Building Electrification Resources
San Francisco Bay Area pedal & ebike information
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City streets, bike lanes and separated bike paths
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Bay Trail
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Bridges & Tunnels
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Parks
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Trains & BART
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Ferries
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Bus & Light Rail
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Report road hazards (potholes, missing signs, flooding, downed power lines, broken traffic lights & other dangers)
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Report bugs & new info for this website (errors, broken links, changes in access, suggestions)
Dealers, Repairs & Incentives
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SF Bay Area Ebike dealer map - Googlemap of dealers who carry e-bikes in the San Francisco Bay area
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Berkeley ebike dealer list - List of Berkeley area dealers & repair shops, the brands of e-bikes they stock and price ranges.
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Subsidies & Incentives - Listing of utilities & cities in the Bay Area that offer discounts on e-bike purchases or lending libraries or other incentives.
If you have an old car you are ready to scrap, you may be able to trade your clunker for $7,500 towards e-bikes & transit
Bike & scootershare systems & longer term rentals
Short term share systems (rent by the minute for short trips)
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Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, Santa Clara, & San Jose - Veo (standing & sitting e-scooters, ebikes in some areas)
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Berkeley, Emeryville, & Oakland - Superpedestrian (standing e-scooters only)
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Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, San Francisco, & San Jose - Lyft/BayWheels (pedal "classic" and ebikes docked and undocked in SF & SJ, docked pedal bikes only in the Berkeley, Emeryville, & Oakland )
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Berkeley, San Francisco, San Jose - Spin (ebikes & e-scooters - download the Spin app)
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Emeryville, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose - Lime (e-scooters only)
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Richmond, Sonoma & Marin - Gotcha by Bolt (all e-bike) appears to have shut down
Many bike & scooter share systems have discounts for low income riders. Check with the operator for details.
Hourly & daily & longer term rentals: (rates as of Jan 2023)
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Sports Basement (multiple locations) rents Bosch powered pedal assist electric bikes from Scott, Kalkhoff, Cannondale, and Felt (in addition to a broad range of pedal bikes). I know they rent ebikes from Berkeley. Call other locations to confirm availability. ebikes $65/day, $110/weekend (2-4 days), $300/week (5-9 days), $500/month, $1000/6 month lease
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Bay City Bike 2661 Taylor St (Fisherman's Wharf) SF - daily rentals pedal powered $36 , ebikes $75
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Blazing Saddles, 2715 Hyde (Fisherman's Wharf) SF - ebikes $48/2 hours, $70.40/day
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REI Bay Area Adventure Center, 1387 Marina Way, Richmond, pedal $10/hour, $30/day, ebikes $30/hour, $95/day (note that rentals do not earn an REI Reward for members)
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Friend With A, Various locations, ebikes from their owners (like airbnb for houses or or Turo for cars)
Classes, Events, Local advocacy & Resources
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Regional Bay Area bike advocacy organizations offer excellent classes in person and online, fun bike oriented events, and website resources in addition to opportunities to advocate for safer streets.
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Napa Valley Bicycle Coalition
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Local Bike & Walk organizations are great sources for more classes, events and opportunities for advocacy for safer streets for bike riders and pedestrians.
Route planning
If you are just starting biking around the Bay area, you may be concerned about tangling with crazy drivers. The key to this is "Don't ride where you drive." There are lots of bike paths and low traffic streets that are great, low stress options in the Bay Area. Explore around. Bike lanes are helpful, but the most relaxed route for you may be a back street that doesn't show up on the maps as a bike route.
Check out the Bike East Bay Route Planning page for lots of tips on how to plan your route and map sources.
BART's multi-modal trip planner allows you to mix a bike with BART and buses.
Also check out 511's Biking Maps & Trails for PDFs of bike lane maps around the Bay
Secure parking & bike registration
Secure bike parking is offered at many transit stations throughout the Bay area (all BART stations, most Caltrain, SMART, and Amtrak stations, plus many bus transit hubs, parking decks, libraries, community centers, hospitals, parks, and other places around the Bay area and beyond. You may use these whether you are using transit or just shopping or meeting in the area.
