Title
Staff Communications (Discussion)
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A. TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION UPDATES
2023 City Council actions on items directly reviewed by the Transportation Commission:
• Grand Street Safety Improvement project: Approved the new concept and $2 million in additional General Fund funding (July 18)
• Commercial Streets: Directed staff to move forward with the updated striping on Park St and Webster St, and to return to City Council with updates to the parklet program (July 5)
• Budget: Adopted budget for fiscal years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025, including Capital Improvement Program reviewed by the Transportation Commission (June 20)
• Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific: Approved the design concept (April 18)
• Annual Report: Accepted the Transportation 2022 Annual Report & 2023 Work Plan (April 4)
• Clement Avenue/Tilden Way: Approved the design concept (March 21)
• General Plan: Adopted the Street Classification Appendix of the General Plan Mobility Element (January 17)
2023 Other significant City Council actions on transportation items:
• Commercial Streets: Authorized agreement to purchase concrete barriers and directed staff to proceed with updated striping on Park St & Webster St with additional ADA parking zones; also authorized parklet program extension with direction to cap the total number of parklets and other stiuplations (November 7)
• Parking Program: Accepted $742,000 in grant funding from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) for the Demand-Based Parking Pricing and Curb Management Strategies in the Business Districts and Ferry Terminals Project (November 7)
• Clement/Tilden: Approved agreement with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control for $134,423 and Terraphase for $200,000 to provide soil remediation services (September 5 and 19)
• Central Ave Safety Improvement Project: Accepted EPA grant funds totaling $1,472,500 to add stormwater bioretention areas at three roundabouts as part of the Central Avenue Safety Improvement Project (July 5); accepted MTC OBAG3 funds totaling $3,321,429 for the roundabout at Central Avenue/Fourth Street/Ballena Blvd. (April 18); approved the Central Avenue Caltrans cooperative agreement for construction (February 7)
Upcoming Transportation Commission meetings:
• See proposed calendar
Potential upcoming Transportation Commission agenda topics:
• Transportation 2023 Annual Report & 2024 Work Plan
• Fernside Blvd Traffic Calming & Bikeways Project
B. PUBLIC EVENTS & SURVEYS
Survey: Accessibility in Alameda. The City of Alameda is preparing an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Self-evaluation and Transition Plan. As part of this, the City is asking for input on accessibility of City buildings, parks, streets, programs, services, and activities offered to the public.
<https://us.openforms.com/Form/1727c9b8-b1e3-44c7-aee4-941154e9022b>
Survey: Caltrans District 4 Bike Plan. The updated Bike Plan will identify barriers to cycling, prioritize improvements, and act as a resource for Caltrans staff to implement bike infrastructure on and across Caltrans facilities in the 9-county Bay Area.
Survey: <https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/cf99ad51e5404c548b2cdbd635a44f5c/>
Project: <https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-4/d4-programs/d4-transplanning-local-assistance/d4-office-of-transit-and-active-transportation/d4-bike-plan-info>
Link21 Online Open House: View draft concepts for a second train crossing of the Bay.
Open house: <https://link21openhouse.com/>
Feedback form: <https://link21program.org/en/get-involved>
November 14: Community Meeting: Barriers to Accessibility and the City's ADA Plan (virtual)
<https://www.alamedaca.gov/Shortcut-Content/Events-Activities/Community-Meeting-Barriers-to-accessibility-in-Alameda-and-the-Citys-ADA-Plan>
November 14: Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
<https://www.alamedaca.gov/Shortcut-Content/Events-Activities/Ruby-Bridges-Walk-to-School-Day-2023>
November 14: Transportation 101/Transit App Training (Mastick Senior Center) <https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/alamedarecreation/activity/search?activity_select_param=2&activity_keyword=transportation%20101&viewMode=list>
December 7: AC Transit Realign Community Workshop (multilingual, virtual)
https://www.actransit.org/realign#Meetings <https://www.actransit.org/realign>
December 13: AC Transit Board of Directors review AC Transit Realign
https://www.actransit.org/realign#Meetings <https://www.actransit.org/realign>
December 14: Hop on the Bus with Us (Mastick Senior Center)
<https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/alamedarecreation/activity/search?activity_select_param=2&activity_keyword=hop%20on%20the%20bus&viewMode=list>
C. UPDATES
Estuary Water Shuttle
City staff and partners continue to plan for a late spring 2024 launch of a free two-year pilot water shuttle service between the Bohol Circle Immigrant Park dock in Alameda and the dock at the foot of Broadway in Oakland. A new LLC set up by the Alameda Transportation Management Association (TMA) recently purchased a pontoon boat for this program. The Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) Board also approved an agreement between the City of Alameda and WETA for WETA to provide the water shuttle operations. This agreement will be brought to the Alameda City Council for approval on December 5.
