Berkeley goes all in on bikes with removal of a significant number of parking spaces on Hopkins Street

Berkeley's City Council voted 7-2 on July 28 to approve a $20 million plan that eliminates 145 of 274 parking spaces on a 1.2-mile stretch of Hopkins Street to make way for bike lanes, a decision that has sparked opposition from residents and concerns from the fire chief. The plan, which includes Class II and Class IV bike lanes, bulb-outs, and raised crosswalks, aims to address a corridor that saw 46 pedestrian and bicyclist crashes from 2011 to 2026, including 3 fatalities and 5 serious injuries. Opponents, including the 'Save Hopkins' group, worry about spillover effects, first responder access, and the cost amid a $30 million budget deficit.

Getting your Trinity Audio //trinityaudio.ai player ready...Berkeley resident Max Lynn watched in disbelief last month as the City Council voted to eliminate over half of the parking spaces on Hopkins Street in favor of bike lanes. Not because he’s anti-environment, but because he viewed it as environmentalism gone awry. “I’ve lived here for 23 years, and I’ve ridden bikes, walked, ran, driven cars up and down the street the whole time,” Lynn said. “I’m not sure why they need to be so radical. It’s almost militant.” On July 28, the City Council voted 7-2 in favor of a $20 million plan to eliminate an estimated 145 of 274 parking spaces on Hopkins Street on a 1.2-mile stretch between Gilman Street and Sutter Street. The plan calls for Class II bike lanes from Sutter Street to The Alameda, and Class IV protected bike lanes on both sides of Hopkins Street between The Alameda and Peralta Avenue. The plan also calls for bulb-outs and raised crosswalks at high-traffic intersections. “Action is necessary and overdue,” said Berkeley Councilmember Rashi Kesarwani. “Hopkins Street has been recommended as a low-stress, East-West connector route in the Berkeley bike plan and it is a documented high-injury corridor.” The Hopkins corridor has seen its share of serious incidents. Between 2011 and 2026, the city recorded 46 pedestrian and bicyclist crashes along the corridor that resulted in “3 fatalities, 5 suspected serious injuries, 20 suspected minor injuries, 13 possible injuries and 5 unspecified injuries,” according to a 2026 city report. The median age of the eight victims in fatal or severe cases was 67.5 years old. But for as bustling a corridor as Hopkins Street is, Lynn questioned if the number of serious accidents shouldn’t be considered comparatively low, with eight serious accidents in the past 15 years. “I do think that part of the reason for the number of bikes that come down is because it’s a good road to bike down,” Lynn said. “It’s visible. It’s a wide street. And so you can go fast, and you can see what’s in front of you. And also when you’re driving, it’s actually easier to see bikers on this street than almost every other street in the city.” In opposition to the city’s plans, some residents have organized “Save Hopkins,” an advocacy group which has raised concerns about the spillover effects on nearby neighborhoods and first responder access. Berkeley Fire Chief Dave Sprague raised safety concerns in 2023 about clearance space for fire engines and evacuation bottlenecks in the case of a fire, which caused the plan to be shelved. But in July, Sprague revised his decision and approved concept designs that provided a “workable” framework subject to ongoing review. Many disabled and elderly Berkeley residents at the City Council meeting in July said the elimination of parking would make their lives more inconvenient, instead of more safe. Nearly all of them complained of teenagers on speedy electric bikes. Others balked at the cost of the $20 million project – $5-6 million for bike lanes alone – as the city faces a $30 million structural budget deficit https://www.berkeleyside.org/2026/06/24/berkeley-budget-sales-tax-firefighters and is also seeking a $300 million bond measure for general infrastructure on the November ballot. “What I specifically support is infrastructure that enhances safety for bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists, and accessibility for all,” said Margaret Torn, a Berkeley resident. “And really, I’m looking for tight stewardship of the city’s budget and taxpayers dollars, especially before the city asks for more bond measures and sales tax increases.” Kesarwani was firm in her commitment to the Hopkins Street plan. She said funding for the project did not impact the general fund, for which the city is seeking sales tax and bond measure. The councilmember acknowledged the overhaul of Hopkins Street was a monumental decision, one that would reshape transportation on one of the major thoroughfares connecting East and West Berkeley. Though many residents voiced opposition, the council had evidence that their decision was the right one, she said. “I have said and I believe that the reallocation of the public right-of-way is without precedent in our city, and when a big change like this is made I believe it should be justified by the data that we have in terms of where the serious and fatal crashes are occurring,” Kesarwani said.