To: Ashley Nguyen, Project Manager Metropolitan Transportation Commission Dear Ms
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From: Terry Abrams Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2015 5:05 PM To: MTC Info Subject: Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project To: Ashley Nguyen, Project Manager Metropolitan Transportation Commission Dear Ms. Nguyen and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, I am writing in support of adding the Richmond‐San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project to Plan Bay Area and to the 2015 Transportation Improvement Program. By prioritizing the re‐opening of the third lane on the Richmond‐San Rafael Bridge during peak evening commute hours, we will make a big difference in cutting traffic, reducing air pollution, and improving the quality of life in the North Bay. Thank you. Terry L. Abrams ABRAMS CONSULTING Management Consultants www.abramsconsulting.net 1 From: Jeff Alpert Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2015 1:14 PM To: MTC Info Subject: Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project To: Ashley Nguyen, Project Manager Metropolitan Transportation Commission Dear Ms. Nguyen and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, I am writing in support of adding the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project to Plan Bay Area and to the 2015 Transportation Improvement Program. By prioritizing the re-opening of the third lane on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge during peak evening commute hours, we will make a big difference in cutting traffic, reducing air pollution, and improving the quality of life in the North Bay. Thank you. Jeffrey D.Alpert Managing Partner Milestone Trailer Leasing LLC Ph Cell 1 From: Shannon Appelcline Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 11:57 AM To: MTC Info Cc: Subject: Support for Richmond/San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project I am writing to express my strong support for a bike lane across the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge. The Bay Area is an interesting and diverse geographic region, but the Bay(s) can cause serious problems in getting around. Fortunately, our forefathers tackled that problem by building numerous bridges. Unfortunately, many of those bridges remain bike-inaccessible. For those of us who use bikes as a primary means of transport (and even for those that use bikes largely for recreation), large portions of the Bay Area are cut off! The most inaccessible part of the Bay is surely Marin County. The only reasonable way for a bicyclist to currently get there is through a torturous trek that requires BARTing around to San Francisco, biking around the northeast corner of the city, climbing all the way up to the Golden Gate bridge, and crossing it. After a couple of hours of transit, crowd-dodging, and hard work he's in the Marin headlands ... and it's about time to head home for the day. The alternative is a several-hours long ride through a multitude of counties north of San Pablo Bay. Richmond/San Rafael Bridge access would change all of that. It would provide relatively easy access for folks in the Richmond area, and pretty good access for *anyone* in the East Bay, who could take BART to Richmond, then ride the rest of the way on the Richmond Greenway and the Bay Trail connections through Point Richmond. This is one of the biggest improvements you could make to bicycling access in the Bay Area (trailing behind only complete access to the Bay Bridge itself). I hope you'll continue forward with this progressive and worthwhile project! Shannon Appelcline Berkeley, CA 1 From: Melanie Atterman Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2015 4:37 PM To: MTC Info Subject: Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project To: Ashley Nguyen, Project Manager Metropolitan Transportation Commission Dear Ms. Nguyen and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, I am writing in support of adding the Richmond‐San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project to Plan Bay Area and to the 2015 Transportation Improvement Program. By prioritizing the re‐opening of the third lane on the Richmond‐San Rafael Bridge during peak evening commute hours, we will make a big difference in cutting traffic, reducing air pollution, and improving the quality of life in the North Bay. Thank you. Melanie Atterman 1 From: Mattson Austin Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2015 7:04 PM To: MTC Info The San Rafael bridge NEEDS three lanes. If this is possible, PlEASE DO iT. Mattson Austin Sausalito, CA 94965 Sent from AOL Mobile Mail 1 From: Ellen Barth Sent: Friday, July 10, 2015 10:59 AM To: MTC Info Cc: Subject: Support for Richmond/San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project [Email Metropolitan Transportation Commission] Subject: Support for Richmond/San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project Dear Ms. Nguyen, The Richmond/San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project really should be included in the "Plan Bay Area and the 2015 Transportation