<https://www.alamedaca.org/watershuttle>
Press Release: Low visibility driving can kill
Wilma Chan’s children and the City of Alameda worked together on this release, issued on November 1, 2023.
<https://www.alamedaca.gov/Shortcut-Content/News-Media/Low-visibility-driving-can-kill>
2023 Q3 Fatal & Injury Crash Information
The third quarter crash numbers have been published. So far this year, 2 people have died and 3 have suffered severe injuries in traffic crashes on Alameda streets.
Q3 collision numbers: https://www.alamedaca.gov//Departments/Planning-Building-and-Transportation/Transportation/Traffic-Fatalities-Injuries <https://www.alamedaca.gov/Departments/Planning-Building-and-Transportation/Transportation/Traffic-Fatalities-Injuries>
Fatal crash information & city response: <https://www.alamedaca.gov/rapidresponse>
New Speed Cushions on Orion St
In early October, contractors installed two sets of speed cushions and new signs along Orion Street between Corpus Christi Road and Pearl Harbor Road to slow traffic speeds and improve safety, especially for area residents including those at the Alameda Point Collaborative. The speed cushions were purchased with COVID-related grant funds. Slow Streets barricades have now been removed at this location.
<https://www.alamedaca.gov/slowstreets>
Striping maintenance
Striping was recently installed on Oak Street (between Central Ave and Santa Clara Ave) and Santa Clara Ave (between Oak St. and High St.). Striped bike lanes were extended on Santa Clara from Oak Street to Everett Street where space was available. In other locations, marked shared lanes (sharrows) were installed. Striping is being refreshed at five additional locations.
In addition, Main Street will be restriped later this year between Ralph Appezzato and Navy Way (north entrance of Alameda Point). This project includes adding bike lanes on Main Street between the Main Street Ferry Terminal and Navy Way, along with pedestrian safety improvements at the intersection of Main Street and Willie Stargell/West Midway Ave.
Main Street Alameda Ferry Terminal Refurbishment Project
The Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) closed this terminal for construction on October 23 and plans to reopen it after January 1, 2024.They will repair or replace aging infrastructure, including the bridge, foundation, gangway, float, lighting. Design elements also prepare the terminal for future fleet electrification needs.
Route options, including discount on Uber rides to Jack London Square for Alameda-South San Francisco Riders: <https://sanfranciscobayferry.com/msa-closure>
Civic Center Parking Structure
At both stairwell locations, crews replaced vandalized fluorescent fixtures with LED lighting. Staff are currently soliciting architectural services to design additional improvements, including but not limited to the ability to close the garage overnight to minimize vandalism.
D. LOCAL RESOURCES
Subscribe to transportation mailing lists: alamedaca.gov/subscribe <http://www.alamedaca.gov/subscribe>
Alameda transportation, traffic safety, and parking webpages: alamedaca.gov/transportationlinks <http://www.alamedaca.gov/citywide-projects/trafficsafety>
Alameda SeeClickFix - City of Alameda platform for service requests and reporting street safety concerns: alamedaca.gov/reportaproblem <http://www.alamedaca.gov/reportaproblem>
Alameda County Safe Routes to Schools: alamedacountysr2s.org <http://www.alamedacountysr2s.org>
E. TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES
Get Around Alameda: alamedaca.gov/getaround <http://www.alamedaca.gov/getaround>
All Aboard Bay Area Transit: allaboardbayarea.com <http://www.allaboardbayarea.com>
Clipper (adults) - order online or at Walgreens or set up autoload: clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/register.html <http://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/register.html>
Clipper Discounts for youth, seniors and people with disabilities: clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/discounts.html <https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/discounts.html>
Clipper START program - discounts for low-income adults: clipperstartcard.com/s/ <http://www.clipperstartcard.com/s/>
FasTrak or new toll tag for I-880 Express Lanes: online or at Walgreens and then register online: bayareafastrak.org/en/signup/signUp.shtml <https://www.bayareafastrak.org/en/signup/signUp.shtml>
F. EMERGENCY RESOURCES
Subscribe to Alameda Emergency Alerts: www.acgov.org/emergencysite/ <http://www.acgov.org/emergencysite/>
Subscribe to Regional Emergency Transportation Alerts: 511.org/alerts/emergencies/511Alert <https://511.org/alerts/emergencies/511Alert>
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Trainings: alamedaca.gov/Departments/Fire-Department/Alameda-CERT <http://www.alamedaca.gov/Departments/Fire-Department/Alameda-CERT>