Central Avenue Safety Project

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The Central Avenue project is expected to improve safety for all street users and to reduce vehicle delays.  The project includes a road diet with two motor vehicle travel lanes, a two-way left-turn lane as a center lane, bikeways, three funded roundabouts at 1) Main/Pacific/Central; 2) Third/Taylor/Central; 3) Fourth/Ballena/Central, resurfacing, improved bus stops, enhanced pedestrian crossings and street trees/raingardens.  

Status: City Council approved the concept in 2021 with four roundabouts, and approved additional funding for three of the roundabouts in spring 2023.  As of June 7, 2024, Caltrans authorized the City to start the construction phase with three funded roundabouts. The roundabout at Sherman/Encinal/Central is unfunded.  Construction is expected in late-2024.

For project updates via email, please subscribe directly here. Please also direct questions or concerns to Michaela Wood, Engineering Assistant, by phone at 510-747-7935 or by email at mwood@alamedaca.gov.

For the virtual open house, please click here.

For the project concept map, please click here(PDF, 4MB).

The project area is along Central Avenue between Pacific Avenue/Main Street and Sherman Street/Encinal Avenue.  Central Avenue is in school and recreation zones, an island arterial and a truck and transit route.  Central Avenue is designated as Caltrans State Highway 61 between Webster Street and Sherman Street.  Sidewalks and on-street parking exist on both sides of the street.  No bikeways exist except for a path between Pacific Avenue and Lincoln Avenue.  AC Transit Lines 20, W, 631 and 661 run along Central Avenue mainly between Webster Street and Eighth Street.  

Why this project?

The Central Avenue study area has a disproportionate number of injuries from collisions compared to other streets in the city.

Road Diet Concept
The reduction of motor vehicle travel lane(s) is recommended in that it provides an opportunity to reallocate space for other uses such as bike lanes and a center two-way left-turn lane.  According to the Federal Highway Administration's informational guide(PDF, 2MB) , streets with travel lane reductions have multiple benefits for people driving, walking and bicycling, such as:
  • Decreases vehicle travel lanes for pedestrians to cross;
  • Allows for better visibility of pedestrians waiting or attempting to cross the street;
  • Improves circulation for bicyclists when a bikeway is added;
  • Reduces rear-end, sideswipe and left-turn collisions by at least 19 percent and up to 47 percent through the use of a center two-way left-turn lane;
  • Improves speed limit compliance by three to five miles per hour, which reduces the severity of collisions; and
  • Improves travel flow since through vehicles are separated from left turning vehicles.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) also has issued a case studies document as well as additional resources.  FHWA Video and Fact Sheets are as follows:

Roundabouts Concept

Roundabouts reduce the types of crashes where people are seriously hurt or killed by 78-82 percent when compared to conventional stop-controlled and signalized intersections, per the AASHTO Highway Safety Manual.  Roundabouts result in lower vehicle speeds, generally 15-25 miles per hour, around the roundabout.  Crashes that occur will be less severe because of this reduced speed and the more “sideswipe” nature of crashes.  Pedestrians are generally safer at roundabouts, and are faced with simpler decisions at a time. Videos and presentations on roundabouts are as follows:

 

2010

2012

  • Oct: Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) included the Central Avenue study area in the Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plans as part of the Bicycle Vision Network.

2013

  • March: Staff submitted a Community-Based Transportation Planning (CBTP) grant to Caltrans.
  • May: City Council approved the planning grant application - Staff Report(PDF, 294KB)
  • Sept: Caltrans awarded the City of Alameda a CBTP planning grant totaling $232,000 with a local match of $25,800 from Measure B.

2014

2015 (Details in Town Hall tab)

  • April: Community workshop #1 (Encinal High School)
  • May: Transportation Commission (City Hall)
  • June: Community workshop #2 (Encinal High School)
  • Sept: Community workshop #3 (Encinal High School)
  • Nov: Transportation Commission (City Hall)

2016

2017

  • April: Won an Alameda CTC grant totaling $3.5 million
  • June: City Council approved $557,000 of the local match monies for fiscal years 2017 to 2019 as shown in the Capital Improvement Program Project Sheet(PDF, 135KB)

2018

  • Jan: City Council approved the Transportation Choices Plan, which included the Central Avenue project - Staff Report
  • April: City Council authorized the City Manager to execute a cooperative agreement with Caltrans and a contract with CDM Smith to prepare the PID - Staff Report
  • Dec: Community Workshop #4: Review of draft options for Webster St and SF Bay Trail area 