Locker use is very cheap - 3-5 cents per hour (some entities subsidize the first hours, including Fremont & Oakland (first 5 hours free), Santa Clara (first 9 hours free), San Jose (many lockers up to 10 hours free)), and Caltrain (100 free hours when you sign up with Clipper). Most require a BikeLink card or app or a Clipper card to access.
Some of the BikeHub locations are attended, providing free parking that can be used walk up without a card or app.
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BikeLink electronic bike lockers and controlled access group parking facilities are located throughout the Bay area, plus locations in Davis, Sacramento, Santa Cruz, Tahoe Southern California, Oregon, Washington, Las Vegas, Utah, St Louis, & Burlington VT. The website and app maps include real time info on number of parking spaces available at each station. You can also find locations through search for "BikeLink" in GoogleMaps but not all locker hubs are listed on Googlemaps yet. Opening a locker requires a BikeLink access card or the BikeLink app (Download the BikeLink app on iOS or Android). BikeLink app access to BART's bike station group parking facilities -- available at Ashby, Berryessa, Civic Center, Downtown Berkeley, Embarcadero, MacArthur, Milpitas and Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre stations -- will be rolled out early 2023. A more limited number of lockers can be opened with a Clipper card.
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BikeHub for Bart, Caltrain, LA Express & Sacramento - These locations variously offer unreserved walk up valet bike parking (Bike Stations) or controlled access group parking or secure smart racks. Valet parking is generally available weekdays and may also provide fast turnaround repair services, accessory sales and bike rentals at select stations.
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UC Berkeley offers three secure and covered bicycle parking facilities and many more cages throughout campus, for use by UC affiliates. Registration is free on a first come, first served basis. There are also a couple of BikeLink facilities available to the public on campus and at University Village as well as the nearby downtown Berkeley BART Bike Station.
Register your bike! - For all those times when you can't lock up in a secure a facility, make sure your bike is registered in both of these free databases to increase the chances of return if stolen:
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Safe Bikes is a free SF based database.
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Bike Index is a free national database.
Register your bike in both databases and see Security - Don't lose that new bike for tips on getting the best lock and other theft-proofing for your bike.
Where can I ride?
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City streets, bike lanes and separated bike paths are all usually open to Class I, II & III ebikes as well as pedal bikes. In many areas, e-bikes can go wherever regular bikes are allowed. Parks, however, sometimes have more restrictions.
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Bay Trail: The Bay Trail is generally open to all bicycles throughout, but local restrictions may apply in certain parks. Always, always, be a good ambassador for ebikes when you ride on the Bay Trail. Slow way down around pedestrians and when passing pedal cyclists. Use your bell or call out when approaching. Check out Bay Trail Confidential to learn much more about fun places to go on the Bay Trail..
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Bridges & Tunnels: Six of the region’s toll bridge spans have bicycle and pedestrian paths, and no toll is charged for these users. Check out the Bay Trail FAQ on bridges and 511 Bicycles on Bridges & in Tunnels to learn more.
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Antioch Bridge: CA-160. Technically bikes and pedestrians are allowed on this bridge "on a bike lane adjacent to the vehicle travel lane" however, the lane is very narrow and there is no shoulder. Check it out on google street view before attempting it.
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Baker Barry Tunnel: Bunker Rd in the Marin Headlands. Car traffic is one way, controlled by a 5 minute traffic light. Bicycles, however have their own lanes in both directions and do not need to wait for the light. Use head and tail lights in the tunnel.
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Benicia-Martinez Bridge: (also known as the George Miller Jr. Bridge) I-680. A two-way 12-foot path for bicyclists and pedestrians on the west side of the bridge is open 24 hours a day.
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Carquinez Bridge: (also known as the Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge) I-80 between Vallejo & Crockett. Open 24 hours a day.
