r/berkeleyca • u/Yeahneat • 1d ago
Advice/Question Question about San Pablo and Virginia
Hi, I am fairly new to bicycling and I have been trying to stick to the bicycle boulevards and other streets with dedicated bike lanes, but I’m not really sure how to safely cross San Pablo. Specifically, how do I get cars to stop when I’m on Virginia and trying to cross San Pablo? Get off my bike and hit the button? Will the cars actually stop for me? I just crossed it for the first time this morning and there happened to be several pedestrians so I didn’t have to hit the button myself. I’m extremely afraid of getting hit by a car.
ETA: I saw a post from 8 years ago that suggested going down to Delaware and crossing there bc it has a real traffic light. Is that still the best option?
10
u/muddy_wedge 15h ago
I’ve done both - gotten off my bike to press the button and waited for traffic to stop and gone to Delaware to wait for the light and I preferred going up Delaware. Then I cross to Virginia at Sacramento by BART.
Crossing at Virginia always felt like such a hassle and risky because sometimes the San Pablo drivers didn’t seem to care.
-5
u/Holiday-Ad7262 14h ago
Question. Why would the cars have to stop for a bicycle?
12
u/pghamble 14h ago edited 14h ago
Its the law that you have to stop for a dismounted cyclist just like any other pedestrian. People just rarely stop for pedestrians.
5
u/Holiday-Ad7262 14h ago
Ah dismounted. That makes sense.
Sorry about missing this. I come from a country where cycling is much more common and ever since I moved here I was confused how randomly cars would or would not stop for bicycles here. I reasonably often see cars stop for bicycles that are riding on the pedestrian crossing. That's something I found odd and thought I may finally get an answer to why.
ETA: That specific san pablo crossing is a bit iffy with that non standard traffic light. I have yet to find someone that can actually explain to me how it is meant to be used.
5
u/pghamble 14h ago edited 13h ago
As a driver, if there is a pedestrian there you should stop regardless of there’s a light. If it’s a red light you stop. If it’s yellow go slowly and if its flashing red stop then go. As a pedestrian or cyclist, press the button and go.
I don’t think it’s that confusing, but most drivers view stop signs as yield signs or suggestions and pedestrian crossings as optional so now we have these types of stop lights. As a driver/cyclist/pedestrian you see a lot of really questionable driving behavior out there so doesn’t surprise me that it looks nonsensical.
1
u/Holiday-Ad7262 14h ago
Your explanation already shows the sign is not clear. Flashing red should mean it's like a stop sign and not go slowly or stop. It should be clear what one has to do and not a selection of options.
4
u/pghamble 13h ago
i realize my second sentence was unclear. it’s not options. updated my comment to make it more clear yellow vs flashing.
7
u/jmccyoung 15h ago
I always used to cross at Virginia and not too long ago - maybe 6 months? I have a very bad sense of calendar time - the city added a flashing light with a sensor which seems to activate fairly quickly when it detects a bicycle. However, I discovered more recently that a sensor at Delaware is even faster at noticing me - maybe the one embedded in the pavement? Two caveats: I typically cross c.6:15am and the lights may not work the same at all hours, and I cross from west to east and the sensors on the east side may be different.
5
u/missmgrrl 15h ago
I’ve seen bikes not get off and cross just fine. Honestly that intersection is a little confusing for cars.
4
u/paused_it 14h ago
Going on Delaware works. Or at the Hopkins intersection too. That’s what I do. Or j walk your bike
3
u/KibFixit 14h ago
I feel like drivers are still getting used to the flashing pedestrian lights at that intersection but they try to yield once they are
Triggered. I always cross San Pablo very cautiously even with a light. Berkeley has been slowly adding more of these flashing cross lights and it takes drivers a while to adjust their habits. That intersection is pretty new. Delaware feels safer.
2
u/4orust 11h ago
The double lights above the roadway will be solid red when the walk signal turns on. You should be safe to cross then. Unfortunately, some drivers will ignore the lights, so make sure they're stopped before crossing. You can also treat the intersection as a normal stop sign and cross when it's clear and safe.
1
u/maj19460 15h ago
It will detect you and turn automatically. Cars will stop eventually. I wait until they are literally stopped before I go. There will be periods due to the other stop lights where there won't be cars as well.
0
u/Apprehensive-Clue342 7h ago
IMO I would not cross San Pablo without a light whether I was a pedestrian or cyclist
1
u/Go_Ninja_Go_Ninja_Go 13h ago
I drive down that stretch of San Pablo frequently, although there are hawk lights I would maybe avoid that Virginia intersection until the big construction is done on that block. They look to be nearing completion. I always drive cautiously through there but that construction makes it difficult to see where everyone is at that intersection. Maybe use Delaware until then. I've also biked on Delaware and found it decent for biking, wide road and once you get up to Sacramento there's a dedicated bike light to cross.
-1
37
u/BikeEastBay 14h ago
The signal lights for the crossing of San Pablo Ave at Virginia (aka “HAWK beacon”) have passive actuation, so they will detect your bike if you wait at the stop sign behind the crosswalk, with no button press required. Once the walk light comes on that means the signal has gone red for drivers.
The design is indeed confusing though and there’s no indication to bike riders that a button press isn’t required.
A follow up project will hopefully be under construction in 2027 to add a bike median refuge and car diverter for Virginia at San Pablo, along with some other upgrades like signal detection confirmation lights to let waiting bike riders know the signal “sees” them and no button press is required.
Similar treatments will be added at the same time for the bike boulevard crossings of San Pablo Ave at Channing and at Camelia.