Last week, the authority agreed to build an additional mile of the Iron Horse Trail, the first to be improved in Pleasanton, between Busch Road and Santa Rita Road.

The Iron Horse Trail is a network of bike, pedestrian, equestrian and transit routes in the path of a former railroad line through Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Measure B funds will provide $450,000 toward the $1.7 million cost of this portion of the project.

Alameda County's Measure B half-cent sales tax provides $1.5 million to add to two major bicycle and pedestrian trails, make Oakland sidewalk improvements, expand a successful bike safety program and create or add to several bicycle and pedestrian plans around the county, the board of the ACTIA said.

The Measure B expenditure plan approved by voters in 2000 allocated $1.4 billion over 20 years to a wide range of transportation improvement projects and programs. The plan reserves 5 percent of the net proceeds from the half-cent sales tax -- more than $5 million from collections in 2003 -- for bicycle and pedestrian programs and projects.

Three-fourths of those funds are allocated directly to cities and the county based on population. Most of the remaining quarter is granted by application on a competitive basis for countywide projects and programs.

This amount will be leveraged for a total investment of $7.3 million for bicycle and pedestrian improvements throughout Alameda County. The sales tax allocations will also be used to: Expand a bike education and safety program called "Cycles of Change," operated by the Oakland schools in partnership with Life Academy High School, Tinkers Workshop and Cherryland Elementary School in Oakland, Berkeley and Hayward, respectively. The program will receive $222,750 toward a full project cost of $402,750.

Add a bridge and 600 feet of trail to connect existing separated portions of the San Francisco Bay Trail in San Leandro, from the Port of Oakland to Oyster Bay Regional Park. Measure B funds will contribute $250,000 to the $1.6 million project.

Build pedestrian improvements on two blocks of International Boulevard, from Eighth to 10th avenues, as part of the Eastlake neighborhood improvement project in Oakland. Measure B funds will provide $262,000 toward the $3 million project.

Create Alameda County's first pedestrian master plan for unincorporated areas of the county. Measure B will supply $120,000 of the $135,000 needed for the project.

Complete Oakland's Bicycle Master Plan, including a required environmental review. Measure B funds will cover $134,000 of the total $224,025 cost of finishing the plan.

Create the first bicycle plan for the University of California campus in Berkeley, addressing bicycle access to the campus, circulation within the campus and the need for amenities such as parking facilities. Measure B will pay the full $61,250 cost of developing the plan.

The funded projects were reviewed and recommended by members of the group's volunteer Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, which examined 30 applications for more than $6.2 million worth of funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects. The ACTIA board accepted the committee's recommendations without any alterations.

Projects and programs that enhance and expand bicycle and pedestrian access, convenience and safety are eligible for funding. Capital projects will receive 64 percent of the total, with 15 percent allocated to programs and 21 percent to plans. North county projects received 40 percent of the allocations, with 32 percent allocated to east county and 28 percent to central county.

ACTIA's Citizens Advisory Committee will also review the bike and pedestrian program just approved when it meets in East County (location to be determined) at 5:30 pm, March 18. For more information, call 893-3347.

The Oakland Tribune: Cityside
Leanne McLaughlin, Managing Editor
(510) 208-6447
(510) 208-6477 Fax
lmclaughlin@angnewspapers.com Email

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