Reminder: Road Closures Planned for Niles Canyon “Stroll and Roll” on Sunday, September 22nd
Runners, hikers and bicyclists are gearing up for the third Niles Canyon Stroll and Roll on Sunday, September 22nd, for which a scenic stretch of Niles Canyon Road between Fremont and Sunol will be closed to automobiles to give outdoor lovers exclusive access to the Canyon.
The event is being held for the third time in four years to raise awareness about a proposed new trail through the Canyon that would expand public access to its forested flanks, historic landmarks and sweeping vistas of rumbling Alameda Creek.
To make way for the Stroll and Roll, automobiles will be barred from a stretch of Niles Canyon Road between Mission Boulevard in Fremont and Main Street in Sunol from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, September 22. During the first hour – from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. – the road will be open to bicyclists only to give cyclists a chance to traverse the winding thoroughfare unimpeded by others.
Participants in the unusual event also will have the chance to discuss proposals for a Niles Canyon trail with staff from Alameda County and the East Bay Regional Park District. A project study completed in 2017 suggested that a 10-foot-wide paved pathway running mostly along the north side of Niles Canyon Road would be the preferred way to enhance access to the Canyon for pedestrians, bicyclists and possibly equestrians.
Alameda County Supervisors Scott Haggerty and Richard Valle have been leaders in the push for a Niles Canyon recreation trail. In October 2015, the supervisors co-sponsored the first “Niles Canyon Stroll and Roll,” an event that proved so successful it was repeated in 2017. Organizers of this year’s Stroll and Roll say they are preparing for as many as 10,000 people to participate.
Proposals for a public trail through Niles Canyon are driven by the canyon’s breathtaking scenery, which is accessible only via Niles Canyon Road, a winding two-lane portion of State Highway 84. Bicyclists have repeatedly called for a trail due to safety concerns related to sharing the narrow roadway – which includes no shoulder space in some sections - with automobiles. Recreation enthusiasts point out that hiking access to the Canyon is limited and that a trail would provide a vital link between trail networks in the Tri-Valley and Alameda County’s bay-front corridor.
An in-depth environmental review of the trail proposal is now being planned, with the study expected to begin early next year.
There will be free parking for participants. On the Sunol side, parking will be provided in the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission lot at 11600 Pleasanton Sunol Road. On the Fremont side, parking will be provided at the Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area, 2100 Isherwood Way, Fremont. Participants are encouraged to use public transportation to get to the event. Free shuttle service will be available at Quarry Lakes and the Fremont BART station to transport participants to and from the event.
Go to www.84strollroll.com to learn more about the Niles Canyon Multi-Use Trail proposal and the September 22 roadway closure.
CONTACT: Supervisor Scott Haggerty (510) 272-6691 or Supervisor Richard Valle (510) 272-6692