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Dumbarton Bridge: Route 84 between Newark & East Palo Alto. Open 24 hours a day.
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Golden Gate Bridge: Pedal and e-bikes are allowed but not e-scooters. Cyclists have 24 hour access except occasionally for special construction. Check website for special closures, routes and pedestrian hours.
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Posey/Webster Tubes: Alameda. There is no pedestrian or bicycle access in the Webster Tube, and only limited access through the Posey Tube. You can get through Posey but it is a very unpleasant experience. Take the bus or go around to one of the bridges.
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Richmond-San Rafael Bridge: Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This path is open under a pilot program through 2024. Keeping the bike and pedestrian path will depend on how many people use it (and politics)
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San Mateo-Hayward Bridge: NO bike or pedestrian access.
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SF-Oakland Bay Bridge: The East Span between Oakland & Treasure Island/Yerba Buena is open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Funding is being sought for a West Span to connect to SF. In the meantime, the SF Muni 25 bus and the Treasure Island Ferry provide a quick 10 minute ride to SF.
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Parks: While pedal and ebikes may travel on any park road open to cars, not all trails are open to bikes and not all trails open to regular pedal bikes are open to e-bikes. These rules are evolving. Check with the park before you ride. Always, always be a good ambassador for bikes and e-bikes when you ride on trails. Keep it slow and use your bell or call out when approaching pedestrians or horses.
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East Bay Regional Parks - As of March 3, 2019, Class I and II ebikes are allowed on select park trails: Alameda Creek Trail (paved only), Big Break Trail, Contra Costa Canal Trail, Delta De Anza Trail, George Miller Trail, Iron Horse Trail, Lafayette Moraga Trail, and Marsh Creek Trail.
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MCBC E-bike policies in Marin County - listing of parks and their restriction
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Bikes on transit
Most (but not all) buses & trains & ferries allow both pedal and ebikes. If the agency allows bikes and does not explicitly disallow ebikes, we assume they allow ebikes.
Racks and station elevators are often not big enough for longer cargo bikes, tricycles, recumbents, trailers, or tandems. Note that BART has an Elevator Dimensions guide to help you determine if your longer bike will fit.
Bikes with large fat tires or very small wheels may not work in the racks. Check with the agency for size limitations.
Clipper Card: Many, but not all, systems accept the Clipper Card for fares. Some have a discounted Clipper fare.
Confirm before your ride: Always follow the blue hotlink which will lead you to the transit system's bike page if I could find one. There you can learn the specific rules for each agency before you ride, including weight and size limits on some systems. See also the Bike East Bay Bikes on Transit guide and the 511 Bicycles on Transit
Trains & BART: Learn which stop precedes your stop. Watch for it and start unhooking your bike soon after the train leaves the preceding station. It will take some extra time to unhook your bike from tie downs and you need to be ready to roll off when the train stops or risk missing your chance and going on to the next stop.
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ACE: Yes. Does not accept Clipper.
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Amtrak: Yes on trains, although there is technically a 50 pound limit and 2" maximum tire width. There is frequently a significant gap between the platform and the train to lift your bike up & over. Some trains have vertical racks that require swinging your front wheel up and lifting your bike up a few inches (these will not fit a longer cargo bike - check this out ahead of time to insure a longer cargo bike or fat tire will fit). The Capital Corridor - from San Jose to Richmond to Sacramento - is more bike friendly than most of Amtrak. It does not require a bike reservation to bring a bike, allows ebikes, and attempts to accommodate all riders even if the racks fill up . See the Capital Corridor Bike page for more info. Policies vary widely with other routes. Many other Amtrak trains are either reservation-only or FCFS. For other routes, check out Bring your bike onboard and the Bike FAQs. Some of the Amtrak connection buses do take bikes, others don't. Call Amtrak to confirm. Some platforms require carrying your bike up and down steep stairs to get on and off the train. Does not accept Clipper. Have you already had experience taking your bike on Amtrak and have a gripe or suggestion? Take the Bikes on Amtrak survey.
