Webster and Park Streets have been top of mind for about a month now, since restriping began. While there are lots of positives to the restriping, the rampant illegal parking in bike lanes has unfortunately overshadowed everything else.
Bike Walk Alameda recently met with Public Works Staff to walk Park Street and ask questions about enforcement activities, and what we, the public, can do to help keep the bike lanes open for their intended purpose.
But first, some background:
In Alameda, parking enforcement is the domain of Public Works, not the Police. The Police can certainly issue citations, but Public Works is responsible for enforcing parking laws for parking garages, metered parking, and non-metered parking on residential and commercial streets. This is quite the job for two full-time and two part-time enforcement officers!
When Public Works first took over parking enforcement during COVID, their focus was citing street sweeping parking violations to reduce the amount of garbage draining into the Bay. Our commercial corridors (Park and Webster) had been rapidly restriped for outdoor dining, and this resulted in some confusion surrounding legal parking. Under those conditions, enforcement was scaled back. The current restriping project aims to clear up the confusion around parking, and with this clarity, enforcement will be ramped up. We should expect to see more enforcement, and relief, soon.
While Public Works does not currently have the authority that APD has to ticket violators specifically for parking in a bike lane, there are other options enforcement officers have to keep bike lanes clear. Interestingly, violations can be stacked, making parking in a bike lane a costly proposition. In addition to the basic rules of not parking next to a red curb or where there is a “no parking” sign, drivers can receive tickets for double parking, parking in a non-existing parking space, and parking more than 18″ from the curb. Nonetheless, we’re hopeful that Council will give Public Works the authority to ticket specifically for parking in the bike lane next year, when Council revisits the fee schedule.
Though Public Works is responsible for parking enforcement, unfortunately their hours are limited. They are in the field from 4:00 AM – 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, and on Saturdays with a smaller crew from 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM. They’re planning to add additional staff in July for more enforcement on Saturdays. During times when Public Works parking enforcement is not active, calls about violations are routed to APD non-emergency. So technically, there is coverage 24x7x365, but the lack of active enforcement outside of regular business hours leaves ample room for delivery drivers and others to violate parking laws. Evenings are very likely when enforcement is needed the most. Hopefully Public Works will consider shifting scheduling to cover more evening hours or at least staggering enforcement hours so that some evening hours could be included.
Staff sees education as a key part of the solution. They have information and maps on their website about parking options and are working on other communications, like “Parking Do’s and Dont’s.” In addition, they won a grant to better manage parking overall, including dynamic pricing and wayfinding signage to point people to legal parking lots. That should start rolling out next year. The Civic Center Garage will be getting $1M in upgrades soon, too.
What You Can Do to Help Keep Bike Lanes Clear
Education and parking management are important, but enforcement will be critical. You can help by reporting violations to the city at (510) 522-PARK. If you do not reach a live person, you will be directed to leave a message or, if it’s during non-business hours, to contact the police non-emergency line at (510) 337-8340. Our experience calling in so far has been mixed, and with processes in transition, it may take some patience, but do it if you can!
If you have general feedback that isn’t time-sensitive, you can file a See Click Fix report, under “Parking Enforcement.” They check these each day.
Help us advocate for changes that might need Council support. For example, changing the fee schedule next year so that Public Works can enforce bike lane violations is something Council would do. Another example: budgeting for additional staff for better enforcement coverage all around, but especially outside of regular business hours. Council might also direct staff to explore AB361, which would automate citing for bike lane violations, and make the process much more efficient. Finally, and most importantly, the Active Transportation Plan calls for protected bike lanes in both of these corridors as part of our low stress network. Protected bike lanes will have lots of advantages over paint: they won’t need enforcement, they’ll make the streets much safer for all users, and they’ll get a lot more use than painted bike lanes, which will be very good for business. When those discussions start, please speak up in support as opportunities arise. Your voice will matter.
For more information about parking citations and enforcement in Alameda, visit https://www.alamedaca.gov/RESIDENTS/Auto-Parking-in-Alameda/Parking-Citations-and-Enforcement