2019

  • Jan 23: Transportation Commission approved draft Webster St area options for analysis in 2019 and the two-way bikeway extension along the San Francisco Bay Trail area between Paden School and McKay Avenue - Staff Report
  • March: City Council approved draft Webster St area options for 2019 analysis and the two-way bikeway extension along the San Francisco Bay Trail area east to McKay Avenue - Staff Report
  • June: City Council approved $2.5 million for fiscal years 2019 to 2021 as shown in the Capital Improvement Program Project Sheet(PDF, 126KB)
  • Nov: City Council approved a contract amendment for the project approval and environmental phase (PA&ED) and the final design - plans, specifications and estimate phase (PS&E) - Staff Report

2020

  • April: Caltrans approved the Project Initiation Document
  • May: City Council approved the Caltrans Cooperative Agreement for the PA&ED and the PS&E - Staff Report
  • Oct: Joint virtual open house with Caltrans on Encinal Avenue Pavement Rehabilitation Project - Please click here.
  • Nov: Transportation Commission approved the final concept design including Webster Street area and roundabouts - Staff Report

2021

  • Feb: Virtual Open House, also includes the Caltrans' led Encinal Avenue project - Please click here. 
  • April: City Council approved the final design concept - Staff Report
  • Nov: Environmental clearance completed (CEQA and NEPA)

2022

  • Sept: City Council approved a parking restriction resolution on the State Highway, which was a Caltrans requirement - Staff Report
  • Dec: City Council approved an amendment to the consultant contract for design and construction - Staff Report
  • Design in process

2023

  • Feb: City Council approved the Caltrans Cooperative Agreement for construction - Staff Report
  • April: City Council approved the OBAG3 grant to fund the third roundabout at Central Avenue/Fourth Street/Ballena Blvd. - Staff Report
  • June: City Council approved the EPA Water Quality grant to fund the bioretention areas of the three funded roundabouts - Staff Report(PDF, 197KB) 

2024

  • Mid: Completed design
  • Late: Construction begins

 

Email List

Sign up to receive Central Avenue Safety Project updates via email.  Please send an email to Gail Payne, Senior Transportation Coordinator – gpayne@alamedaca.gov – requesting to be added to the Central Avenue Safety Project email list. 

 

Open Forum / Web Surveys (Closed Topics)

Read what other community members have said about the Central Avenue Concept Proposal in several web surveys.  Staff reviewed the responses and incorporated them into the decision process.

 

Project Flyer - English - Spanish - Chinese

 

Meetings

  • Community Workshop #1

- When: April 14, 2015

- Where: Encinal High School Cafeteria

   Press Release(PDF, 143KB)

   Letter Notification(PDF, 722KB)  (sent to 300 foot radius around the study area)

   Presentation(PDF, 8MB)

   Comments(PDF, 57KB)  (as of April 20, 2015)

 
  • Transportation Commission

- When:  May 27, 2015

- Where: City Hall, City Council Chambers

   Presentation(PDF, 6MB)

   Staff Report(PDF, 777KB)

   Comments(PDF, 300KB) (as of May 17, 2015)

   Video Link (select "Transportation Commission" and then "Video" (timestamp: 1:19:40)

 

  • Community Workshop #2

- When:  June 4, 2015

- Where: Encinal High School Cafeteria

   Press Release(PDF, 267KB) (sent to 300 foot radius around the study area)

   Letter Notification(PDF, 113KB)

   Presentation(PDF, 6MB)

   Preferred Options Hand-out(PDF, 3MB)

   Facilitator Guide(PDF, 23KB)    

   Comment Card(PDF, 192KB)

   Comments(PDF, 1MB)

 

  • Community Workshop #3

- When: September 17, 2015

- Where: Encinal High School Cafeteria

   Press Release(PDF, 340KB)

   Letter Notification(PDF, 733KB)  (sent to 300 foot radius around the study area)

   Presentation(PDF, 7MB)    

   Toolkit Hand-Out(PDF, 1MB)

   Intersections-Preliminary Recommendation(PDF, 4MB)

   Table Handouts(PDF, 4MB)

   Facilitator Guide(PDF, 23KB)

   Comment Card(PDF, 313KB)

   Comments(PDF, 754KB)  (as of October 12, 2015)

 

  • Transportation Commission

- When: November 18, 2015

- Where: City Hall, City Council Chambers

   Staff Report(PDF, 833KB)

   Comments(PDF, 2MB)

   Existing Conditions Memo(PDF, 2MB)

   Concept Memo(PDF, 109KB)

   Presentation- Part 1(PDF, 7MB)

   Presentation- Part 2(PDF, 8MB)

 

  • City Council - Special Meeting to request concept approval

- When: February 24, 2016 and February 29, 2016

- What:

   Staff Report(PDF, 7MB)