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BART: Yes. Check rules for which cars you can ride in and other guidance. Watch for a bike logo near doors to find tiedown bars you can lean your bike against. The supplied tiedowns are only large enough to strap one bike. Bring a bungee to strap your bike to the tiedown bar in case you need to lean against another bike so you don't have to hold your bike for the entire ride. Gas powered bikes not allowed, No restriction on e-bikes. *** Most BART stations require using an elevator or carrying your bike on stairs. Bikes are prohibited from escalators. Check the BART Elevator Status website as they frequently break down. Cargo bike or tandem? Check the Elevator Dimensions guide to see which elevators your bike will fit in. Clipper discount.
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Caltrain: Yes. You must carry your bike up and down a short flight of very steep stairs to get on and off Caltrain cars. Look for cars with “Bike Car” label near the door. There is ample for room for multiple bikes. Check Caltrain website for instructions for adding a suggested yellow hangtag with your station name so your bike doesn’t get buried behind other bikes going to farther stations. Clipper discount.
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SMART: Yes. Easy platform level roll on/roll off the train. Ample room for multiple bikes. Clipper daily pass discount.
Ferries: Use the indoor storage on the boat if available to keep corrosive salt spray off your bike. Most are easy same level roll on- roll off, but watch for multi level where you need to carry bikes on a stairway (e.g. Larkspur)
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Golden Gate Ferry: Yes. Roll on access at some docks, but you may have to carry the bike up or down a stairway between some terminals. Larkspur is the only one that I know has an elevated boarding platform that goes to the second level of the boat, requiring carrying bike on stairs to access lower level for SF docks. LMK if you experience this on other docks. Clipper discount.
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SF Bay Ferry: Yes. Gas powered bikes not allowed, No restriction on e-bikes. Roll on-roll off on all runs I have tried (Jack London-SF and Richmond-SF). Clipper discount.
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Tideline Berkeley SF Ferry: Yes. Small boat. Limited schedule. No Clipper ticket service yet.
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Treasure Island SF Ferry: Yes. Roll on access. Small boat. Operator said they had taken 8 bikes on already and "can probably fit more. We don't want to leave anyone behind." Another said they can jam 16. No Clipper ticket service yet.
Bus & Light Rail: Racks usually only hold either 2 or 3 bikes, usually on the front. Rack space is first come first served so have a back up plan. Some bus systems will allow an additional bike or two in the bus in the wheelchair area if it is not needed by a disabled person. Some large buses on regional commuter routes make room for bikes in the luggage area underneath. Reverse commute direction is easiest of course. Confirm with the bus system ahead of time.
Trains, BART and the ferries, generally accommodate many more bikes than buses & light rail
On a bus, you will have to be able to fold down the rack, lift your bike on and off the rack and fold the rack back up without help from the driver. Communicate with the driver, particularly to notify her before you get off the bus that you will be pulling a bike off the rack. Always fold the rack back up after removing your bike if it is empty.
All of the bus systems listed below accept Clipper Cards (or are free)
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AC Transit: Yes. Clipper discount.
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CityCoach (Vacaville): Yes. Accepts Clipper.
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Commute.org San Mateo Shuttles: Assume yes. No bike policy found. Shuttles have bike racks. Free.
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County Connection (CCCTA): Yes. Clipper discount.
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Dumbarton Express: Assume yes. No bike policy found. Shuttles have bike racks. Accepts Clipper.
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FAST: (Fairfield): Yes. Accepts Clipper.
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Golden Gate Transit Bus: No ebikes :-( (but they do allow pedal bikes). Contact the GG Bridge District to ask them to allow ebikes. Clipper discount.
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Marin Transit: No ebikes :-( (but they do allow pedal bikes). Contact the agency to ask them to allow ebikes. Clipper discount.
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Petaluma Transit: Yes. Accepts Clipper.
