Description
Howdy. I'm an Oakland resident with a new job that requires regular travel to Sacramento, and am heartbroken to learn that the Emeryville Amtrak station provides no secure bike parking. Since this is the closest train station to San Francisco, which I think of as the capital of US bike commuting, I thought I must be mistaken when I couldn't find anything on the web via Bike Link and 511, etc. So I just drove over to the station myself where I learned that, indeed, there is nothing there. The station needs secure bike storage! This is a high-value opportunity to promote bike friendly streets, get cars like mind off the road, and make the community stronger. Frankly, we need more secure bike storage all over—but we have got to start with transportation hubs like train stations. I intend be sharing this message more widely, and invite you to be in touch if I can be helpful with further testimony. I thank you greatly for your time and consideration.
Ryan Schuchard
6667 Chabot Road
Oakland, CA
415-283-6711
8 Comments
Robert Prinz (Registered User)
Thanks for reporting this, as the lack of secure bike parking at the Emeryville Amtrak station is indeed a big problem.
The good news is that BikeLink lockers here and at every other Amtrak station in the East Bay have already been funded and approved. These were supposed to be installed this past spring but the project was delayed. Last I heard the deadline was still "sometime in 2015" so hopefully they will be installed very soon.
Emeryville will also be getting additional BikeLink lockers shortly at the Bay Street mall, and bike share is going to expand into Emeryville/Oakland/Berkeley starting in 2016.
Ryan (Registered User)
Robert Prinz (Registered User)
The Amtrak Capitol Corridor line actually has really good roll-on bike access for no extra fee, so if I were you I would probably just bring the bike with me to Sacramento until the secure BikeLink lockers are installed at the Emeryville Amtrak station later this year. The train cars have bike hooks on the lower level of each car, but some cars have extra bike capacity so ask the conductor which one to head to when the train pulls into the station. Make sure to actually use a lock to secure your bike's frame to the hangar, though, as bikes have been stolen from trains in the past.
More info about on-board Capitol Corridor bike access is online here: www.BikeEastBay.org/transit (I work for Bike East Bay by the way, so don't hesitate to contact us about other local bike issues)
And directly from Amtrak here: www.capitolcorridor.org/on_board/bikes_on_board.php
LMS007 (Registered User)
Ryan (Registered User)
Robert, bringing the bike to Sacramento is possible but only defers the issue. Is there secure biking parking there (anywhere near the station or downtown)?
LMS007, I will check it out. On further inspection of the Emeryville station, there is a pack of old bike lockers (holding 6 I think) that take regular keys, right on the platform, just North of the station. The station agent pointed them out, but said he had no idea about management and had seen only two people use them in 5 years.
Acknowledged Emeryville Public Works - DS (Registered User)
Display Name Blocked (1036623) (Registered User)
Closed Emeryville Public Works - DS (Registered User)
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