Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii joined city council members and BART officials yesterday to cut the ribbon on the newly renovated Ohlone Greenway, celebrating improvements to the North Berkeley BART station.
According to a BART press release, the developments lay the groundwork so that the future transit-oriented development housing project can have sustainable infrastructure. Approved in December of last year, the project will bring more than 700 apartments to North Berkeley.
The press conference, with about 50 attendees, was held next to the Ohlone bicycle and pedestrian greenway between Acton and Virginia streets. The greenway was widened and lit to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists using it to access the BART station.
These improvements were funded in part by the Safe Routes to BART grant program, the press release added. The program funds projects that improve sustainable walkable and bikeable routes to BART, using money from Berkeley voter-approved Measure RR. Other key improvements include new bike lockers, an ADA-compliant ramp to the station and a raised crosswalk leading to the station entrance.
“Together, we’ll make sure that our housing efforts are paired with safer, greener ways to get around,” Ishii said in a speech. “Every new home we build near transit should come with options for walking, biking and taking the train instead of driving.”
Ishii noted that transportation is the biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Berkeley. Because Berkeley strives to be a “climate leader,” Ishii emphasized, “We need to offer sustainable transportation options.”
Barnali Ghosh, BART director for District 3, explained that, while she hopes the North Berkeley BART housing will break ground next year, the process is likely to take up to a decade due to the funding and construction processes. However, the recent developments are the first steps, bringing people closer to BART and increasing ridership.
“It shows that we’re invested in this neighborhood,” Ghosh said. “We’re invested not only in what’s happening at our parking lot, but also in bringing better infrastructure, safer infrastructure and better lighting that the residents who live here now can enjoy.”
Ghosh added that the Ohlone Greenway may incentivize students to explore a new part of Berkeley further from campus.
Rashi Kesarwani, District 1 city council member, also spoke at the press conference. She said the parking lot — which the housing project is set to be built on — will reduce the spaces available from 800 to 600. The North Berkeley BART station, Kesarwani noted, is a model of how cities can be redesigned for the sake of people, not cars.
Casey Passmore, a Berkeley resident who lives by San Pablo Park, rode to the press conference via the Ohlone Greenway, her 3-year-old twins trailing behind her, attached to the back of her bike. She frequently uses the greenway, which has been instrumental in her ability to pick up her children at their different schools.
“It’s been awesome because I pick up my kid at one school, and then we use the new connection to bike to my other kid’s school,” Passmore said. “It’s been wonderful and safe, I think I have blocked out what it was like before.”