Since early March, when the Alameda County Public Health Department issued a Shelter in Place Order due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Alameda CTC Commissioners and staff have been making necessary adjustments to agency operations while continuing to fund essential services throughout the County, including delivery of construction projects:
In May, the Commission approved and authorized right-of-way funding and the execution of its agreement with Caltrans for the construction phase of the Interstate 80 (I-80)/Gilman Interchange Improvement project, which is anticipated to begin in late 2020. Caltrans will advertise, award, and administer the construction of this project that will reconfigure the I-80/Gilman Street interchange to improve traffic operations and safety for motorists through the interchange, as well as provide facilities that improve access for pedestrians and bicyclists. Design of this project, which is now in its final stages, includes a pair of roundabouts at the interchange and a new pedestrian and bicycle overcrossing over I-80.
The State Route 84 (SR-84) and SR-84/Interstate 680 (I-680) Interchange Improvements project in Sunol and the City of Pleasanton will conform SR-84 to expressway standards between Ruby Hill Drive and the I-680 interchange; improve SR-84/I-680 interchange ramps; and extend the existing I-680 southbound express lane northward by two miles. This is the final segment of a nearly 10-mile stretch along SR-84 that connects I-680 to Interstate 580. The Project is currently in the design and right-of-way acquisition phase. The construction advertisement is scheduled for late 2020/early 2021, with construction beginning in 2021.
The Global Opportunities at the Port of Oakland (GoPort) Program, a package of landside transportation improvements within and near the Port of Oakland, is in full swing.
The first of the three projects in the GoPort program to go to construction is the Freight Intelligent Transportation Systems (FITS) project in the City of Oakland at the Port of Oakland. The project will deploy 15 advanced and innovative demonstration technologies that seek to improve the efficiency, safety, operations, circulation and reliability of truck and rail access throughout the seaport and reduce truck impacts in West Oakland. Construction has already begun on two of the three planned contracts. In May of this year, Caltrans granted approval for the award of the final contract to perform system integration of the ITS field elements and the development of web applications. Construction on this project is anticipated to be complete in late 2021.
The 7th Street Grade Separation East (7SGSE) project, now at the 100 percent design level, will replace the existing railroad underpass on 7th Street, which serves as a key access point into the Port of Oakland. The project, which has received the necessary environmental clearance, will increase clearance for trucks, improve traffic operations, reduce congestion and provide a shared pedestrian and bicycle pathway. Construction on this phase of the program is expected to begin in 2021.
The I-680 Express Lanes from SR-84 to Alcosta Boulevard (Gap Closure) project was designed to close the gap between existing and in-progress high-occupancy vehicle (HOV)/express lane projects on northbound and southbound I-680 through Sunol, Pleasanton, Dublin and San Ramon, completing the I-680 Express Lane Network through Alameda County. The project, which is in the preliminary engineering/environmental phase, recently released its draft environmental document and project staff hosted a virtual open house on June 18th, encouraging the public to share their thoughts on the project. The project report and final environmental document are scheduled for completion in summer of 2020. The Commission has approved the initiation of the final design and preparation of the Plans, Specifications, and Estimate (PS&E) for the construction of the southbound project.
Currently, the I-680 Southbound Express Lane is being coordinated with an upcoming Caltrans pavement rehabilitation project along the same section of I-680. Coordination of these two projects will lead to a significant cost savings of approximately $18 million and, more importantly, will minimize inconvenience and reduce impacts to the traveling public during the many months of construction in an already very congested corridor. A funding plan for this project was approved by the Commission in June.
For additional project details, visit our Projects web page.
