Oakland breaks ground on Lake Merritt bike path honoring 4-year-old Maia Correia

CBS News

4 days ago

The City of Oakland broke ground Friday afternoon on a new protected bike lane alongside Lake Merritt, honoring the memory of 4-year-old Maia Correia, who was killed in a bicycle accident on the same stretch of road two years ago.
The Maia Correia Memorial Bikeway will span 0.7 miles along Lakeshore Avenue, from East 18th Street to El Embarcadero. It will be a two-way, fully protected lane separated from vehicle traffic by concrete barriers.
Currently, cyclists ride between parked cars and a painted white line—an arrangement that offers little protection from moving traffic or the risk of being "doored" by people exiting parked vehicles.
"It was a big price to pay to get to where we are right now," said Maia's grandmother, Hydeh Ghaffari.
In August 2023, Maia was riding in a child seat attached to the back of her father's bicycle when the driver of a parked car opened their door. Maia and her father were thrown to the pavement. Maia died six days later from her injuries.
Since then, Ghaffari and her family have become leading advocates for safer bike infrastructure in Oakland. Although the bikeway project faced funding challenges, the family's persistence kept it alive.
"We've been up and down, up and down, up and down. Today is an unbelievable day. I never thought we would get here," Ghaffari said during the groundbreaking event.
City transportation officials confirmed the project would not result in the loss of any existing parking spots along Lakeshore Avenue. Supporters said the bikeway could save lives.
"We can prevent those deaths," said Maia's aunt, Sheila McCracken. "I think that's the hardest part of this whole thing. It's an accident. But it's a preventable death."
Oakland District 2 Councilmember Charlene Wang, who represents the area and often bikes as her primary mode of transportation, echoed the urgency.
"I don't often feel safe biking. It's kind of like, 'I'm going to risk my life to bike today,'" Wang said. "This corridor is one where there's a lot of speeding. People frankly ignore the red lights here."
Frequent cyclists around Lake Merritt expressed hope and relief.
"I have close calls frequently. The big problem is speeding motorists," said Brian Simmons, who bikes around Lake Merritt at least twice a week.
George Spies, a member of the nonprofit Traffic Violence Rapid Response, emphasized that real safety comes from infrastructure, not enforcement.
"The cops can't be everywhere. Enforcement is not the answer for safety," Spies said. "Safety is about infrastructure. So when this project is done, we're going to have a protected bike lane that you can't get hit in."
While the Correia family continues to grieve, Maia's nine-year-old brother, Kai, said he plans to be one of the first to ride in the completed bikeway.
"It feels unreal because it shouldn't be happening. She should still be here with us physically," Kai said. "So this shouldn't even be a thing at all. She should just be at home with us and we should be going on multiple bike rides and having a fun, safe time."
Ghaffari said the family's advocacy will continue beyond this project.
"I have now become a board member of Bike East Bay to continue my advocacy," she said. "I want kids all over Oakland to be able to ride safely."
City officials said the Maia Correia Memorial Bikeway will be completed by next summer.