FAQ

How are you going to achieve a car-free Telegraph?

As a result of our organizing, Berkeley City Council approved a plan on February 22nd, 2022 to start exploring car-free Telegraph Avenue. Now it is up to us to make sure it actually happens and doesn't turn into a bureaucratic dead-end.

For context, we have been pushing for car-free Telegraph during the Southside Complete Streets Project. Southside Complete Streets was approved by City Council and will give space back to pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders on Bancroft, Dana, Fulton, and Telegraph.

Why should Telegraph be car-free?

Telegraph is bustling with pedestrians fighting for space on cramped sidewalks, car traffic is uninviting to cyclists, and transit riders are constantly stuck in traffic. A car-free Telegraph would solve all of this, and we now have a window of opportunity to finally create a new Telegraph that benefits everybody.

Won't removing cars from Telegraph hurt small businesses?

Removing cars from Telegraph from Bancroft to Dwight would help small business, not hurt them. There are very few parking spaces on this segment of Telegraph; most people driving down the road use it as a through-street and don't even stop at local businesses. By redirecting them to other streets and giving Telegraph back to pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders, small businesses will benefit from more patrons. Telegraph will become even more of a desirable destination than it already is, making people more likely to visit and stick around. See some examples we have in mind and how vibrant they are.

Pedestrianized streets succeed where there are already pedestrians. Telegraph already has an immense amount of pedestrians, and it would benefit more than anywhere else in the East Bay from becoming a space for people.

Not only will businesses will still get deliveries, but the delivery times will actually be faster when there's no congestion! Click here to see what it could look like!

How can I support a car-free Telegraph?

You can become a member, join our Slack, and start volunteering for Telegraph for People. You can also follow us on social media (Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok) and share our posts.

Will it take longer to get to campus?

No! Cars can still use other, under-trafficked streets, while the Line 6 bus on Telegraph will run faster and pedestrians will have more space to walk without running into people walking the other direction.

Who runs Telegraph for People?

Students! Telegraph for People is a student-led organization in coalition with a variety of other transit and environmental organizations that seek to not only reimagine what public space can be, but also to make it a reality!