The Oil Drum

Or, how about a bike lane across the Bay Bridge? At least in Marin I can ride to the City across the GG.

You must be talking about a different OIO task force than the one I was on. The OIO task force is hardly enamored with BRT. One could say that it was (when it existed) enamored with the possibility of a municipal or East Bay streetcar system. The reference to BRT in the final draft suggested that BRT could be a first step towards streetcars:

A Public Transit Master Plan for Oakland should investigate and strongly consider the development of a citywide streetcar system, shuttles, and ways to make public transport in Oakland more attractive and more accessible for lower income residents.

Oakland should do a thorough investigation of options for creating a comprehensive, intermodal public transit infrastructure that provides sufficient options and access to citizens for commute, recreational, and utilitarian trips. The current BART-AC transit system, while useful, leaves significant gaps in coverage and timing. This work would begin with an evaluation of the current public transit infrastructure and identification of gaps or poorly served areas, consideration of projected demographic changes in the next several decades and the plans of regional transportation agencies as well as the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master plans (see the section on Coordination below).

We strongly recommend that Oakland work with AC Transit, public transit entrepreneurs, and the public to investigate the development of a municipal streetcar system or if sufficient interest exists, an East Bay streetcar system (AC Transit’s plans for dedicated Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes could possibly be a first step to streetcars). To the extent such a system is electrified or could be electrified in the future with relative ease, it would make Oakland much less vulnerable to oil shortages and price shocks, and thereby more resilient. It is our understanding that AC Transit’s current plans do not include a streetcar system in Oakland. AC transit did, however, consider an Oakland-Berkeley streetcar system in the early 1990s and whatever plans and materials that were developed may prove useful to this effort. In its investigation, Oakland should also evaluate whether the alignment of the former Key Route System that provided mass transit in Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, Piedmont, San Leandro, Richmond, Albany and El Cerrito from 1903 until 1958. could guide feasible transit alignments to support the Urban Village transition.