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Tag Archive for: Oakland

Explore Oakland at the California Bicycle Summit

March 21, 2022/by Laura McCamy

We are excited to bring the California Bicycle Summit back to Oakland for many reasons. Oakland is a diverse city with a thriving bike culture, a vibrant arts scene, and rich history. Plus, we found a venue that embodies the art and aspiration that is the heart of Oakland. But mostly, we’re thrilled to introduce Oakland to more of you. 

Oakland has a robust bike program, some terrific protected bike lanes, and one of the most vital bike advocacy groups in California (Bike East Bay). It also borders Berkeley, which has storied bicycle boulevards and one of the highest bike mode shares in California, and it’s an easy BART or ferry ride from San Francisco, which has its own rich bicycle culture.

Here is a sampling of trivia, history, and culture to savor on a visit to Oakland.

The art of biking

Oakland is home to many visual artists, including painters, muralists, Burning Man sculptors and builders, and a diverse music scene that includes homegrown genres (like hyphy). So it’s no surprise that the art and whimsy of the city found their way into Oakland bike culture.

The best-known Oakland bicycle icons are the Original Scraper Bike Team. The team uses colorful duct tape wrapped around bicycle spokes to create “art in motion,” and the group’s mission has expanded from creating homegrown bike culture to serving Oakland youth. And it all started with an irresistible music video.

Bike Party started in San Jose before spreading around the Bay, and the East Bay version is an explosion of music, lights, costumes, and — manners. Bike Party stops at all lights and makes sure no one is left behind. It’s a joyous parade of elaborately-lit bikes and speakers booming on bike trailers that’s both kid-friendly and a fun Friday night out.

More Bay Area bike facts:

  • People for Bikes named Berkeley the best mid-sized city for bikes in the U.S.
  • San Francisco political party, the Wigg Party, is named after one of the city’s most popular bike routes, The Wiggle.
  • You can experience North America’s first wildlife refuge in the heart of Oakland at Lake Merritt via a gorgeous protected bikeway that encircles the lake.  
  • Bike East Bay advocates for better biking in 33 cities in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, working in communities that range from super bike-friendly to very car-centric.
Oaklandish Uptown Oakland

The Town

Oakland is fondly called The Town or Oaktown, in contrast to San Francisco, often referred to as The City. Look for depictions of the iconic cranes that dominate the skyline at the Port of Oakland, visible from the freeway or nearby Jack London Square. Visit the Oaklandish flagship store at 1444 Broadway, just a few blocks from the Summit venue, for graphic tees and other locally made goodies that express the pride that locals feel in their community.

A rich history

OakStop facade

As a majority BIPOC city, Oakland’s history includes booms and busts, decades of development followed by neglect and reinvention. For example, the Uptown Oakland neighborhood, where the Summit is centered, includes many glorious examples of art deco architecture that survived being torn down because of lack of investment and have now come to life again as art, music, and entertainment venues. The OakStop complex, where the breakout sessions will take place, is a great example of this: it’s in a historic building with an ornate facade that speaks to Oakland’s history while inside the coworking and event space walls are is filled with work by today’s local artists.

East Bay Bike Party by Fox Theater

The Fox Theater is a thriving music venue across the street from Oakstop and the Paramount Theater, a few blocks up Broadway, hosts concerts and classic movies. 

Uptown’s commercial spaces are being reimagined by local artists and entrepreneurs, leading to an eclectic mix of retail, art galleries, and eateries. That includes the Oakstop venue, where you can view the work of local artists in every meeting room. The art deco California Ballroom, where we’ll host the Summit plenary sessions, first opened in 1926 and joined a vibrant entertainment scene in Oakland, a prime tour stop for top Black performers because of The Town’s sizeable Black community. Explore the roots of that community at the African American Museum and Library, a short walk from the Summit venue.

Unlike San Francisco’s Chinatown, Oakland’s Chinatown is oriented toward the people who live there, not tourists. This vibrant neighborhood, just a short walk or bus ride from the Summit, once stretched to Jack London Square and the San Francisco Bay before it was cut in half by a freeway, a fate it shares with many Chinese communities in California. Of particular interest to active transit nerds: the beautifully decorated intersections where pedestrian scrambles serve the bustling, walkable community.

