Pleasant Hill moving forward with bicycle and pedestrian plan
PLEASANT HILL, CA (Mar. 13, 2024) — As we head into spring, more and more people are out and about on city streets. And that makes it more important than ever that the city continues to improve conditions for our cyclists and pedestrians.
Earlier this year, the Planning Commission reviewed the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP) and recommended it for approval, sending it to the City Council for its consideration later this month.
The master plan provides a consistent, long-term guide for the city in developing connected networks of multipurpose paths, bikeways, sidewalks and street crossings. The BPMP complements the city’s General Plan Circulation Element and provides focused visions and goals toward the development of bicycle and pedestrian facilities in Pleasant Hill.
Complete streets
It represents a shift in the city’s transportation development strategy from an automobile-oriented focus to an emphasis upon “complete streets” that balance the needs of multiple modes of travel within the city’s transportation network. This plan provides general improvement recommendations and design guidelines that promote consistent, safe, and efficient integration of bicycle and pedestrian facilities on city streets and near transit facilities.
The plan also bolsters the city’s pursuit of federal, state and local grant funding opportunities. In addition, it provides policy recommendations to ensure that private development projects benefiting from new facilities pay their fair share toward construction of those facilities via the city’s Traffic Mitigation Fee program.
The updated BPMP is an excellent tool for ensuring that Pleasant Hill remains a vibrant community that provides alternative modes of transportation for all users who live, work and recreate throughout our city. I look forward to discussing the plan with my fellow councilmembers at our March 18 meeting.
The Safer Intersections Project is another area where we are working to increase safety for cyclists and pedestrians. Since late 2023, crews have been installing safety improvements in the area around the nine Pleasant Hill schools.
This month, the project was nearing completion with the installation of LED flashing stop signs, striping and speed humps. These improvements are in addition to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramp upgrades, high visibility crosswalks and flashing beacon systems.
This Measure K funded project is expected to make the journey to and from school safer and more enjoyable for our students.
Baseball on parade
And speaking of our students, I had the honor of taking part in the Opening Day Parade for the Pleasant Hill Baseball Association (PHBA). All the teams participate and march in the parade, along with friends and family. In all, about 1,900 young people are involved in PHBA each year.
This year’s parade was a little soggy due to the rain moving through our area, but that did not dampen the spirits of the parade marchers or the enthusiasm of those cheering them on. The parade started off at Sequoia Middle School and made its way to Pleasant Oaks Park for the Opening Day Ceremony.
One of the overarching themes of my time as mayor is “Come Together.” Pleasant Hill is an amazing community, and one of the reasons for that is groups like the PHBA. Each year, the common love of baseball brings a variety of folks together with the shared purpose of teaching our young people the values of good sportsmanship, kindness and fair play. I appreciate them and all the players who give up their time to be a part of a tradition that’s been bringing families together for more than 60 years.
Contact Matt Rinn at Mrinn@plesanthillca.org.