Title
Recommendation to Receive an Update on Neighborhood Greenways Implementation and Provide Direction on Removing Select Slow Streets Barricades in the Immediate Future.
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this project is categorically exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(c) Existing Facilities (Minor alterations to existing facilities including bicycle facilities) and Section 15304(h) (Minor Alterations to Land and the creation of bicycle lanes on existing public rights of way). None of the exceptions to the categorical exemptions apply to this project. (Planning, Building and Transportation 24462742)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Per the City of Alameda (City) Active Transportation Plan (ATP), staff developed a Neighborhood Greenway implementation strategy that calls for the Slow Street segments of Pacific Ave, San Jose Ave/Morton St and Versailles Ave to be converted to Neighborhood Greenways in 2024-2025. Implementation of Neighborhood Greenways will include removing the Slow Street barricades and installing more permanent traffic-calming treatments to create safe, low-stress streets for walking and biking. Current City Council direction from 2022 is that the Slow Streets barricades should remain until the Neighborhood Greenways are implemented, and, for Santa Clara Ave, which will not become a Greenway, until the Central Avenue project is completed in early 2026.
This report provides: 1) an overview of the Neighborhood Greenway implementation strategy, and 2) four options considered for the timing and manner of removing the Slow Street barricades. Staff recommends:
• For Pacific Ave, San Jose Ave/Morton St, and Versailles Ave: Maintain in place those barricades at the beginning and end of each Slow Street and at the major street crossings until the Neighborhood Greenways are implemented in 2024 and 2025, and immediately remove those barricades at the lower-volume cross-streets. This action would result in the removal of about half of the barricades along these streets.
• For Santa Clara Ave: Leave all nine of the barricades in place until the Central Ave separated bike lanes are completed, by 2026.
BACKGROUND
The City’s ATP calls for Neighborhood Greenways to be used to facilitate the creation of a connected, low-stress bicycling network (see map in Exhibit 1), which is essential for meeting Alameda’s climate, safety and transportation goals. Neighborhood Greenways are bicycle- and pedestrian-priority streets designed to allow bicyclists and motorists to safely share the road on low-volume, low-speed, local streets, and to make crossing larger streets safer and easier for people biking and walking. They are also designed to be used by people of all ages and abilities.
The implementation of Neighborhood Greenways will replace the Slow Street barricades that were put in place at the beginning of COVID-19 (2020).
In 2022, City Council directed staff to leave the Slow Street barricades in place and remove them as part of the Neighborhood Greenway conversion assuming that implementation of all Neighborhood Greenways would be completed by 2024.
In early 2024, given that implementation had not begun, City Council asked staff to re-evaluate the timing for the removal of the Slow Streets barricades, given some public opposition to the extended time they have been in place, and their ongoing maintenance needs and costs.
Exhibit 2 includes further background on why Neighborhood Greenways are needed, the nine streets planned to become Greenways by 2030, and the ATP recommendations for the Slow Streets program.
DISCUSSION
NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS
Implementation Strategy
The current implementation strategy is different from what is outlined in the ATP’s 2030 Infrastructure Plan. That plan envisioned converting the three Slow Streets of Pacific, Versailles and San Jose/Morton to Neighborhood Greenways by the end of 2024, and the remaining six streets by the end of 2025. The following implementation strategy revises these dates and balances a desire to move quickly with a recognition of what is currently realistic.
Staff and transportation consultants developed a three-phase strategy to implement the Neighborhood Greenways in the ATP. The first phase, which has already begun, is structured to meet City Council-approved 2024 Transportation work program to:
• Begin construction to convert at least one Slow Street to a Neighborhood Greenway in 2024.
• Complete quick-build conversion of the three Slow Streets to Greenways by 2025.
Phase 1 (2024-2025). Given the priority to remove the Slow Streets barricades, staff will first convert the Slow Street segments of Pacific Ave, San Jose Ave/Morton St and Versailles Ave to Neighborhood Greenways. This phase covers:
• Pacific Ave from Ninth St to Oak St
• Versailles Ave from Fernside Blvd to Calhoun St
• San Jose Ave/Morton St. from San Antonio St/Morton St to Oak St
Staff selected Pacific Ave as the first Slow Street to be converted to a Neighborhood Greenway. This is the longest of the three Slow Streets, and in order to move quickly, staff proposes to transition only a segment of the Pacific Avenue Slow Street, with a mix of quick-build and permanent materials, and to start the construction phase by the end of this year. The remainder of the Pacific Ave Slow Street, plus the other two Slow Streets, are planned to be converted in 2025.
