Title
Approve Draft Minutes of the October 22, 2025, Transportation Commission Meeting (Action)
Body
Transportation Commission
Draft Meeting minutes 10-22-25
Zoom Attendees: 31
Legistar Link (Agenda and Video)
<https://alameda.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1329522&GUID=1EEE0E34-A847-4139-B93B-51169F67741B&Options=info|&Search=>.
1. Roll Call
Present: Vice Chair Suthanthira, Commissioners Dara Abrams, Kim, Gloyne, and Johnson.*
Absent Chair Weitze and Commissioner Nachtigal
*Commissioner Johnson arrived after roll call.
2. Agenda Changes
None
3. 2025-5385 Staff Communications (Discussion)
Lisa Foster, Transportation Planning Manager, provided (*2:16) several updates:
Updates can be found:
<https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7698377&GUID=141D63C8-6F3E-4451-BF12-DEC6B0AF185A&FullText=1>.
4. Non-Agenda Public Comment
Jim Strehlow (*5:39) discussed his concerns about greenhouse gas and how traffic diversions were adding to greenhouse gas. He said that the City needs to learn from Sim City and felt that staff ignored his concerns on cause & effect. He also brought up concerns about having to leave the city in an emergency.
William B Morrison (*7:54) shared his thoughts on the proposed traffic circle at Clement and discussed saving the ability of having rail service.
Bharat Singh, via Zoom (*11:12) asked staff to explain how the proposed project at the Safeway site would affect traffic. He wanted there to be an evaluation.
Kelly Becker, via Zoom (*12:19) wanted to discuss the traffic circle at Fairview. Speaker was reminded that this public comment would need to be taken with item 6B.
Christy Cannon (*13:06) discussed housing on the West End at Ballena Blvd and had concerns about the first round about. She shared her observations on safety and obstructed views.
Mary Ann Kiely (*16:42) discussed her concerns about the roundabout at 4th and Central. She felt that there was poor visibility at the intersection.
Travis Morgan (*20:04) wanted to discuss Gibbons Drive. Speaker was reminded that this public comment would need to be taken with item 6B.
5. Consent Calendar
5-A 2025-5457 Approve Draft Minutes of the September 24, 2025, Transportation Commission Meeting (Action)
Minutes can be found:
<https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7698378&GUID=E194BB38-F00B-4FC9-BA69-D7A1B82E8B81&FullText=1>.
Chair Dara Abrams made a motion (*21:12) to approve the Consent Calendar and Commissioner Kim seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken, and the motion passed 4-0 and Vice Chair Suthanthira abstained due to her absence at the meeting.
6. Regular Agenda Items
6-A 2025-5458 Receive an update from Caltrans on the Interstate 580 Truck Access Study (Discussion)
Manager Foster introduced this item and John Xu from Caltrans who gave a presentation (*22:29). The presentation can be found:
<https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7698379&GUID=A3FDEEF2-0C79-417A-8214-31B08EA4D285>.
There were no clarifying questions.
Public Comment for 6-A
There were no public comments on this item.
Action taken for 6-A
Commissioner discussion started at the 34:58-minute mark in the video.
This was a discussion item; no action was taken.
There was a brief recess between items.
6-B 2025-5459 Consider Endorsing Quick-Build Traffic Calming in the Neighborhood Around Gibbons Drive Followed by Long-Term Data Collection and Planning for the Fernside Boulevard Traffic Calming & Bikeways Project (Action)
Manager Foster introduced (*38:45) this item and gave a presentation. David Parisi from Parametrix also presented. Scott Wikstrom, City Engineer & Deputy Public Works Director; Rochelle Wheeler, Senior Transportation Coordinator; and Jimmy Jessup from Parametrix were available for questions. The staff report and attachments can be found at:
<https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7698380&GUID=93B41118-8BCA-419B-9873-ECE21B268854&FullText=1>.
Clarifying questions started at the 1:10:15 minute mark in the video.
Public Comment for Item 6-B
Due to the number of speakers, time was limited to 2 minutes per speaker.
Amanda Nummi (*1:30:01) lives on Bayo Vista and was against the closure on Gibbons to the High Street Bridge. She felt this was being rushed and the information on how this would affect the smaller neighboring streets was lacking.
Adam Garfinkle (*1:32:15) lives in the neighborhood and liked how the neighborhood is now. He was very disappointed in the process and how staff had collected the data, he thought it was misrepresented and felt many people didn’t want to see any change. He thought the changes were inappropriate.
Gordon Williams (*1:34:40) also discussed the “inappropriate turning” and that the problem is not Gibbons. He said that closing the left turn off Gibbons would not make things safer, He liked the traffic calming measures and wanted to see that implemented now.
