Crossing Highway 13 at Hiller Drive for Pedestrians and Cyclists

1. Crossing Highway 13 at Hiller Drive for Pedestrians and Cyclists Howard Matis North Hills Phoenix Association Matis@comcast.net Howard Matis

2. Where are we? • Oakland residents • Pedestrian island - surrounded by hills, Highways 13 and 24 • Berkeley voters decide priorities for this intersection - Caltrans funds for light on Ashby two blocks from existing light • No safe way to cross Tunnel at Hiller • Cannot use bus service • Uplands closest intersection • Very busy and dangerous. People have to run across the road • No Oakland political representation to urge change • Claremont Hotel - safest way to cross • Intersection too far away • Too far to use BART or bus • Crossing over Hwy. 24 important but not part of this presentation. Howard Matis

3. Problem with the intersection • At light, southbound traffic to Hwy. 13 does not stop • Cars almost at freeway speeds • No sidewalk on west side Howard Matis

4. Who wants to cross the road? • Bicyclists - major bike route to the the hills and Montclair • Two elementary schools nearby • People in hills without cars • Kids • Adults who cannot drive • People in the hills who don’t want to drive their cars • People who use the E bus Howard Matis

5. Crossing by Bike • I stopped biking to work before recent Caltrans change - too many near accidents and vehicle road rage • New configuration has large gap - uphill to bike lane • Need to merge into accelerating traffic going more than 40 MPH • Drivers extremely hostile to cyclists • Honking • Cutting across lanes • I (not a strong 18 year old) fear for my life every time I cross Howard Matis

6. Crossing by foot • Anyone who attempts is stupid - almost no one would consider it • Recently reported pedestrian automobile accident • Sidewalk ends on east side • Children must walk on Highway 13 to get to school Howard Matis

7. Deluxe solution -Bike Bridge • Starts before highway goes to three lanes • Ends at garden • Can be made so continuous grade • Same elevation increase as walking and biking start end Howard Matis

8. Safest and best solution • Gets bikes and people away from busy intersection • Works with flow of traffic • However, • Expensive • Across an earthquake fault Howard Matis

9. Existing traffic light solution • Install traffic light for south bound traffic - manually activated by pedestrians and cyclists • Almost no effect on traffic • Need sidewalk on Caltrans area and near garden Howard Matis

10. Install Pedestrian/bike light at lower crossing • Near Bentley School • Better location than existing light • Minimal traffic effect but more than other traffic light Howard Matis

11. Other Improvements • Landscape Caltrans work yard • Beautiful of view of San Francisco • Path to lower road - second way to BART • Pull weeds in meridian (from Hiller to Uplands) • Build sidewalk at Oakland-Berkeley border Howard Matis

12. If we do nothing • There will be a fatality involving a pedestrian or cyclist Howard Matis

13. Imagine a crossing • People from the hills with start to walk now that we have a safe intersection • Pedestrians will be possible to take Bart and the E bus • A dangerous intersection will be eliminated Howard Matis