PRESS RELEASE
August 31, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Gail Payne, Transportation Coordinator, City of Alameda
(510) 747-6892
City Releases Draft Transportation Choices Plan for Public Review
The City is tackling transportation issues with a comprehensive citywide plan to provide more transportation options for Alamedans with the goal of reducing thousands of drive alone trips at the crossings and through Alameda over the next 15 years. All community members are invited to review and comment on the City of Alameda’s Draft Transportation Choices Plan, and to discuss the draft plan at the following outreach activities:
- Monday, September 25: Planning Board Meeting at City Council Chambers (2263 Santa Clara Avenue, 3rd Floor) – 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 27: Transportation Commission Meeting at City Council Chambers – 7 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 17: City Council Meeting at City Council Chambers – 7 p.m.
The Draft Plan is located on the City’s project webpage on the “Town Hall” tab: https://alamedaca.gov/transportation-choices-plan
The purpose of the Transportation Choices Plan is to help ensure that the City sustains its high quality of life during a time of current and anticipated population and employment growth throughout the Bay Area region. During this 18-month citywide planning effort, the City and the consultant team identified opportunities for strategic transportation investment and coordination with transit operators to provide Alamedans with enhanced transportation options while reducing congestion, our carbon footprint and air pollution. The community engagement process consisted of community workshops, organizational advisory group meetings, a public opinion survey, a project webpage, web-based community surveys, and commissions, boards and City Council meetings.
The Transportation Choices Plan provides a blueprint for how the City can improve transportation infrastructure and services in Alameda over the next 15 years to achieve the two goals discussed below:
- Estuary Crossings: Decrease drive alone trips at estuary crossings, especially in the peak period. By implementing the Plan’s proposed projects and programs, it is expected to decrease drive alone trips at estuary crossings from the 2030 baseline of 14,400 drive alone trips to 12,700 drive alone trips in the morning peak hour, which represents a 12 percent decrease.
- Within Alameda: Increase the share of walking, bicycling, bus and carpool trips within Alameda. The Plan’s projects and programs are expected to increase non-drive alone trips by almost 14 percent, which is an increase from the 2030 baseline of 24,200 non-drive alone trips to 27,500 non-drive alone trips throughout a typical weekday.
The next steps involve implementing the Plan, which already is partially funded through grants and local monies in the two-year budget and the Capital Improvement Program totaling $61 million. These funded projects mainly include the Cross Alameda Trail, dedicated bus lanes on Appezzato Parkway, Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan updates, Central Avenue safety improvements, Otis Drive traffic calming, a transportation awareness campaign and monitoring/evaluation. Staff also will be seeking funds to implement the remaining projects and programs in the Plan, and will continue ongoing efforts to improve access to the ferry terminals, launch a bike share program, expand the Alameda Transportation Management Association and coordinate with key stakeholders on long-term projects.
