Can I walk to Golden Gate Fields?

May 21, 2009 1:54 PM

Can I walk to Golden Gate Fields?

It's the horse race track in Berkeley CA. Their directions say to take a cab from a BART station, but I prefer walking as much as possible - it looks to be under two miles from the El Cerrito BART.

But I can't tell: do the freeways block my route? Are there sidewalks when I get close? Is it just too dangerous for pedestrians?

posted by jenmakes to travel & transportation (15 comments total)

You will have to cross the 80 to do so (there are overpasses with sidewalks in a couple of locations), and also fairly certain that there are no sidewalks in the racetrack area - you would be going into an industrial/warehouse region before you hit the racetrack itself.

That having been said, plug the BART station and the address of your destination into the 511.org trip planner - I'll bet there are public transportation options that can get you quite close, and perhaps you will be able to take a few blocks of dodging cars!
posted by Wavelet at 2:05 PM on May 21

Where are you coming from? I'd take a bus. A few of the Transbay buses drop off near the freeway. You can do Google Maps and select "by transit" as your travel option. You can get under the freeway, though it's not amazingly pleasant. A nice route would be to walk or bike up the Bay Trail if you get off at the University Avenue exit, though that's 1.3 miles.
posted by salvia at 2:07 PM on May 21

Yeah, it looks like if you're coming from downtown, you could take the L bus, get off at Washington & Pierce, and walk from there. The part where you go under the freeway will kinda suck (it's so poorly signed that it even sucks in a car), but I think you can do it.

Unfortunately, though, it looks like the L only runs on weekdays! On the weekends, you might be better with another bus. And again, the fastest way to figure out the most relevant Transbay bus and its schedule is through Google maps.

If you're coming from Walnut Creek or something, none of this helps.
posted by salvia at 2:15 PM on May 21

Yes, the freeways (and the train tracks!) block pedestrian access. You can see on google maps satellite view and streetview that there are no sidewalks as Buchanan goes over the freeway and under the tracks.

There's a sidewalk on gilman though. This might be your best bet - going on Buchanan is shorter but not as safe. You could do University -> pedestrian bridge -> up the frontage road instead if you prefer - it's about thee quarters of a mile further, but possibly more pleasant? Though a police officer told me once that the pedestrian bridge is unsafe at night, so if you're planning on doing this at night, avoid that.
posted by aubilenon at 2:23 PM on May 21

I'm coming from Industrial Blvd & 3rd Ave.

It sounds like the bus may be the way to go, but I hadn't thought of the Bay Trail - it would be a nice walk. I'm generally ok with walking in weird areas, but it's definitely better if I know what I'm getting myself into...I always get so irritated when places aren't easily accessible by foot!
posted by jenmakes at 2:28 PM on May 21

I did this walk once! I do not really recommend it. We had to do some strange, possibly illegal maneuverings to get past the freeway, and it felt weird and dangerous. I wished we had taken a cab.
posted by ORthey at 2:41 PM on May 21

Either take the University bridge and walk up Frontage or take the cab. You don't want to try to cut across 80 at Buchanan. That's a trip to the ER waiting to happen.
posted by majick at 2:48 PM on May 21

I've biked it from Berkeley on the Bay Trail (getting to the Marina on the pedestrian/bike bridge.) I can't think of any reason you couldn't do it by foot, but the bridge isn't all that close to a BART station; it'd be a pretty substantial walk.
posted by Zed at 2:54 PM on May 21

I guess that settles it - - no dodging cars for me. Better safe, as they say...
posted by jenmakes at 2:55 PM on May 21

Yeah, you can walk to the racetrack, but it would be like Satan's game of Frogger. The entrance at Gilman is right past one of the worst (I think it is the worst) intersections in California - 6 directions of traffic and no stop lights - and then a massive hill to climb. I don't know about the Buchanan entrance, but the street is a lot safer (not saying it's safe).

Glad you decided against walking...it's too fun there to show up dead.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 2:59 PM on May 21

It's can be a mellow bike ride if you have any old bike. Take BART w/ your bike to the North berkeley station. Virgina St. is on the N. side of the station complex. Take Virginia (a bike blvd.) all the way down toward the water to 2nd st. then 2 blocks south to Addison and cross the footbridge over the interstate. continue on the bike path to GGF. And it not such a massive hill at all.
posted by TDIpod at 3:10 PM on May 21

And Buchanan actually has a sidewalk the entire way on the north side, and goes over the tracks and under the freeway.
posted by TDIpod at 3:13 PM on May 21

I can assure you the easiest way is to take BART to North Berkeley BART, and take a cab--it's a substantial walk. I don't know why the police told aubilenon the pedestrian bridge is unsafe at night--I live very close to it!

If you'd prefer to walk, exit the BART station, go up to Sacramento, turn right and walk two blocks to Hearst. Turn right on Hearst and walk all the way to 4th Street. Turn left on 4th and walk to Addison. Turn right on Addison and go up and over the pedestrian bridge. Follow the path and walk north along the frontage road, and you'll wind up at Golden Gate Fields.
posted by mattdidthat at 3:18 PM on May 21

Agree with TDIpod, you can sidewalk it on Buchanan, and I'd call it safe. I'd do that before I'd try to walk through the Gilman/I80 death gauntlet. And you gotta walk up a steep, but short, hill to get up to the racetrack entrance regardless of whether you come from Buchanan or Gilman.

I say, be adventurous.
posted by Mountain Goatse at 3:26 PM on May 21

I've taken BART and walked it (under the freeway). It's not that bad. Just be careful. A bicycle makes it much easier, though.
posted by mrgrimm at 4:26 PM on May 21