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Somerset bike‑lane pilot divides residents and staff; supervisors order on‑site review
Summary
Supervisors heard conflicting views on a proposed Somerset bike‑lane pilot and sidewalk upgrades: public‑works staff warned a protected bike lane would exceed existing right‑of‑way and pose ADA/liability issues, while advocates and some residents pushed for a pilot or design alternatives. The committee deferred the decision and scheduled a field visit to verify right‑of‑way constraints.
The Transportation & Planning Committee revisited a proposed Somerset Avenue pilot project on July 1 after public controversy over whether to remove parking to install bike lanes.
Public‑works staff recommended against pursuing a longer‑term pilot and urged proceeding with the sidewalk construction project as designed. The director said prior community input favored retaining parking and that the pilot lacked clear metrics and would be unsafe or infeasible during concurrent construction. "When we design something, it's not just bikes and pedestrians only—you have to look at ADA, utility poles, driveway slopes and a lot of other factors," a Public Works staff member said.
Members of the public and advocacy groups pushed back. Matt Turner and Bike East Bay argued a demonstration or pilot would give staff seasonal data and public feedback and that protected or separated bikeways are warranted for safety. Robert Prince, Bike East Bay's advocacy director, noted demonstrations typically use temporary materials and recommended a year‑long pilot to capture seasonal use and safety data.
Residents living on Somerset expressed strong opposition to removing parking, citing potential impacts on quality of life, property values, guest parking and large vehicle accommodation. Several callers asked that any pilot include clear evaluation metrics and neighborhood outreach.
Public Works staff reiterated technical constraints: in some stretches the right‑of‑way is about 50 feet and adding the combined bike‑ped and parking configuration presented by community members would require additional five feet of right‑of‑way acquisition in many places. Staff said the planned sidewalk work would be placed at the back of the existing right‑of‑way and if space allowed a standard bike lane would be striped later; they cautioned against installing substandard bike lanes that could create false safety expectations.
After extended discussion the committee did not vote on a final design; instead supervisors agreed to a one‑month deferral and an on‑the‑ground measurement with public‑works staff, Supervisor offices and community representatives to determine whether the community design could be implemented without acquiring additional right‑of‑way. The item will return for deliberation following that site visit.
