Dolores Gomes didn’t hesitate when asked what it’s like to bike through the 101 freeway at College Avenue or Steele Lane.
“It’s scary,” she said. “It’s really scary.”
Gomes, a South Park resident and Santa Rosa Junior College student, relies on her bike to get around. Like many SRJC students, she said the rising costs of gas, insurance and car maintenance make driving unaffordable.
Despite the safety risks, Gomes bikes daily. She said she has been hit by a car four times, the most recent incident by a student driver. One incident involved her daughter, Loretta, three at the time.
The accident occurred in November 2025 in the Coddingtown parking lot when a driver waved for Gomes to cross, then looked at their phone and released their foot from the brake. The car rolled forward and trapped Gomes’ bike under the wheels with her daughter strapped to the back. A stranger helped Gomes free her child. The experience left Loretta traumatized.
“My daughter hates cars,” Gomes said. “She tells people, ‘I hate cars, cars are stupid.’ She tells people to watch out because they almost hit us while switching lanes.”
Gomes hadn’t heard of the planned Highway 101 Bike and Pedestrian Overcrossing (BPOC) but said it would change how her commute.
“Oh, it would. It would put less lives at risk,” she said.
The project will be a 1,107-foot pedestrian bridge over Highway 101 that connects Elliott Avenue near SRJC to Edwards Avenue behind Coddingtown Mall.
The Santa Rosa City Council approved $37.6 million in February 2026 for a construction contract with Ghilotti Construction Company. The project total is estimated at $48.5 million, funded through local sales tax, state gas tax funds and multiple grants, including $12 million from the federal Active Transportation program and $10 million in state funding.
The BPOC could provide a safer option for SRJC students and residents who travel eastbound and westbound across Highway 101 without a car. It represents a safer way to move through the city with ease.
In a statement released by the city of Santa Rosa for the April 11 ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mayor Mark Stapp said, “Access and opportunity should not depend on which side of Highway 101 you live on.” Stapp said. “This overcrossing will remove a long‑standing physical barrier and create safer, more equitable access to education, jobs, transit, and essential services. I am grateful to all who helped advance this transformative project for our community.”
A 2020 Santa Rosa Junior College survey found that 2.7% students — about 405 students — bike to campus.
It is estimated that the overcrossing would attract 10% of student cyclists and about 50% of nearby pedestrians
The bridge aims to provide safer paths for bicyclists and pedestrians who currently take high-traffic routes on College Avenue or Steele Lane to travel east or west of Highway 101.
Walking or riding along College Avenue or Steel Lane can be dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists, with more than 40,000 cars passing through daily.
Lesli Deras, an SRJC student who lives near Pacific Avenue, rides her bike to GameStop at Coddingtown Mall.
“But riding near the freeway scares me. I just don’t want to get hit by a car,” she said “Especially near In-N-Out, when cars are merging on and off the freeway. That’s when I feel like I really have to focus and be careful.”
For many students, those routes can feel unsafe. Heavy traffic and limited bike lanes can make the area difficult to cross, especially for students without cars who rely on biking or walking to reach places like Coddingtown.
SRJC art student, Melanie Arreguin, said she avoids the area.
“It’s bumpy, there’s glass everywhere, and drivers can be reckless,” she said. “It doesn’t feel safe.”
Arreguin relies on her bike as her main form of transportation.
“Because of my situation, it’s really hard. Where I live, we barely have enough buses, so I either walk — which takes like an hour and a half — or figure something else out,” she said.
Arreguin was hesitant to take up biking again after a traumatic childhood crash. Eventually, she saved up enough money for an e-bike and gave it another try.
Despite the risks, Arreguin said biking has benefits.
“I think more people should bike. It’s cheaper, efficient and good exercise. People always tell me they see me riding around campus and that it looks fun,” she said
Biking is more than transportation, and her advice for students is simple.
“Just go for it,” Arreguin said. “It’s really worth it. It saves money, it’s fun, and it helps you stay active. Just be cautious and build up your confidence.”
All three students said they would use the planned overcrossing.
Construction of the bridge is expected to begin April 2026, with completion anticipated in late 2027.