The first phase includes the following subphases, as follows:
Phase 1A (underway):
• Implementation Strategy. Staff developed the implementation strategy described here, which was presented to the public on the project web page (www.alamedaca.gov/NeighborhoodGreenways <http://www.alamedaca.gov/NeighborhoodGreenways>) and via mailings, and to the Transportation Commission for discussion on August 28. Commissioners expressed support for the strategy, with a desire to see the program implemented expeditiously, and for the designs to consider aesthetics and maintenance needs.
• Design Treatment Toolkit. Staff are developing a toolkit of treatments to slow traffic, reduce vehicle volumes, improve the safety and comfort of larger street crossings, and create an identity for the Greenways. These include both quick-build and more permanent treatments. Initial possible treatments, included in Exhibit 3, were presented to the community for feedback via the survey (described below). Select treatments will be demonstrated and tested on the first Neighborhood Greenway to be implemented (Pacific Ave) and can then be modified, as needed, to respond to community and staff concerns. Staff are working with Fire and Police Department emergency response staff to make sure that all treatments can safely be used in the City. The public’s input will be considered in the development of the toolkit.
• Community Survey. Staff recently conducted a survey to educate the community about Neighborhood Greenways, and to solicit feedback on potential design treatments and whether to prioritize using quick-build or permanent treatments. The survey, which also asked about barricade removal, was active from July 31 to August 20, and received over 1,850 responses, which are summarized in Exhibit 4.
• Additional Community Engagement. In September, an interactive web-based map will be released for the community to suggest location-specific needs along the Neighborhood Greenways. On September 28, staff will hold a mobile workshop along Pacific Avenue to present initial concepts for Pacific Avenue. Both efforts will be advertised and promoted extensively.
Phase 1B (beginning late 2024):
• Design, Bid and Construct first segment of Pacific Avenue. After hearing from the community via the survey, web map and mobile workshop, staff will finalize a design concept and create plans for construction of the first segment of Pacific Ave (extents are still to be determined). Staff anticipates this will be a small construction contract (under $200,000), which does not require City Council approval. There are sufficient funds in the Active Transportation Plan Implementation Capital Improvement Project (CIP) for this work. Staff aims to award the contract by the end of 2024. As feasible, the work will begin before the end of the year.
Phase 1C (beginning 2025):
• Design and implement remaining Pacific Ave Slow Street plus complete San Jose Ave/Morton St and Versailles Ave Slow Street segments. By early 2025, staff will begin developing the plans for the remainder of the Pacific Ave Slow Street, plus the San Jose Ave/Morton St and Versailles Ave Slow Street segments. This will include more community engagement on design concepts and will incorporate any lessons learned in Phase 1B. As well, staff have worked with the businesses along the Slow Streets intensively since the Slow Streets program was implemented, to mitigate the commercial impacts, and will continue to do so with the Neighborhood Greenway designs. Staff will bring a larger construction contract to City Council to award. Staff anticipates requesting that City Council allocate additional funding once the designs and cost estimates are developed. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
During Phase 1, staff will also work on the following efforts:
• Collect data on the existing volumes and speeds along the nine Neighborhood Greenway streets and nearby parallel streets, to understand the current conditions and measure the impact of the design treatments in reaching the speed and volume goals, and possible diversion to nearby streets.
• Identify planning-level cost estimates for implementing all nine Neighborhood Greenways.
• Identify and seek grant funding to support implementing larger infrastructure needs along the Greenways, mainly focused on the crossings of major streets, which are higher-cost items.
Phase 2 (2026-2030). In this phase, staff will work to implement the remaining six Neighborhood Greenways included in the 2030 Low-Stress Backbone Network (Exhibit 1). A more detailed implementation approach will be developed in 2025.
Phase 3 (Post-2030). This phase will implement the remaining Neighborhood Greenways in the ATP, which are mostly shorter, connecting segments. It will be developed more fully when the ATP is updated.
Types of Treatment Materials
The choice of materials plays a crucial role in the implementation of Neighborhood Greenways, influencing installation and maintenance costs, time needed to implement, neighborhood aesthetics, and community acceptance. Neighborhood Greenways can be installed with quick-build materials, permanent materials, or a combination of both. Quick-build projects can be constructed on a faster timeline using materials such as paint, flex posts, modular rubber curbs, plastic speed cushions and signs. They allow for testing different treatments and making adjustments and can later be replaced with permanent materials when funding is secured. However, quick-build materials, while cost-effective and flexible, can be less durable, have less aesthetic appeal, require greater maintenance, and potentially impact community acceptance. Projects using permanent materials, which usually involve concrete, drainage, and electrical work, take longer to implement and cost substantially more than quick build materials. While they are more durable and require less maintenance, they are also less flexible for future adjustments and modifications.
