NEWS Thousands Turn Out to Celebrate Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Pathway Opening
Bike the Bridge! After decades of advocacy from Marin County Bicycle Coalition, Bike East Bay, and SF Bay Trail, we’re delighted to announce that the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge multi-use pathway is now open! Head to our Richmond-San Rafael Bridge resource page for all things bridge-related, including route planning, news, and more!
Following decades of advocacy, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge opened to incredible fanfare the weekend of November 16, with thousands of people coming out to cross the bridge by bike and foot for the first time in its 63-year history!
Over the course of the weekend, 5000 trips were made across the bridge by people of all ages on all kinds of bikes: road bikes, rickshaws, recumbent bikes, handcycles, mountain bikes, cargo bikes, tandem bikes, and even unicycles.
Over 400 people rode with MCBC from The New Wheel in Larkspur to the ribbon-cutting ceremony in Richmond, where Executive Director Tarrell Kullaway was among those to address the crowd.
“With the creation of this pathway, people from both sides of the Bay now have car-free options for getting to work, to school, running errands, or just getting out to adventure,” said Kullaway.
Speakers from MCBC, Bike East Bay, Rich City Rides, and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy hailed the project’s completion as being about much more than a pathway on a bridge. It was a celebration of the bicycle, a unification of two sides of the Bay, and a stand against the poor air quality and access to car-free transportation and recreation options that disproportionately impact disadvantaged communities near the bridge.
It was also an opportunity to recognize those who made this happen. Former Marin Supervisor Steve Kinsey was thanked for his leadership, while MCBC’s founding Executive Director Deb Hubsmith was lauded for her relentless advocacy.
There was also an acknowledgment that the work is far from over.
“We must ensure that folks riding from the bridge to the cities and towns on either side have safe ways to get there,” said Kullaway.
“And we must hold fast in our determination that this test project becomes a permanent, treasured and vital part of our transportation system for future generations.”
“Who will ride the bridge?” The answer: everybody!
Check out a few shots from our photo album of the pathway’s opening day.
More photos are available on our Facebook Gallery.
We want to see your photos! Tag us in your Instagram stories (@marinbike) or in your posts with #ExperienceMCBC.
MORE COVERAGE
New bike path on Richmond-San Rafael Bridge leads to future of transportation (SF Chronicle)
New Pedestrian Bike Path Opens On Richmond San Rafael Bridge (CBS Bay Area)
New Bike Path Open on Richmond-San Rafael Bridge (NBC Bay Area)
The Battle for the Richmond Bridge Bike Path (Streetsblog California)
MEMBERS MAKE IT HAPPEN
The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Pathway opening showed us that the bicycling community is incredibly strong when we come together as one. No matter who you are, why you ride, or how you ride, we need you as we celebrate the bicycle and all of the good it does for us, our communities, and the planet.
