrian Path
The bike/pedestrian path is slated to be 10 feet wide, separated from vehicles by either a movable barrier or temporary concrete walls, and include a raised approach on the bridge’s east side. In addition to the new bridge path, transportation officials plan to build a bike/pedestrian trail connecting the bridge and Richmond to Point Molate.
If all goes according to plan, the bike/pedestrian path will be completed in the fall of 2017. Once complete, the new path will fill a major gap in the Bay Trail.

Commuter Ferry Returning to Richmond (2015)

On March 5, 2015 the Water Emergency Transportation Association (WETA) Board approved the Richmond Ferry Project Agreement, signalling the return of ferry service between San Francisco and Richmond.
Richmond Ferry Terminal
The Water Authority will now order two catamaran ferry vessels — which will become part of the San Francisco Bay Ferry fleet — and build the new ferry terminal at Ford Peninsula in Richmond. According to the Agreement, ferry riders can expect:

  • In the morning (6am-9am), three trips to San Francisco, with two reverse commute trips back to Richmond
  • In the evening (3pm-7pm), four trips from San Francisco to Richmond, with three reverse commute trips back to San Francisco
  • The possibillity of mid-day service being established if demand and funding are sufficient

The Agreement does not provide for service on weekends, holidays or for San Francisco Giants games. Service is expected to begin sometime in 2018. For 2018, adult fares will be $9.10 one-way, or $6.80 with a Clipper Card. The youth and senior fares will be $4.50 and children under 5 will ride free.
For more information about the Richmond Ferry Project Agreement, click here.

Carsharing Coming to Richmond and El Cerrito (2015)

CityCarShare_Logo_cmykThanks to a nearly $1 million grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), carsharing is about to become a reality in both Richmond and El Cerrito.
The MTC has awarded a $973,864 grant to fund a program called CarShare4All, a collaboration between City CarShare, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and the Bay Area Climate Collaborative (BACC). The program will deploy vehicles to El Cerrito, Richmond and Oakland, including a wheelchair-accessible van.
“Carsharing is a very important part of our strategy to provide transportation options,” said Kevin Romick, Chair of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, “This project with City CarShare and the Bay Area Climate Collaborative provides critical links to and from public transit, which provides multi-modal travel choices for Contra Costa residents.”
According to a project factsheet released by Richmond Mayor-elect Tom Butt, beyond bringing carsharing to El Cerrito and Richmond, the CarShare4All program will allow City CarShare to expand access to discounted memberships for low- and moderate-income families and increase the availability of wheelchair-accessible vans to its members.
A date for initial service has not yet been released.
For more information about the program, read the CarShare4All fact sheet (posted by Richmond Mayor-elect Tom Butt) or City CarShare’s press release.
For more information on carsharing in Contra Costa County, visit 511CC’s carsharing page.

Contra Costa Mayors gear up for Bike to Work Day 2013

Know your Contra Costa Mayors? No worries, we included their photos and how they are participating in Bike to Work Day – maybe you’ll spot a few tomorrow 😉
Daniel Helix, Mayor of Concord, CA
Mayor Daniel Helix of Concord will be at the Downtown Concord BART energizer station greeting bike commuters.


Gayle McLaughlin, Mayor of Richmond
Mayor Gayle McLaughlin of Richmond will be at San Pablo Ave/Richmond Greenway (at 6th St. and Ohio Ave), then at Richmond City Hall.


Cindy Silva, Mayor of Walnut Creek
Mayor Cindy Silva of Walnut Creek will be biking to a TRANSPAC meeting at 9am.


Amy Worth, Mayor of Orinda
Mayor Amy Worth of Orinda will be at the Orinda energizer station.


Image credit (top to bottom): danhelix.com, KALW, Bay Area Open Space Council

Re-Envisioning Streets in Three Simple Steps (2012)

A revamped Macdonald Avenue in Richmond– with street trees, crosswalk, solar powered street light and wifi hotspot.

Step 1) Select a streetview from Google Maps
Step 2) Add your favorite civic improvements– bike lanes, street lights, tress
Step 3) Share with your friends, neighborhood council, or any other interested party
 The genius concept behind Blockee– the newest, and perhaps easiest way to see your block with the civic improvements you want. You don’t need to be a professional landscape architect or graphic designer, just someone with a vision or interest in improving your local streetscape. Blockee reminds us that streets are more than places for cars– streets are public spaces that can can be fun, and lovable for people of all ages, and all modes of transportation.
Give it a try and see how easy it is to visualize street improvements in your neighborhood

Expanding Service on BART's Richmond-Millbrae Line

I580 Monday night lights
An almost abstract view of BART at night. Photo credit: Images by John ‘K’
Good news for BART riders– expanded service on Richmond-Milbrae Line, effective Monday, September 10th, 2012! Via BART:

BART will expand weekday service on the Richmond-Millbrae Line (red line) effective Monday, Sept. 10, 2012. In an effort to improve service at the end of the evening commute, BART is adding four additional trips to Richmond-Millbrae service in each direction. This line will now operate for one additional hour in each direction providing more service to both Richmond and Millbrae. This service increase also helps passengers on other lines by increasing the number of trains serving San Francisco.
Until BART receives new vehicles in the coming years, the ability to add service requiring additional cars remains limited.  BART operates one of the oldest fleets of train cars in the nation.  BART carried a record number of customers in the last fiscal year, exceeding 110 million for the first time in BART’s  40-year history.  BART understands that customers are experiencing more crowded trains as the economy improves. To maintain reliable service with the existing fleet of vehicles, a number of BART cars are always undergoing scheduled maintenance.  On a typical day BART operate more than 85% of our total fleet, which is among the highest of any major U.S. transit agency.
You can plan a trip with the new schedule using the QuickPlanner on the BART website homepage; be sure to choose a trip date starting Sept. 10 or later to reflect the new schedule.
For more info on BART’s plans to replace its aging train cars with the Fleet of the Future, go to www.bart.gov/cars.

AC Transit and BART Hold Public Meetings in Richmond

West Contra Costa residents will have an opportunity to participate in two public transit meetings which will be held in Richmond this month.
AC Transit will hold a board meeting at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14, in the Richmond City Council Chamber located in the Community Services Building, 440 Civic Center Plaza.
This meeting is the first to be held since David Armijo was hired as AC Transit’s General Manager. Discussion items include:
 

  • Possible future uses of AC Transit’s closed bus facility on Macdonald Avenue in Richmond
  • Semi-annual report on the District’s Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action plans
  • Quarterly update on the Transbay Transit Center project (replacement for the old Transbay Terminal in San Francisco)

The full agenda can be accessed from AC Transit’s Board of Directors page or downloaded as a pdf here.
BART will hold a public meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 19, at Richmond Main Street, 1000 McDonald Avenue, Suite C.
At the meeting BART will be seeking input on three issues: proposed fare increases, Clipper Card distribution for senior and youth, and draft environmental justice policy. Learn more and access a downloadable flyer for the meeting from BART.
To RSVP for the meeting, call 510-236-4049 or send an email to outreach@richmondmainstreet.org.
And for those unable to attend the meeting, you can still provide feedback through an online opinion survey about fares at www.bart.gov/survey.

Trail from Castro Street to Point Molate in Richmond under design

The Bay Trail Connection to Point Molate is a planned multi-use pathway that will provide non-motorized access from Richmond to Point Molate closing a one-mile gap in the San Francisco Bay Trail.

The route begins at the Castro Street Bus Terminal and ends near the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge Toll Plaza, connecting to the future Pt. Molate trail via an existing tunnel at foot of bridge.

Goals:
“Provide an off-street route to Point Molate that is safe, enjoyable, continuous and accessible for pedestrians and bicyclists.”

  1. Close a gap in the Bay Trail
  2. Encourage bicycling and walking
  3. Balance trail user and adjacent uses needs

News and Image Credit: Richmond Bicycle/Predestrian Advisory Committee. Proposal PDF.

Green Drive Expo on Saturday October 9th in Richmond


Where: Craneway Pavilion, 1414 Harbor Way South, Richmond, CA (minutes from 580 – directions)
When: Saturday, October 9, 2010 from 10 AM – 5 PM
Cost: $10 at the door, or free with a discount (visit mybart.org for details)
Details: Come to the Bay Area’s first consumer expo dedicated to hybrid, plug-in, ev and other high-tech, ecofriendly vehicles. Stop by for test drives, presentations on green and clean vehicles, and informative exhibits.
Explore the full range of green alternative transportation from concept cars to purchase-ready vehicles including electric cars, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, biodiesel, diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), and more.
For additional information, or to register for the event, visit http://www.greendriveexpo.com/.

Contra Costa Bicycle Commuter of the Year for 2010 is chosen

511 Contra Costa would like to congratulate Louis Sandoval, Contra Costa County’s Bicycle Commuter of the Year for 2010. Sandoval was chosen as this year’s winner by the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, an organization dedicated to promoting bicycling as an everyday means of transportation and recreation.
Mr. Sandoval is a consummate bicyclist. He commutes by bicycle to his part -time job as an adult education mathematics teacher for the West Contra Costa Unified School District. He commutes on his Bridgestone bicycle between two job locations in Richmond and San Pablo and has done so for more than 5 years. “My Bridgestone is a real beater,” Louis says. “It’s a tank of a bike, but has a real bike rack and a pannier, and does the job of carrying my books, groceries, everything, rain or shine.”
His bicycle commutes also include jaunts into Hayward to visit his mother and to take classes at Cal State East Bay. “Even at 11pm at night you can find him on the street making his way home from Hayward, via Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley, Albany, El Cerrito and Richmond,” says Raul Ramirez, a principal at WCCUSD. When needed, Louis utilizes BART to transport his trusty steed and himself around the Bay to appointments and classes. Louis says that the toughest part of bicycle commuting is not the distance, weather or the terrain “it’s the traffic that is sometimes the toughest part.”
Looking ahead, Louis says he is looking forward to riding south everyday to San Jose State University this Fall to get his own degree in biomedical engineering. His bicycle trip will travel along the Bay Trail past the Oakland Airport and across the new San Leandro Slough Bridge. From there, the Bay Trail extends down to Union City. The new San Leandro Slough Bridge is scheduled to open on Bike to Work Day this year.