Draft (2020) Recommendations

Public Input Process

From July 15-August 16, 2020, the City of Alameda sought community input on draft recommendations for the Alameda Active Transportation Plan, which will guide the creation of safe and comfortable places for people to walk, bike and roll in Alameda. The prior winter, we asked for your ideas and comments on where you enjoyed walking, biking, and rolling in Alameda, and where you would like to see improvements. We used your comments, along with a data-driven review of existing conditions and best practices, to develop the recommendations.

For an overview of the recommendations, watch the recording of the Active Transportation Plan Virtual Open House.

People could provide input on however many of the draft recommendation components as they liked, including vision and goals; the proposed bicycle network; pedestrian infrastructure improvements; concept designs for three major corridors; and programs and policies. There were many options for public feedback, including online surveys, an interactive bicycle network map, the Virtual Open House, six listening sessions, and presentations to three City commissions. For more details, see the Engagement Activities Summary(PDF, 257KB).

Online feedback

Live events via Zoom

Listening sessions on specific topics

Public meetings with Active Transportation Plan presentations

Draft Vision and Goals

The Active Transportation Plan development and implementation will be guided by its vision and goals. The recommended vision and goals are based on what we heard last winter during our initial community engagement phase and a review of existing City of Alameda plans and policies.

Document: Draft Vision and Goals(PDF, 100KB)

The Vision and Goals public input survey was open from July 15-August 16, 2020. Results will inform the Draft Active Transportation Plan.

Proposed Bicycle Network

A major goal of the Active Transportation Plan is to develop a well-connected, low-stress network that is comfortable and convenient for people of all ages and abilities. This recommended network greatly expands the existing and planned bicycling network, and will increase access to safe cycling across all of Alameda.

Late in 2019, we asked for your ideas and comments on where you enjoyed walking, biking, and rolling in Alameda, and where you would like to see improvements. We used your comments, along with a data-driven review of existing conditions and best practices in bikeway planning, to draft the recommended bicycle network for Alameda.

Bicycle boulevards play a key role in creating a network of low stress bikeways across Alameda. New to Alameda but used frequently in premier bicycling cities, bicycle boulevards are streets where bicyclists share lanes with slow-moving motor vehicles. The boulevards employ traffic calming measures to create streets that are low-speed with low vehicle volumes, resulting in low-stress bikeways. An important feature is intersection improvements to increase bicyclist safety and comfort.

Online Bicycle Network Map

The proposed bicycle network map was open for comments from July 15-August 16, 2020. You can view the map and read the comments at https://tooledesign.github.io/F0061-Alameda-City-ATP/new/.

Documents

A bicycle boulevards public input survey was open from July 15-August 16, 2020. Results will inform the Draft Active Transportation Plan.

Pedestrian Infrastructure Recommendations

The pedestrian infrastructure recommendations are broad in nature. We have categorized streets by type based on land use and street characteristics, and then matched the types of treatments that could be made for each street type. As the City develops projects and maintains streets, these tools would be used to determine which treatments to consider.

The pedestrian street typology has four street types: neighborhood street, neighborhood connector, main street, and commercial/industrial street; plus four overlays: schools, community destinations, transit, and trucks. A map of the typologies and a map of two of the overlays were developed. Generally, streets with overlays would have a higher level of treatment than would otherwise be used on that street type.

The matrix of possible design treatments, such as curb extensions, raised crosswalks, and pedestrian-scale lighting, was created to show the treatments that would be considered for each street type and overlay. This poster illustrates and describes many of these treatments.

A set of discrete capital projects (coming soon), including maintenance, is also integrated into the pedestrian infrastructure recommendations.

Documents

The pedestrian infrastructure public input survey was open from July 15-August 16, 2020. Results will inform the Draft Active Transportation Plan.

Webster Street Concept Designs

Webster Street was identified as a longer and more complex corridor where walking and biking access and safety improvements are critical, and more public input is needed to determine what types of changes should be made. This and two other streets were selected for further study based on public requests during this planning effort; earlier requests for safer walking and biking conditions and better access on these streets; and most importantly, the high rates of pedestrian and bicycle collisions on these streets, resulting in them all being “High Injury Corridors,” as defined in our Vision Zero work.

Two concepts were developed for Webster Street. They are being proposed to begin a community conversation on how to make the street safer, more comfortable, and more inviting for people walking and biking. Staff will consider the input received, then develop revised concepts to include in the final Plan. Depending on public input, they may be included as ideas needing further study and input, or as recommendations.

The plans and cross-sections are for a short, “typical” street segment only. It’s still undetermined how far the improvements would extend. Most likely different portions of the corridor would have modified improvements.

Webster Street Concept Designs(PDF, 5MB)

Webster Street Concept Designs (smaller file)(PDF, 3MB)

The Webster Street public input survey was open from July 15-August 16, 2020. Results will inform the Draft Active Transportation Plan.

