Construction of newest section of Cross Alameda Trail starts today

Published on February 11, 2019

Construction will begin today on the Cross Alameda Trail between Main Street and Constitution Way, along Ralph Appezzato Memorial Parkway (RAMP) and Atlantic Avenue. This long-awaited 0.9 mile segment of the planned four-mile premiere cross-town bicycling and walking corridor is expected to be built by September 2019. When complete, it will directly connect to the recently opened Jean Sweeney Open Space Park segment of the Cross Alameda Trail, creating 1.5 continuous miles of separated walking and bicycling trails. By 2020, the final western segment, being built as part of the Site A development at Alameda Point, will connect all users to the new Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal.

Project Overview

This piece of the Cross Alameda Trail will provide separated bicycling, walking and jogging trails within the old Alameda Beltline railroad right-of-way along RAMP, plus a two-way protected bikeway on the south side of Atlantic Avenue between Webster Street and Constitution Way, next to the existing sidewalk. The new facilities will create safe, protected places for people to walk and bike, mostly where none previously existed, allowing residents, students, and visitors to access the many adjacent apartment complexes, schools, businesses, as well as the College of Alameda and the Alameda Boys & Girls Club.

This trail project will also feature a landscaped plaza with seating and bicycle racks and lockers at the Webster Street and RAMP intersection. To facilitate safe crossings, significant traffic signal, striping, and hardscape improvements will be installed at two of the City’s busiest intersections (Webster Street and RAMP, and Constitution Way and Atlantic Avenue). A new mid-block crossing with a flashing beacon will be installed on Atlantic Avenue, between Webster Street and Constitution Way, connecting the senior housing complex on the north side to the commercial destinations on the south. Finally, complete remediation of the contaminated soil conditions of the old railroad right-of-way will be done.

While the overall Cross Alameda Trail has been envisioned since at least 1991, this latest segment from Main Street to Constitution Way has been in development since 2014, when several community meetings were held to develop a concept plan. In 2015, the Transportation Commission and Planning Board approved the preliminary design for the Main Street to Webster Street segment. The concept design for the one-block segment along Atlantic Avenue was subsequently approved by the Transportation Commission and City Council in 2017. 

Once fully completed, the four-mile Cross Alameda Trail will connect the west side of the island to the east, from the Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal at Alameda Point to the Miller-Sweeney (Fruitvale) Bridge. The segments to the east, along Clement Avenue, are mostly funded and in various planning stages.

Construction Period

Construction activities will take place between February and September 2019, and will occur in phased steps. During construction, we ask that the public keep the following in mind:

• Please use the existing sidewalks on the north side of RAMP as temporary construction fencing will be erected on the south side, prohibiting any public or private use of this active construction zone.
• The City will publish regular construction updates with forecasts of upcoming construction activities, along with project manager contact information, at the project webpage at www.alamedaca.gov/cat.

The City realizes this construction will have short-term impacts on people living and visiting Alameda. The City and Contractor will work to minimize disruption, as much as possible, to all who use the corridor and will keep neighboring property owners and the community informed. Your patience is appreciated as the City works to complete this major capital improvement project.

Funders

This $7.1 million project is funded by more than nine separate agencies and sources. The City greatly appreciates them all, including the Federal Transit Administration, Alameda County Transportation Commission for the Measures B and BB transportation sales tax funds, City of Alameda Community Development Block Grant funds, Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Transportation Fund for Clean Air, and Transportation Development Act Article III funds. Multiple local City funding sources were also used, including citywide developer fees, the Construction Improvement Tax, and General Fund dollars.

For background information about this project, please visit the Cross Alameda Trail project webpage at www.alamedaca.gov/cat.

Contact: Jack Dybas, Public Works Project Manager, 510-747-7948