Oakland has also been an incubator for revolutionary political movements from the Black Panthers to Occupy Oakland. You can learn more about local and California history at the Oakland Museum of California, which offers a mix of art, history, science, and fascinating special exhibitions.

A foodie paradise

The Bay Area is known for its fabulous restaurants, and Oakland is no exception. A flourishing vegan community means that you can find vegan options on most menus, in addition to fantastic vegan restaurants. Meat lovers, don’t despair — Oakland has terrific dining options to please every palate. The Town is home to excellent Mexican, Thai, Burmese, Chinese, Japanese, and soul food eateries, just to name a few. Restaurants of almost every cuisine are a short walk, bike ride, or transit trip from the Summit. Here are a few of our favorites. 

  • Wise and Sons Jewish Deli, 1700 Franklin: If you’re missing the old country (i.e. New York), this fantastic deli is a must. 
  • The Punchdown, 1737 Broadway: You can enjoy the natural, sulfate-free wine selection in-house or buy bottles to go. The food is yummy too.
  • Drakes Dealership, 2325 Broadway: Enjoy covid-safe dining in this lovely outdoor beer garden. Drakes has The. Best. Fries.
  • Solely Vegan, 301 Broadway: You haven’t lived until you’ve had the red beans and rice at this Black- and woman-owned vegan soul food restaurant. It’s worth the walk.
  • Agave Uptown, 2135 Franklin: The menu at this upscale Mexican restaurant has something for everyone. And don’t miss the Mescal.
  • Shandong, 328 10th Street: This Chinatown fave is famous for its dumplings, but the extensive menu has something for everyone.
  • Swan’s Market, 510 9th Street: Once a famous department store in Old Oakland, Swan’s Market is now home to a food court that is an incubator for innovative local chefs. Plus, there’s a farmer’s market on the street outside on Friday from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.

This is just a tiny (and somewhat biased) sampling of the many fantastic restaurants within a short walk or bike ride of the Summit. 

So much to love about Oakland

On first look, Oakland’s center can look rundown, a bit rough around the edges. But what you’re seeing is a city that’s in a constant process of reinventing itself. Today’s empty storefront will be tomorrow’s happening art gallery. When you scratch below the surface, you find a wellspring of energy and creativity, a community trying to figure out how to preserve diversity and embrace modernity without forgetting its roots.

And we haven’t even touched on many of The Town’s attractions: Lake Merritt, with its glorious separated bike path (join us on the bike tour to visit it); the Grand Lake Theater, famous for the political messages on its marquee; Jack London Square, home to fantastic restaurants and delightful bay views; and so much more.

We hope you can join us at the California Bicycle Summit, April 6-9, in Oakland. And we hope that, while you are here, you can take some time to appreciate some of Oakland’s fantastic architecture, culture, and cuisine.

https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/East-Bay-Bike-Party.jpeg 1365 2048 Laura McCamy https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.png Laura McCamy2022-03-21 17:49:282023-11-28 12:10:53Explore Oakland at the California Bicycle Summit

Oakland Brings COVID Open Streets to California Streets

April 11, 2020/by Laura McCamy

Oakland became the first California city to join the growing list of world cities that are designating COVID open streets. Open streets are a smart way to create more public space for walking and biking during the coronavirus pandemic. Oakland designated 74 miles of its existing and proposed neighborhood bikeway network as “closed to through traffic so that people can more comfortably use these low-traffic streets for physically distant walking, wheelchair rolling, jogging, and biking all across the City.” About 10% of Oakland’s roadways will become COVID open streets.

Tactical urban expert Mike Lydon is tracking emergency open streets projects around the world. Oakland is now at the top of the list by a wide margin. 

UPDATE: Oakland shoots to the top with 74 miles(!) of #Covid19Streets #OpenStreets to promote #PhysicalDistancing; Denver adds mileage; Portland exits.