   Comments(PDF, 2MB)

   Existing Conditions Memo (same as above)

   Concept Memo (same as above)

   Concept Drawings - Pacific Avenue/Main Street to Encinal High School(PDF, 7MB)

   Concept Drawings - Paden School to Webster Street(PDF, 7MB)

   Concept Drawings - Webster Street to Eighth Street(PDF, 4MB)

  Concept Drawings - Eighth Street to Sherman Street/Encinal Avenue(PDF, 5MB)

   Cost Estimates(PDF, 42KB)

   Presentation - Part 1(PDF, 6MB)

   Presentation - Part 2(PDF, 5MB)

   Video Summary and Video Links - February 24, 2016 and February 29, 2016

   Staff Report

 

  • City Council Meeting to Approve Central Avenue as a Grant Submittal

- When: October 18, 2016

- What: link to staff report

 

  • City Council Meeting to Approve the Consultants for the Caltrans Required Project Initiation Document

- When: April 17, 2018

- What: link to staff report

 

  • Community Workshop #4

- When: December 5, 2018

- Where: City Hall, City Council Chambers

- Why: Request community input to refine preliminary alternatives for further consideration and analysis in 2019 for the Webster Street Area and the San Francisco Bay Trail Area

Presentation(PDF, 5MB)

Video

Roll Plots of Preliminary Alternatives and Concepts:

- Section 1(PDF, 5MB) (Main Street/Pacific Avenue to Fourth Street)

- Section 2(PDF, 6MB) (Fourth Street to Sixth Street)

- Section 3(PDF, 11MB) (Sixth Street to Eighth Street)

- Section 3 zoomed in(PDF, 897KB) part between Webster Street and Page Street

- Section 4(PDF, 5MB) (Eighth Street to Sherman Street/Encinal Avenue)

 

  • Transportation Commission

- When: January 23, 2019

- Why: Request Transportation Commission to approve the Webster Street options to analyze in 2019 and to extend the two-way bikeway along the SF Bay Trail between Paden School and McKay Avenue.

- What: link to staff report

 

  • City Council

- When: March 19, 2019

- Why: Request City Council approval of the draft options for the Webster Street area to analyze in 2019 and request approval to extend the two-way bikeway along the SF Bay Trail between Paden School and McKay Avenue.

- What: link to staff report

 

  • City Council

- When: November 5, 2019

- Where: City Hall, City Council Chambers (2263 Santa Clara Avenue)

- Why: City Council approval of a consultant contract amendment for the project approval and environmental phase (PA&ED) and the final design - plans, specifications and estimate phase (PS&E)

- What: link to staff report

 

  • City Council

- When: Tuesday, May 19, 2020

- Where: Zoom

- Why: City Council approval of Caltrans Cooperative Agreement for the project approval and environmental phase (PA&ED) and the final design - plans, specifications and estimate phase (PS&E)

- What: link to staff report

 

  • Virtual Open House

- When: October 5 to 20, 2020

- Where: Please click here.

- Why: An opportunity for community member review of the Central Avenue design before Transportation Commission and City Council approval, and also includes the Caltrans' Encinal Avenue Pavement Preservation Project

 

  • Transportation Commission

- When: November 18, 2020

- Where: Zoom

 - Why: The Transportation Commission recommended City Council approval of the final concept including the Webster Street area and roundabouts.

- What: link to staff report

 

  • Virtual Open House

- When: February and March, 2021

- Where: Please click here

- Why:  An opportunity for community member review of the Central Avenue design before City Council request for approval, and also includes the Caltrans' Encinal Avenue Pavement Preservation Project.

 

  • City Council

- When: April 20, 2021

- Where: Zoom

- Why: City staff/consultant team recommended approval of the final concept including the Webster Street area and roundabouts.  The City Council approved the final concept including the four roundabouts with the Sherman Street/Encinal Avenue roundabout as a slip lane and not a cul-de-sac. The City staff/consultant team are working to complete the environmental clearance this year and the design next year with construction expected to begin in late 2022. Please note that only two of the four roundabouts are funded, and City staff is seeking more monies for the Fourth Street/Ballena Blvd./Central Avenue and Sherman Street/Encinal Avenue/Central Avenue roundabouts.

- What: link to staff report

 

 

Progress

Construction is expected in late-2024.

More Information

Learn more information on this project from the City's 2023-2025 Capital Budget.

CIP Project Sheet(PDF, 232KB)

 

Funding

This project is funded by Measure BB, Alameda County's transportation sales tax and the following federal grants: US EPA San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund, Active Transportation Program, Congestion Management & Air Quality/Surface Transportation Program and One Bay Area Grant - OBAG3.

 

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