Improvement Plan." This project will close serious gaps in the San Francisco Bay Trail: (1) a section of the Point Molate Trail in Richmond, as well as (2) the planned Bay Trail between Contra Costa and Marin Counties. For years I and family visited Pt. Molate beach, before its closure, and later I 'birded' the shore area north of the SR Bridge but I always have had to DRIVE there. I often bike north from Emeryville or Berkeley, and it has long been a disappointment that I have to stop at 580 for safety reasons, since the I-580 corridor blocks not only pedestrian access to the northern side, but bicycling further is possible only by riding on the shoulders and sharply curving exit ramps of the freeway where a motorist killed one bicyclist and left another paralyzed. This Project will provide safe bicycle access to Point Molate Beach Park as well as on-foot access to the rest of the Point Molate shoreline and even some uplands. I also urge that you modify the project so that the bi-directional bicycle/pedestrian path extends to Castro Street in Contra Costa County, rather than ending at Marine Street. This will provide an important connection with the combined AC Transit and Golden Gate Transit bus stop at Castro Street and Tewksbury Avenue. Sincerely, Ellen Barth Berkeley, CA Sent from my iPad 1 From: Nancy Barton Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2015 1:33 AM To: MTC Info Subject: Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project To: Ashley Nguyen, Project Manager Metropolitan Transportation Commission Dear Ms. Nguyen and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, I am writing in support of adding the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project to Plan Bay Area and to the 2015 Transportation Improvement Program. By prioritizing the re-opening of the third lane on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge during peak evening commute hours, we will make a big difference in cutting traffic, reducing air pollution, and improving the quality of life in the North Bay. This is much needed for our community and hoping you make a careful positive decision. Thank you. 1 From: Ted Bayer Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2015 11:48 AM To: MTC Info Subject: Support For Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project To: Ashley Nguyen, Project Manager Metropolitan Transportation Commission Dear Ms. Nguyen and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, I am writing IN SUPPORT of ADDING the Richmond‐San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project to Plan Bay Area and to the 2015 Transportation Improvement Program. By prioritizing the re‐opening of the third lane on the Richmond‐San Rafael Bridge during peak evening commute hours, we will make a big difference in cutting traffic, reducing air pollution, and improving the quality of life in the North Bay. Thank you. Ted Bayer Mill Valley, CA 1 From: Aaron Beardsley Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 1:01 PM To: MTC Info Subject: bicycle and pedestrian access on Richmond/San Rafael Bridge Dear Ms Nguyen, Please help address a short sighted mistake made years ago by the designers of the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge when they failed to include a bicycle and pedestrian path or right of way on this very important bridge. I am a life long cyclist and a native of San Franciso. I've spent many thousands of days riding my bicycle over the Golder Gate Bridge from SF to Marin to ride on Mt Tam and beautiful Marin and Sonoma counties. Now as resident of Berkeley I am disgusted that I must drive a car in order to ride to the same roads and trails I could access by bike from SF. I ride all over the Bay Area and know from experience that where you make it possible for people to ride instead of drive, many will do so and everyone benefits. Please make this important connection possible for the many residents of Marin and the East Bay to visit each other by bike rather than car or bus. Please include the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project in Plan Bay Area and the 2015 Transportation Improvement Plan. This project will close major gaps in the San Francisco Bay Trail, i.e. a key section of the Point Molate Trail in Richmond, as well as the planned Bay Trail between Contra Costa and Marin Counties. The Project is especially critical in providing pedestrian and safe bicyclist access to Point Molate Beach Park and the rest of the City of Richmond’s Point Molate shoreline. Currently, the I-580 corridor blocks pedestrian access to the northern side of I-580, and bicycle access is possible only by riding on the shoulders and sharply curving exit ramps of the freeway where a motorist killed one bicyclist and left another paralyzed. The project’s Point Molate Bay Trail section between Marine Street and the Stenmark Drive exit on the northern side of the I-580 corridor will eliminate this dangerous situation. However, please modify the project description to extend the bi-directional bicycle/pedestrian path to Castro Street in Contra Costa County, rather than terminating it at Marine Street.