1) Oakland: 74 miles
2) Minneapolis: 18.3 miles
3) Denver: 16.1 miles
4) Louisville: 11 miles
5) Vancouver, BC: 10.53 miles

— Mike Lydon (@MikeLydon) April 10, 2020

COVID Open Streets

Many Californians are rediscovering the bicycle right now. It is a great way to maintain physical distance while traveling for essential work or getting exercise. The same thing is happening with walking. CalBike and many other organizations are promoting and supporting the trend. CalBike helped to get the state to clarify that bike repair shops are essential California businesses. But the sidewalks and bikeways remain crowded because we have given almost all of our shared space to cars, not people. 

Like Open Streets events, COVID open streets demonstrate an alternative way of organizing our communities. “We hope that people will deeply appreciate the safety, the serenity, the civility, of open streets during this special period and demand that those conditions are made permanent after this crisis passes,” said Dave Snyder, Executive Director of the California Bicycle Coalition. 

Oakland Sets the Bar High with 74 Miles of “Slow Streets”

In Oakland, local advocates had been in conversation with the city about opening Oakland streets for walking and biking and closing those streets to most car traffic. The organizations pushing for COVID open streets include Bike East Bay, Walk Oakland Bike Oakland (WOBO), Transport Oakland, and Transform. Even so, they were surprised by the speed with which the City of Oakland moved ahead with the plan, according to Bike East Bay Advocacy Director Dave Campbell.

Campbell and representatives of other advocacy groups are still talking with the city about the implementation of the plan. The city’s web page for the program, called Oakland Slow Streets, lists four areas that will be closed to most traffic starting on Saturday, April 11. Local traffic and emergency vehicles are still allowed to enter while the streets are closed to through traffic. Officials plan to use tactical urbanism to implement the changes. This may include strategically parked cars, traffic cones, and lots of signs.

“We applaud the City of Oakland’s actions that will keep residents healthy and safe during the shelter in place order,” Campbell said. “We look forward to partnering with more Oakland communities and neighborhoods to understand how to best create open space for safe physical distancing.”

Campbell spoke with CalBike from one of the open streets on the first morning of implementation. He reported a street filled with roller skaters, dog-walkers, joggers, and lots of kids, all safely physically distanced. “It’s working well on the first day,” he said.

The test will be in the days to come. Campbell hopes there won’t be any police activity on the COVID open streets. He emphasized that it’s important that families still feel free to use the streets in front of their homes. Local residents shouldn’t feel pushed out by people coming from other neighborhoods.

Oakland Bike Route Map is outline for COVID open streets

Oakland is using this map of current and planned bike routes as the basis for which streets will become Slow Streets.

Will Other California Cities Join Oakland?

Biking and walking advocates have been pressuring other California cities for open streets during this time. Los Angeles advocates have proposed a huge network of open streets. In San Francisco the SF Bicycle Coalition and others have proposed closing John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park to cars to increase space for walking and biking. Officials in both of those cities opposed the measures, citing concerns that they would attract too many people. The Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition on Friday sent letters to officials in cities throughout their region asking for emergency bikeways and sidewalk widenings. 

Emeryville may be the next California city to create open streets during the stay at home order. City Councilmember John Bauters gave CalBike this statement: “As the Emeryville City Council’s Transportation Committee members, Councilmember [Ally] Medina and I have outlined a long term vision that converts public streets into bicycle and pedestrian-only rights of way. We are in discussions with city staff about how to pilot or otherwise implement some of our ideas during COVID-19, including the closure or limitation of some streets to vehicular traffic.” And, with Oakland setting the bar high, some other East Bay cities that had previously refused to create open streets for COVID physical distancing.

We hope that more communities in California will opt for open streets to allow healthy, distanced exercise. And, after the pandemic recedes, we hope that towns and cities will move aggressively to create space for safe biking and walking every day. That’s a step we need to take to mitigate the even bigger looming crisis of climate change.

Bring COVID Open Streets to Your Neighborhood

The pandemic opens up some possibilities at the same time it forecloses others. California’s state and local governments have shown their willingness to make difficult choices to benefit public health. We have all seen how quickly we can adapt to huge changes in our daily lives.

To join the effort to get open streets in your community, support your local advocacy organization or get advice and sign the petition at Salud America!

https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/FullSizeRender-e1609031822961.jpeg 855 1073 Laura McCamy https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/calbike-logo.png Laura McCamy2020-04-11 15:22:032020-04-15 16:19:04Oakland Brings COVID Open Streets to California Streets

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