On the last page of Exhibit 3 are examples of several treatments using quick-build materials and using permanent materials. There are, of course, many more possible design iterations; the final designs used in Alameda will be informed by engineering expertise and community input.
The community survey asked about preferences for quick-build versus permanent materials. The responses were very evenly split between the two (see Exhibit 4).
The implementation strategy assumes a hybrid approach for Phase 1 using a combination of quick-build and permanent materials. This will maximize the scope of Neighborhood Greenways implementation, providing for more safety improvements than would be financially feasible using only permanent materials based on the project budget.
SLOW STREETS BARRICADE REMOVAL TIMING
Neighborhood Greenways and Slow Streets are very different in purpose and implementation. Greenways are being designed with community input and utilize many types of treatments to both calm traffic and improve the safety of crossings. Slow Streets were implemented quickly in response to the pandemic, using a single treatment of temporary barricades, with the intent to be temporary. Neighborhood Greenways are intended as a permanent safety installation.
There are currently 60 Slow Street barricades along four Slow Streets:
|
Slow Street |
# of Barricades |
|
Pacific Ave |
23 |
|
San Jose Ave/Morton St |
15 |
|
Versailles Ave |
13 |
|
Santa Clara Ave |
9 |
Current Assessment of Slow Streets Program
At this time, the Slow Streets program has both benefits and challenges from the City staff and community perspectives. In terms of benefits, staff believe that the barricades are likely reducing and slowing the auto traffic on each Slow Street, creating a more comfortable and safer biking experience along them. This assessment is based on four years of collision data, which has not found an increase in reported collisions at the barricade locations. However, the Slow Streets barricades also create some challenges. City staff are maintaining the barricades weekly, including repositioning fallen barricades, cleaning graffiti, checking sandbags, and replacing necessary components. Despite these efforts, the barricades are susceptible to unauthorized movement by residents and business owners, and can be blown over in strong winds, requiring additional staff servicing.
Over the past few years, many community members have complained about these “pandemic-era” devices still being on the street, arguing that they are regularly ignored and that they create hazardous conditions at the intersections. Others have expressed an interest in having the barricades remain in place, to allow for traffic-calmed streets and a more comfortable and safer street for biking. The conflicting viewpoints within the community, coupled with the ongoing maintenance challenges, present a complex situation. The recent community survey, which had over 1,800 responses (Exhibit 4), showed that, depending on the street, a plurality of respondents (42-50%) would like to see the barricades remain in place per the current City Council direction, one-third want to see them removed soon, and about one-quarter had no opinion. Many opinions about the barricades have been reflected in social media posts as well.
The Transportation Commission discussed the barricade removal timing at their August 28 meeting, and also heard from eleven speakers. While no action was taken, the Commissioners generally supported keeping the barricades in place, per current Council direction, while also expeditiously moving forward with Neighborhood Greenway implementation. There was concern with any option that would slow down or take funding away from implementing the Greenways. Many speakers expressed that speeding and aggressive driving are regularly happening across the City, including on the Slow Streets, and that more needs to be done. Some stated that the current purpose of the Slow Streets is not widely understood, and more education is needed, if they are to stay in place.
Staff Recommendation for Barricade Removal Timing
As noted earlier, City Council direction in 2022 called for continuing the Slow Streets program until the Neighborhood Greenways were implemented (or, for Santa Clara Ave, the Central Ave project was completed). See Exhibit 6 for a map showing this Slow Street transition. In response to City Council’s request to re-consider these actions, staff recommends:
• For Pacific Ave, San Jose Ave/Morton St, and Versailles Ave: Maintain in place those barricades at the beginning and end of each Slow Street and at the major street crossings until the Neighborhood Greenways are implemented in 2024 and 2025, and immediately remove those barricades at the lower-volume cross-streets. This action would result in the removal of about half of the barricades along these streets.
• For Santa Clara Ave: Leave all nine of the barricades in place until the Central Ave separated bike lanes are completed, by 2026.
Keeping the barricades where they are most needed to deter auto traffic - at the major street crossings and along Santa Clara Ave - will maintain many of the Slow Street safety benefits. The majority of drivers are likely to turn onto a Slow Street from a busier street and will therefore still be deterred by the barricades. And, while Central Ave is under construction and drivers are likely to want to divert to Santa Clara Ave, the barricades will deter this while also maintaining a safer bikeway in this corridor.
This recommendation will reduce staff maintenance of barricades and does not involve additional work for staff to design a temporary interim alternative, which could be confusing to the public. It will keep staff on track to deliver Neighborhood Greenway implementation. Staff had already planned to create informational signage indicating that Neighborhood Greenways are coming and how to get more information. These signs will be added to the remaining barricades to help clarify why Slow Streets are still in place.
