Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In
A one-block-long bike lane. Photo: Kevin Greenlee
A one-block-long bike lane. Photo: Kevin Greenlee
A one-block-long bike lane. Photo: Kevin Greenlee

Pleasanton, California may have just created the shortest bike lane in the state. It's one short block long, on Parkside between Cheryl and Arthur roads.

Image: Google Maps
Pleasanton, California. Image: Google Maps
Image: Google Maps

You can see from the map above that the neighborhood is full of loop roads that don't connect to much. In fact, Parkside is really the only way through here, even by bike. Just east of this point there's a path connecting to the trail that can be seen at the top. But this single block is the only section that's marked with a lane.

It's no April Fools joke. Mark Candland of the Pleasanton planning department said that the intersection was recently changed from a two-way to an all-way stop, which made it necessary to restripe the street.

“When we're going to resurface a street,” said Candland, “we look to see if we can add bike lanes. It's short, but a little bit is better than nothing at all.”

The very wide median along Parkside left plenty of space to give bicycles an officially marked approach to the new stop sign. They also narrowed the vehicle lane to eleven feet wide, to signal to cars they needed to slow down as they approached the intersection.

It's officially an example of a “complete streets” approach, wherein when changes are made to any street, the opportunity to accommodate bikes and pedestrians is pounced upon.

Image: Google Streetview
Image: Google Streetview
Image: Google Streetview

It's also officially a way to create a deeply fragmented bike network that gets bikes exactly nowhere. There's certainly plenty of room along Parkside for bike lanes, as this view looking away from the new lane shows. But that section of road is not due for repaving, so there is no plan to extend the bike lane further.

Currently Pleasanton is in the process of developing a bike master plan, but whether this adorable stub of a lane gets connected to other parts of the city remains to be seen.

Hat tip to Robert Prinz.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

Friday’s Headlines

Streetsblog Cal. is on a light publishing schedule today and Monday.

April 18, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines

The end of "car free Market Street," LA's Vision Zero Flop, More Freeway Miles, Less Oil and Teslas and more...

April 17, 2025

The Armchair Urbanist Goes After BART to San Jose Extension

Even from 3,000 miles away, it's easy to see why the BART extension—as designed—is stupid.

April 16, 2025

Caltrans Posts Draft Master Plan for PCH in Malibu

Activists agree this plan is a huge improvement over current conditions, but there are some areas where it could be even better.

April 16, 2025

SB 720 and What You Need to Know about Red Light Cameras

According to data from UC Berkeley’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), in 2023 alone, there were 167 fatalities and nearly 1000 people suffered serious injuries due to red light running and traffic light violations.

April 16, 2025
See all posts