Ruben Ramirez (*1:36:59) shared his concerns about adding a traffic circle. He liked roundabouts but wanted to know how many parking spaces they would lose.
William B Morrison (*1:38:27) said this was the first time the commission had seen this plan and discussed items that he wanted to see addressed that would help with traffic.
Cyndy Johnsen, via Zoom (*1:40:46) spoke on behalf of Bike Walk Alameda and discussed items in the letter. (Letter can be found as an attachment with this Item - labeled Public Comment.)
Alex Cheung, via Zoom (*1:42:02) lives in the neighborhood and discussed the last time roundabouts were proposed. He discussed his concerns about roundabouts and shared his concerns about the proposed changes. He had concerns about garbage trucks being able to get through.
Kelly Becker, via Zoom (*1:44:59) felt they were looking at a problem that didn’t exist and was against the Gibbons closure. She felt that the traffic circles would take away too many street parking places. Her driveway would exit onto a traffic circle. She felt that this project was being fast tracked.
Ada King, via Zoom (*1:47:21) had questions about High Street itself and felt that speed of travel was too high. She said that none of the studies covered or looked at High Street.
Christine Huddleson (*1:48:55) supported traffic calming but did not want the roundabout included in the quick fixes. She felt that by approving the bike lane they were now in this situation. She did not feel like that had been presented at all.
Jim Strehlow (*1:51:00) said that the presentation conveniently left out the History of Gibbons and felt that there were many other options than changing Gibbons. He was against this project and listed many reasons why. He wanted to see more workshops on this matter.
Mitch Ball (*1:53:01) was in favor of this project and discussed changes his street had been through and felt that his intersection was dangerous and needed to be addressed. He gave his thoughts on the Gibbons closure.
Glen Yajko (*1:55:21) gave his support of the traffic calming measures and felt that were needed for safety. He strongly urged the commission to reject Phase 2 - the no left turn off Gibbons.
Rebecca Kohlstrand (*1:56:53) supported some of the interim traffic calming she had reservations, the design and how some people would have to back out into them and the loss of parking.
Travis Morgan, via Zoom (*1:59:11) supported safety measures in the neighborhood. He had concerns about forgoing the traffic calming measures and wanted to confirm funding as quickly as possible.
Caroline Teng, via Zoom (2:00:51) supported the Phase 1 traffic calming measures but did not support the Pilot that would block the left turn from Gibbons to High. She did not feel that this intersection warranted these changes.
Brian Fowler, via Zoom (*2:03:09) appreciated the traffic calming measures. He discussed what streets needed attention
Frank Teng, via Zoom (*2:05:25) was supportive of the traffic calming measures and agreed with previous comments questioning the need to close the left turn off Gibbons. He discussed his thoughts on needing a broader study.
Jay Garfinkle, via Zoom (*2:08:06) discussed how this proposed project was like “dropping a bomb” to deal with a squirrel. He did not believe the data supported any of these changes and made no sense. He discussed his many concerns and felt this was creating a dangerous situation.
Jake Olsen (*2:10:16) said this neighborhood was a collection of small streets and was safe due to the low volume of traffic. He called it a collector and felt that closing the street was for a self-serving interest and not safety. He strongly opposed any closure.
Vickie Teng (*2:12:43) was against the closure and wanted to see a full analysis on how this would affect other streets. She discussed her other concerns and felt that the data had been cherry picked. She wanted to open discussion on the street classification.
Siraj Husain (*2:14:57) felt that the way things were now was not okay. No enforcement and crosswalks, he discussed changes that he wanted to see. He felt that there had been enough studies, and it was time to make decisions.
Chris Dubois via Zoom (*2:16:20) was all for traffic calming but saw no point to the prohibition, he said there was not enough information. He wanted to know what the goals were.
Gordon Williams (was allowed to speak again (*2:18:06) since a letter he had sent in was not posted with public comment) - he shared a letter from the neighborhood group “Keep Gibbons Open Coalition”, the letter shared concerns and a signed petition.
A brief recess was taken.
Action taken for 6-B
Discussion starts at the 2:22:09 minute mark in the video.
Discussion of wording for the motion start at the 3:32:44 minute mark in the video and adding the request to bring the data back to the commission.
Commissioner Kim made a motion (*4:08:04) to endorse the Quick-Build Traffic Calming in the Neighborhood Around Gibbons Drive Followed by Long-Term Data Collection and Planning for the Fernside Boulevard Traffic Calming & Bikeways Project with the request that staff come back to the Commission with the data from the interim traffic calming measures before the turn restriction pilot is implemented at the Gibbons/High/Fernside intersection. Vice Chair Suthanthira seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken and the motion passed 3-2 with Commissioners Dara-Abrams and Gloyne voting against.
7. Commission Communications
None
8. Adjournment
Vice Chair Suthanthira adjourned at 10:41 PM.