Title
Endorse the City Council's Adoption of the Slow Streets Recommendations (Action Item)
Body
Transportation Commission
10/27/2021
Item # 6B
(ACTION)
BACKGROUND
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City Council endorsed the Slow Streets program in May 2020 to create additional space in the roadway for socially-distanced essential travel and exercise. The Program created more space for safer socially-distanced walking, running, biking and scootering, as well as open space for people to conduct essential travel or be outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic in a physically distant manner. Motor vehicle traffic was allowed on these streets but barricades, signage and cones were used at intersections along the Slow Streets to limit traffic, discourage through vehicle traffic and to slow down overall vehicle speeds. Delivery and emergency vehicles continued to be allowed.
Today there are five Slow Streets, comprising 4.7 miles (or 5%) of Alameda's public roadway network:
1. Orion St (West Midway Ave to Pearl Harbor Rd)
2. Pacific Ave (Ninth St to Oak St)
3. San Jose Ave (Morton St to Oak St) + Morton St (San Jose Ave to San Antonio Ave)
4. Santa Clara Ave (Pacific Ave to Sixth St)
5. Versailles Ave (Fernside Blvd to Calhoun Dr)
The Slow Streets program was implemented in four phases, with four streets added between April and June 2020, and the fifth (Orion Street) added in June 2021, as shown in the map included as Exhibit 1. In each phase after the pilot, flyers were distributed to all residents along the Slow Street informing them that the Slow Street would be installed, and directing them to the program web page (www.slowstreetsalameda.org) where they could find FAQs, a survey to share feedback on the program and ideas for additional Slow Streets, a map of the Slow Streets, and a maintenance request form.
The five Slow Street segments were selected because they:
* are lower-traffic, two lane residential streets, so traffic disruption would be minima...
Click here for full text