Women’s Soccer and Bikes: Go Bay FC!

So as not to bury the lead… If you’d like to join the Bay FC Bike Tailgates, contact shilohb@hotmail.com or sign up through Eventbrite here.

Riding Bikes to Sports Events is a Win-Win for Everyone.

For the Niners fans out there, you know how nice it is to avoid the headache of driving to events at Levi’s stadium. That’s because you can ride right up to the stadium, zip past the traffic jam, and valet park your bike with Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition. This service, paid for by the Niners, helps their “dump rates” (the ease of getting in and out of a stadium) and it helps our collective climate change goals by reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT). 

Backstory: Advocating for Bikes at the Earthquakes Stadium

This is why in 2015, when the Earthquakes stadium was completed, SVBC immediately approached the team about how to get people to ride to games. Dave Kaval, the General Manager at the time, was very interested except for one thing. The stadium was a piece of a larger construction project stretching all the way to the Costco shopping center. In total, the area was slated for a massive makeover including 317,000 square feet of office and 1,500 new homes.

While Dave and the Quakes were enthusiastic about the idea, due to ongoing construction and resulting safety concerns, they were reluctant to encourage people to ride. Since that time, SVBC and the bike community have been waiting patiently for construction to be completed. 

One big milestone was achieved in 2017 when the Caltrain tunnel connecting the Santa Clara University side with the stadium was finished. That meant the Caltrain tracks were no longer a barrier. People would now be able to ride from the City of Santa Clara side to games. The tunnel was a huge connectivity win, and was due in part to Measure B funding, a voter approved transportation measure that you all voted for and that SVBC championed.

Today: Bikepools to Bay FC Games!

It’s now 2024, and the construction is almost finished. Importantly, Wondo Way is paved, creating a safe route parallel to Coleman all the way to the Caltrain station. This new road should be rideable and open by the end of the year when the housing on the Brokaw end of the site is fully built.

That said, with the new women’s soccer team, Bay FC, we in the bike community have run out of patience. So, we’ll meet regularly at Park Station Hashery on Park Avenue, grab dinner and a beer, and then ride our bikes together up Park Ave, out El Camino, through the Caltrain Tunnel and then to the stadium. And while Paypal Park has yet to embrace the awesomeness of valet bike parking, there are bike racks. In fact, at the Bay FC home opener, every single bike rack was taken. (I even overheard a Quakes fan say that they have never seen as many bike riders at Quakes games. I guess women’s soccer fans like bikes!)

Sign Up Today!

All are invited to join us at Park Station Hashery for Bike Tail Gates. Sign up here so we know you’re coming and can send any additional details. Go Bay FC! 

Sidenote:

Efforts like these are intended to help event organizers realize the value of accommodating people who ride bikes. Whether it’s the Jazz Festival in Downtown San Jose, a Beyonce concert at Levi’s, or a Shark’s game, please ride and help SVBC communicate to large venues/festivals that safe bike parking is an easy way to meet our climate change goals while creating a better event experience for all.