DATE: January 22, 2020
TO: Council Infrastructure Committee
FROM: Director of Public Works
SUBJECT
Title
I-880/Winton Avenue/A Street: Review and Comment on Alternatives for the Interchange Improvement Project
EndRECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That the Council Infrastructure Committee reviews this report, receives conceptual project alternatives presentations by staff, and provides comments on the alternatives for the I-880/Winton Avenue/A Street Interchange Improvement Project.
End
SUMMARY
The Winton Avenue and A Street interchanges along the Interstate 880 (I-880) corridor were constructed in 1968 and 1952 respectively and have seen no significant operational and multi-modal access improvements over the years. Since their construction, the City experienced significant growth, and as a result, both interchanges experience traffic operational issues and access issues. In addition, the lack of auxiliary lanes between the closely spaced Winton Avenue and A Street interchanges along I-880, result in mainline back-up due to merge/weave issues. The lack of complete street features across I-880, on both streets, creates a barrier for the safe movement of cyclists and pedestrians.
The City, in partnership with the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC), who is the project sponsor and implementing agency, and Caltrans who owns and operates I-880, propose to provide interchange improvements at the Winton Avenue and A Street interchanges along the I-880 corridor. The I-880 Interchange Improvements (Winton Avenue and A Street) Project (Project) would include:
• Reconfiguring the I-880 interchanges at Winton Avenue and A Street to enhance access to the surrounding residential, retail, and commercial land uses
• Improving pedestrian and bicycle facilities at both interchanges
• Providing northbound and southbound auxiliary lanes along the main line between the A Street interchange and the Winton Avenue interchange
• Providing new signalized intersections at Winton Avenue ramp terminals and modifying ramp terminal intersections at A Street to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and make intersections accessible and safer for pedestrians and cyclists
The project team developed a Project Study Report-Project Development Support (PSR-PDS) document, which was approved by Caltrans in October 2019. The PSR-PDS document established the purpose and need of the project and developed several conceptual design alternatives for further evaluation during the Project Approval & Environmental Document (PA&ED) phase. As part of this phase of work, Staff and ACTC are soliciting feedback alternatives under consideration to establish a set of preferred alternatives from the PSR-PDS document. These preferred alternatives will be taken forward through the completion of the technical studies and completion of the PA&ED phase.
The City was a part of the project development and was consulted during the preparation of the PSR-PDS document to ensure that Context Sensitive Solutions have been developed and proposed design solutions are consistent with local community values, character, and contextual setting as envisioned by the City. Multiple stakeholder outreach meetings have been held since the project’s inception with local advocacy groups, business owners, and local residents. Furthermore, the Project is consistent with the City’s 2040 General Plan.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I Staff Report
Attachment II ACTC Project Fact Sheet
Attachment III I-880/Winton Ave/A St/Mainline Conceptual Alternatives