• The protected bike lane(s) designed on Fifth Ave in Oakland as part of the BRT project will begin/end at Bellefield instead of extending fully to Neville. This leaves a three-block gap for cyclists just short of the Ellsworth bike corridor, and it requires cyclists to complete the gap by traveling out of direction, utilizing N. Bellefield and Bayard and Neville to connect to Ellsworth. The gap also presents similar challenges to cyclists on Fifth Ave seeking to access the Neville Street route that leads to the Junction Hollow Trail.
• This short gap may inadvertently lead to safety issues if some cyclists still decide to travel along Fifth Ave between Bellefield and Neville along a stretch of roadway that is not adequately designed to safely accommodate such travel patterns.
• Community stakeholders identified the importance of dedicated bike signals, bike boxes, and bike turn lanes for safety purposes and for reducing potential conflicts between cyclists and pedestrians.
• There is also interest in how this project could complement a proposed improved connection between S. Neville St. and Centre Ave.

• The primary obstacles to be resolved on the three-block stretch of Fifth Avenue stem from the limited curb-to-curb width of select portions of this stretch of Fifth Ave, which is narrower than many other parts of Fifth Avenue in Oakland.
• An engineering study is necessary to evaluate the trade-offs and opportunities to close the bicycle connection gap in detail, including whether the curb line may need to be moved, on-street parking reevaluated, and if there would need to be public purchases of slivers of abutting private property to expand the available Right of Way.
• This study should examine alternatives of an on-street bike route or a sidewalk level bike route, and other options for where to optimally place bike path(s). For example, it is worth considering if protected bike lanes on both sides of the street may require more width compared to a two-way cycle track on one side of Fifth Ave.
• Filling the gap has the potential to improve safety for all users, make cycling in the area attractive to more residents, and improve a key connection between Oakland, Shadyside, and the Junction Hollow Trail, and tie in with other proposed bike network improvements in the general vicinity.
• Funding for the above project goals and components could potentially come from the DOMI Capital Budget, County and State mobility grants, and partnerships with institutions and developers.
• In addition to the project leads and partners identified, additional stakeholders and partners should be determined, including adjacent institutions and property owners, and residents and community groups in the vicinity of the projects or served by the improved connections, in addition to relevant City Council District offices.
• Study and design would look at all relevant aspects of bike infrastructure that are appropriate at the location.

When to start: 3-5 years

Duration: 3-4 years

Estimated costs: $$$ (out of $$$$)

Project lead(s): DOMI

Project partner(s): OTMA, DCP, OPDC, Bike Pittsburgh, institutions

Potential funding source(s): DOMI Capital Budget, County and State mobility grants, partnerships with institutions and developers