Rain Washes Away Problem for Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Cyclists

Heavy rains don't usually make for great cycling. However, this year's downpours have actually cut Richmond-San Rafael Bridge cyclists a rare break: an emergency water pipeline project that would have blocked the bike approaches to the bridge is now on hold.

From the Marin Independent Journal's story:

"The Marin Water District had been proceeding with the pipeline under the statutory exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). That requires an emergency, but it's now clear that Marin has enough water for this year, so there's no standing to pursue the emergency statutory exemption," the Marin County Bicycle Coalition's Warren Wells told Streetsblog. "The multi-use trail was being seen as the path of least resistance. But now that a full CEQA is being pursued that gives time for evaluation and true consideration of options that will not result in a multi-month disruption of the trail."

With time to study the options, the pipeline could be bore-drilled in sections and/or buried under sections of the freeway shoulder. Either way, there's now a good chance cyclists will not be blocked.

Wells also told Streetsblog, while he was concerned about the emergency closure, his organization wasn't in any way trying to block the pipeline. And he was impressed, he said, that the water district was planning to set up a bus shuttle to take cyclists across during the emergency closure. "I trust the people who manage the water system know what has to happen," said Wells. "We drink water too."

Meanwhile, Wells said the Bicycle Coalition will be providing updates on the pipeline study as long-term options are developed. "The rains hit the snooze alarm on the issue for at least a year."