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SamTrans: No ebikes :-( (but they do allow pedal bikes). Contact the agency to ask them to allow ebikes. Clipper discount.
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Santa Rosa CityBus: Yes. Two wheeled pedal and sealed dry cell ebikes are allowed. Recumbent, tandems, motorized, three-wheeled, muddy, dirty, or greasy bikes are not allowed. Accepts Clipper.
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SF Muni: Yes w/limits on some vehicle types and small wheel sizes. All bikes are allowed on buses. Only folding bikes are allowed on Muni Metro & Light Rail and historic vehicles. No bikes are allowed on cable cars. Clipper discount.
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SolTran Solano Express: Yes. Accepts Clipper.
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Sonoma County Transit: Yes. Accepts Clipper.
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TriDelta Transit: Yes. Accepts Clipper.
- TriValley Wheels (Livermore Amador Valley): Yes. Accepts Clipper.
- Union City Transit: Yes. Folding bikes (e or otherwise) may be brought into a bus but must fit under the seat. (Per email communication. See Rules of the Road printed brochure. Accepts Clipper.
- Valley Transportation Authority (VTA): Yes. When the racks are filled, up to two bicycles will be allowed inside buses subject to the driver's discretion when passenger loads are light. Accepts Clipper.
- Vine (NapaCounty): Yes. If racks are full, at least one pedal bike (but not ebike) can be brought in the wheelchair area if it isn't needed by a disabled person. Check website for weight and size limits on racks. Accepts Clipper.
- WestCAT: Yes. Accepts Clipper
Report road hazards
Do potholes make your bicycling miserable? You can get them fixed! Report hazards to the government and get them fixed - sometimes within days. Tire grabbing holes and cracks, missing manhole covers, glass in the bike lane, traffic signals that aren’t detecting bikes, flooding, broken or missing signs - basically any hazard - are all fair game. Don't assume that the City already knows about it. Your eyes on the street are valuable to them. Report these problems so the City can get them fixed, and prevent accidents for everyone who bikes in that area.
For immediate life threatening emergencies, such as a downed power line, of course you should call 911, but for everything else, use the resources here.
Use SeeClickFix on the web or by the mobile app (Android, Apple) for reporting issues if the city uses it. These reports are mapped, visible to the public, and you can include a photo. The highlighted city links below lead to the city's SeeClickFix web reporting page. Or you can use the SeeClickFix app to report to any of these cities on your phone.
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East Bay (Alameda & Contra Costa County): Use SeeClickFix for reporting to Alameda, Antioch, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, Oakland, & Walnut Creek. For all other cities and for the East Bay Regional Parks, or if you prefer to call the city, use Bike East Bay's City Hazard Reporting list to find the link to the city's reporting website, phone number, and their app if they have one.
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San Francisco: Report to SF311 online or through their mobile app (Android, Apple). This is SeeClick Fix powered.
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Marin: Check the Marin County Bicycle Coalition's Marin Report Hazards page for contacts & websites for cities and park agencies in Marin County.
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Napa County: Report your issue on the Napa County Bicycle Coalition Report form and they will make sure the responsible party knows the issue exists.
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South Bay: Use SeeClickFix for San Mateo County, Atherton, Burlingame, Foster City, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, and South San Francisco. For all other areas, check the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition's Silicon Valley Report a Hazard page for contacts & websites for cities and park agencies.
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Solano County: Use SeeClickFix for American Canyon, Benicia, Dixon, Vallejo,
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Sonoma County: Check the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition's Sonoma County Report Hazards page for contacts & websites for cities and the County.
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State highways: Those roads marked in yellow on Google maps are the responsibility of Caltrans, not the City they go through. This is not just highways. This includes some major surface roads with a state highway designation. Use the online Caltrans Customer Service Request form.
Make your report effective! Read Bike East Bay's report guidelines for tips on how to submit your report and what information to include to make sure the City understands it and acts on it. Bike East Bay also regularly holds a one hour online webinar on hazard reporting. Check their schedule