Released in March, the Shattuck-Adeline-Stanford Greenway Vision Plan models a three-mile pedestrian-bicycle route that would connect Berkeley, Oakland and Emeryville. Through this route, the plan seeks to connect three regional job centers, residential neighborhoods and retail-entertainment destinations.
As a collaborative effort between Taecker Planning and Design, the Downtown Berkeley Association and Bike East Bay, the Greenway plan would create an uninterrupted pathway between the existing Ohlone Greenway in North Berkeley and the Bay Trail in Emeryville. The model project also draws from the Adeline Corridor Specific Plan that connects South Shattuck to the Berkeley-Oakland border, as first reported by Berkeleyside.
“The work that we have done (with the plan) is ultimately to illustrate what a fantastic opportunity that the Greenway is,” said Taecker Planning and Design Principal Matthew Taecker. “It’s not to presume that we have all the right answers but that the opportunity is so enormous (with) the possibility of linking three cities.”
According to Bike East Bay Advocacy Director Dave Campbell, the Greenway is currently just a concept, and the next step is to begin a conversation with the community in order to modify the plan. Taecker added that all communities, districts and commercial businesses that are along the proposed pathway will have a chance to voice their concern.
After this, the Greenway plan must secure funding for in-depth planning from the Alameda County Transportation Advisory Committee, which administers regional transportation funds from the Metropolitan Transportation Council, according to the report. The report also states that the Greenway plan qualifies for funding through California state programs — such as the Active Transportation Program and the Urban Greening Program — that seek to improve transportation and green streets.
“We’ve been monitoring some of the discussions,” said city spokesperson Matthai Chakko in an email. “To come to fruition, a project like this would need multi-jurisdictional support and significant funding — it’s a long-term vision.”
According to Downtown Berkeley Association CEO John Caner, their goal is to secure the funding needed to further develop the Greenway plan within the next year, and it is estimated that the planning phase can last between two to three years. Campbell added that the construction is estimated to begin in five to 10 years but that because the project is in its beginning stages, these numbers are subject to change.
The report also outlines the potential benefits that the Greenway plan could have through green infrastructure. According to the report, the plan would reduce the number of paved surfaces that cause water retention and could create basins that collect and filter stormwater.
“It’s exciting, especially seeing these cities diversifying their infrastructure,” said ASUC Senator Anna Whitney. “Building bicycle-pedestrian routes and using groundwater locally — in general, any sort of landscaping is beneficial.”
