Path Building

Next path-building work party (details).

Many of Berkeley's hill areas were subdivided in the early 20th Century, before dominance of the automobile. Streets were generally laid out to follow curving contours, while 10-foot-wide city-owned rights of way were provided to make it easy for people to walk directly up and down hills. These paths, many of them with staircases, today are not only useful and beautiful, but also can provide vital emergency routes in case of fire or earthquake. But as automobile transportation became common, not all paths were built. Over time, some have been blocked by brush or neighbors' fences.

Berkeley Path Wanderers have made many of these paths usable by clearing vegetation and installing simple wooden steps. Our volunteers come from Boy Scouts, student and religious groups, and the community at large. BPWA also works closely with the City of Berkeley, which repairs existing staircases, establishes path rights of way, and builds concrete stairs on path segments where wooden steps are inadequate. The Berkeley Path Wanderers Association orgainzes work parties for which BPWA members and non-members alike can volunteer. Additional help is very much appreciated and can assist us in the completion of the entire path network. Please see our call for volunteers.

Some earlier work parties have included:

Acacia Steps - BPWA work party of 5/15/05 (photos).

Glendale Path - BPWA work party of 4/2/05 (photos).

Columbia Walk - BPWA work party of 1/30/05 (photos).

Upper Stevenson Path - work party of 11/20/04 done by the Green Justice Club from the El Cerrito High School (photos).

Upper and Lower Stevenson Path - work party of 11/21/04 done by the Circle K Club of the University of California (photos).

Stoddard Path - work parties of 11/22 and 23/2004 done by three students from Vanderbilt University as part of the community service component of their Environmental Ethics class (photos).