Park Street Concept Designs

Park Street was identified as a longer and more complex corridor where walking and biking access and safety improvements are critical, and more public input is needed to determine what types of changes should be made. This and two other streets were selected for further study based on public requests during this planning effort; earlier requests for safer walking and biking conditions and better access on these streets; and most importantly, the high rates of pedestrian and bicycle collisions on these streets, resulting in them all being “High Injury Corridors,” as defined in our Vision Zero work.

Two concepts were developed for Park Street. They are being proposed to begin a community conversation on how to make the street safer, more comfortable, and more inviting for people walking and biking.

The bikeway network planning identified that a low-stress facility is needed in this area, either on Park Street or Oak Street. Since Park Street is the more complicated of the two, concepts were developed for this street, to start assessing if there’s support for a low-stress facility (separated bike lanes) here. The second concept presented, of standard bike lanes, would provide bike access, but not as a low-stress facility. Therefore, a bicycle boulevard, which is a low-stress facility, would be needed on Oak Street. 

The plans and cross-sections are for a short, “typical” street segment only. It’s still undetermined how far the improvements would extend. Most likely different portions of the corridor would have modified improvements.

Staff will consider the input received on the concept designs, then develop revised concepts to include in the final Plan. Depending on public input, they may be included as ideas needing further study and input, or as recommendations.

Park Street Concept Designs(PDF, 9MB)

Park Street Concept Designs (smaller file)(PDF, 5MB)

The Park Street public input survey was open from July 15-August 16, 2020. Results will inform the Draft Active Transportation Plan.

Lincoln Avenue Concept Designs

Lincoln Avenue was identified as a longer corridor where walking and biking access and safety improvements are critical, and more public input is needed to determine what types of changes should be made. This and two other streets were selected for further study based on public requests during this planning effort; earlier requests for safer walking and biking conditions and better access on these streets; and most importantly, the high rates of pedestrian and bicycle collisions on these streets, resulting in them all being “High Injury Corridors,” as defined in our Vision Zero work. Lincoln is also identified for a lane reduction feasibility study in the City’s 2018 Transportation Choices Plan.

Three concepts were developed for Lincoln Avenue. They are being proposed to begin a community conversation on how to make the street safer, more comfortable, and more inviting for people walking and biking. Staff will consider the input received, then develop revised concepts to include in the final Plan. Depending on public input, they may be included as ideas needing further study and input, or as recommendations.

The plans and cross-sections are for two short, “typical” street segments, since the width of the street varies greatly. It’s still undetermined how far the improvements would extend. Improvements would be tailored to the street width and adjacent land uses.

Lincoln Avenue Concept Designs(PDF, 7MB)

Lincoln Avenue Concept Designs (smaller file)(PDF, 4MB)

The Lincoln Avenue public input survey was open from July 15-August 16, 2020. Results will inform the Draft Active Transportation Plan.

Proposed Programs and Policies

Programs and policies that support active transportation are a key component of a bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly community. Programs support people when walking and bicycling and encourage them to do so. Policies set the direction for the City’s implementation of the active transportation network. Programs and policies are paired with infrastructure improvements, such as building a new bikeway, to create a community that is safe and comfortable for people of all ages and abilities to walk and bike. The document below includes a series of objectives and actions for your review.

Draft programs and policies(PDF, 125KB)

The active transportation programs and policies public input survey was open from July 15-August 16, 2020. Results will inform the Draft Active Transportation Plan.

Your Priorities

All cities must make difficult decisions about how to prioritize projects and where to spend limited funds. When implementing the Active Transportation Plan, one overarching principle that will inform prioritization is equity: making investments in a way that is fair and addresses any historical inequities. Alameda’s Vision Zero policy also requires the City to prioritize safety in all transportation efforts.

To help prioritize Plan implementation, we asked community members to rank the following principles: connectivity; safety and comfort; maintenance; and community. The prioritization public input survey was open from July 15-August 16, 2020. Survey results will help the City prioritize the implementation of the Plan recommendations.

Connectivity: improve infrastructure to destinations

Examples:

  • Build bikeways that serve popular destinations (e.g., schools, transit, commercial areas, parks, and shopping centers)
  • Build new pedestrian infrastructure near popular destinations
  • Improve estuary crossings
  • Install more bicycle parking to serve popular destinations
  • Install more wayfinding signage citywide

Safety and comfort: build a safer and more comfortable active transportation network

Examples:

  • Create safer crossings of major streets for bicyclists and pedestrians
  • Build high-quality, high-comfort bikeways (e.g., separated bike lanes on high-volume, high-speed streets, and bicycle boulevards on low-volume, low-speed streets)
  • Build high-comfort pedestrian infrastructure (e.g., curb extensions or median refuge islands)

Maintenance: maintain what is there

Examples:

  • Maintain and upgrade existing multi-use trails and pathways 
  • Maintain and upgrade existing walking/biking facilities (e.g., sidewalks, bike lane striping, and bike racks)

Community: implement new education and outreach programs

Examples:

  • Develop a community-wide campaign to promote walking, biking, and rolling.
  • Offer and promote free bicycle support services for low-income communities and people who are experiencing homeless.