#richmond-san-rafael-bridge

#richmond-san-rafael-bridge

At least 60 bicyclists celebrated the sixth anniversary of access across the Richmond-San Rafael bridge, with a round-trip group ride Sunday morning from Richmond BART to the Jean & John Starkweather Shoreline Park entrance at the San Rafael landing. Until 2019, there was no bike access at all on the bridge. While the mood during the 18-mile ride was upbeat on a warm and sunny day, the loss of the bridge bike lane during the work week weighed heavily on many advocates.

Beginning Monday, the bicycle/pedestrian path on the right side of the upper deck of the Richmond-San Rafael bridge will be used as a breakdown shoulder lane all day on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and on Thursday mornings. The path will then open to bicyclists and others at 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoons; all day on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays; and select holidays, including Memorial Day; Independence Day, if observed on a Monday; Labor Day; Thanksgiving week from Wednesday afternoon through Sunday night; and the Christmas-to-New Year's week.

The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission voted to reduce Richmond-San Rafael Bridge bike lane access to improve traffic flow during peak times.