Posts by Ben Kaufman

As California ATP Cycle 5 Kicks Off—Here's a Snapshot of Some Success Stories

Posted 04/08/20 by Laura Cohen, Ben Kaufman, Mary Elise Conzelmann in Building Trails | Tagged with BATC, California, Connected Systems, Funding, RTC in Action, TrailNation

Bicycle riders enjoying a new section of the Miners Ravine Trail in Roseville, California | Courtesy City of Roseville

On March 26, California released a call for projects for the next round of the Active Transportation Program (ATP)—the state’s largest single source of funding for trails and walking and biking projects.

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Family riding along the Cross Alameda Trail through Jean Sweeney Park | Photo by Laura Cohen and Rolf Bell

City of Alameda Celebrates Opening of Newest Trail Connection

Posted 03/04/20 by Ben Kaufman, Mary Elise Conzelmann in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with BATC, California, Community Events, Demand for Trails, Local Organizing, TrailNation

On Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, hundreds of people came out to celebrate the opening of a new segment of the Cross Alameda Trail (CAT), a developing 4-mile rail-trail across the island city of Alameda just south of Oakland in California’s Bay Area. The newly minted 0.9-mile section of trail—which stretches east from Main Street to Constitution Way along Ralph Appezzato Memorial Parkway and Atlantic Avenue—is a vital new walking and biking connection for Alameda and the region. This nearly mile-long trail segment connects to an existing 0.6-mile segment of the CAT to form 1.5 miles of continuous rail-trail between Alameda Point and the new 25-acre Jean Sweeney Open Space Park.

Bicyclists gathered outside of the Richmond BART Station on Nov. 16, 2019, to ride together to the opening of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge bike and pedestrian path | Photo courtesy Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

New Transbay Crossing: Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Bike and Pedestrian Path Opens in California

Posted 11/18/19 by Ben Kaufman, Mary Elise Conzelmann in Building Trails | Tagged with BATC, Bike Commuting, Biking, California, Connected Systems, TrailNation, Transportation and Health, Walkability and Bikeability

On Nov. 16, 2019, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge bicycle and pedestrian path—a new 6-mile trail that parallels I-580 in the San Francisco Bay Area, officially opened to the public in a special ribbon cutting ceremony. The opening of the new pathway—a fully protected east–west pedestrian and bicycle connection across the Bay—signifies an exciting time in California trail history, as people can now safely walk and bike between the North and East Bay for the first time.

Skunk Train passing on Willits Rail-Trail | Photo by Laura Cohen

California Invests Big in Trails, Demonstrates Growing Statewide Demand for Walking and Biking Infrastructure

Posted 03/29/19 by Ben Kaufman, Laura Cohen in Policy | Tagged with BATC, California, Cross-Sector Collaboration, Funding, RTC in Action, State and Federal Programs

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) recently approved more than $280 million in Active Transportation Program (ATP) funding (Cycle 4) to support 59 trail, walking and biking projects throughout the state, with about half—some $139 million—going to trails and separated bikeway projects (hereafter collectively referred to as “trails”). This huge investment in trails comes on the tails of a $1 billion increase in ATP funds over the next decade, announced last year with the approval of Senate Bill 1 (SB 1).