While the Transportation Commission generally supported leaving all barricades, this recommendation meets the goal of keeping Greenway implementation on track, balanced with maintaining safety. As well, the community survey results did not show an overwhelming preference for either leaving in or immediately removing the barricades.
Other Options for Barricade Removal Timing
The following three additional options were considered, but not are not recommended, for the timing and manner of removing the Slow Street barricades.
Option 1 would keep the barricades in place, per existing City Council direction, until the three Slow Streets are converted to Neighborhood Greenways in 2024 and 2025, and, for Santa Clara Ave until early 2026, when the Central Ave project construction is complete.
This alternative was generally supported by the Transportation Commission, and the plurality of survey respondents, but it would not reduce the ongoing maintenance time or the community complaints about the longevity of the Slow Streets program.
Option 2 would remove all barricades and replace select remaining ones with temporary flex posts and Neighborhood Greenway educational signage. Similar to the staff recommendation, the City would replace those barricades located at the start and end points of the Slow Streets and at major crossings. The remaining barricades would be replaced with temporary flex posts and signage, as used in San Francisco’s Slow Streets program (see Exhibit 5). For Alameda, the sign would include information about the transition from Slow Streets to Neighborhood Greenways. These temporary devices would take about 4-5 months to design and have installed, would cost approximately $55,000, and would then be removed as the Greenways are implemented. They would delay the permanent implementation of Neighborhood Greenways by about two months.
While all barricades would be removed in this option, as some in the community would like, and it would reduce maintenance efforts by approximately half, the approach would slow down the Neighborhood Greenway implementation and may confuse the public as new temporary devices are installed.
Option 3 would remove all 60 barricades immediately. Prior to actual removal, the City will communicate the removal to the community.
While this option would eliminate the City’s maintenance efforts and respond to some of the community complaints, the safety benefits of the barricades would be eliminated. Furthermore, this option was not widely supported by the community in the survey results, or by the Transportation Commission.
ALTERNATIVES
• Approve the removal of certain Slow Streets barricades in the immediate future, as described above and recommended by staff.
• Direct staff to implement one of the three other options, as described above, for the timing and manner of barricade removal.
• Direct a different option for addressing the barricades.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The Phase 1 Neighborhood Greenways planning and design costs are estimated to be $225,000 to $300,000 and are included in Transportation Planning’s operational budget. The total currently available construction funding for building the three Neighborhood Greenways included in Phase 1 is $675,000 (in the ATP CIP #C63000). This is unlikely to be sufficient to complete Phase 1 construction and staff anticipates requesting that City Council allocate additional funding, once the designs and cost estimates are developed.
If Option 2 for the barricade changes is selected, the cost to replace existing Slow Streets barricades with new flex-posts with sign paddles would be approximately $55,000, and these costs would come from CIP #C63000.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The City’s Strategic Plan <https://www.alamedaca.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/alameda-pio/exhibit-1-alameda-strategic-plan-2023-2026.pdf> (2023) includes project #TIE9 to “Convert Slow Streets to Neighborhood Greenways as directed in the Active Transportation Plan” and #TIE10 to “Plan, Design and Construct a backbone low-stress bicycle network, pedestrian safety, and traffic calming projects.”
The Alameda Active Transportation Plan <https://www.activealameda.org/Adopted-Plan> (2022) includes nine Neighborhood Greenways, totaling almost 10 miles, to be implemented by 2030, per the 2030 Infrastructure Plan (Table 10), which are essential to creating a connected, low-stress bikeway network.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
In accordance with CEQA, this project is categorically exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(c) Existing Facilities (Minor alterations to existing facilities including bicycle facilities) and Section 15304(h) (Minor Alterations to Land and the creation of bicycle lanes on existing public rights of way). There are no cumulative impacts or unusual circumstances that apply to this project.
CLIMATE IMPACT
Implementing the Neighborhood Greenways, a critical component necessary for creating a connected, low-stress bicycling and walking network, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Alameda. Currently vehicle trips generate approximately 70% of the greenhouse gas emissions in Alameda. This is a reflection of the fact that 70% of all trips in Alameda are taken by automobile, despite the fact that over 60% of all trips are only 3 miles or less in length.
RECOMMENDATION
Receive an update on Neighborhood Greenways implementation and provide direction on removing select Slow Streets barricades in the immediate future.
Respectfully submitted,
Allen Tai, Director of Planning, Building and Transportation
By,
Rochelle Wheeler, Senior Transportation Coordinator
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Map of 2030 Low Stress Backbone Network
2. Neighborhood Greenway and Slow Streets Background
3. Examples of Neighborhood Greenway Design Treatment Options
4. Summary of Community Survey Results
5. Temporary Slow Streets Barricade Replacement Alternative
6. Slow Streets Transition Map