Won the Bay Bridge West Span Pathway project take money away from other badly needed bike and pedestrian safety projects?
The West Span Pathway is such a large project that it could not (and should not) be paid for out of conventional bike/ pedestrian funding sources. This project should be paid for out of toll revenue, federal earmarks, or a possible regional gas tax, none of which would be available to stripe bicycle lanes or build safer crosswalks. Caltrans-adopted Deputy Directive 64 states that the needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, and disabled populations should be considered as part of all Caltrans projects and facilities. The Bay Bridge is a high profile example where this directive should be applied.
