1 To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
Date: May 3, 2024
Supplemental Memo regarding Recommendation to Receive an Update on City of Alameda's Approach to Preventing and Enforcing Unpermitted Sideshow and Car Show Events at Alameda Point and to Provide Direction to Return to City Council with a Public Hearing to Consider Authorizing Future Purchase and Use of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (Drones) for Sideshow and Other Critical Incident Response and Enforcement. In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this action is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 and 15321.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
This memo is being provided to supplement the staff report already published for the May 7, 2024 City Council meeting.
Exhibit 2 to the staff report is intended to show generally where temporary asphalt curbs are being considered to prevent unauthorized sideshow events and reckless driving . To help clarify the approach, additional design elements are noted below . This project is still in design and no temporary asphalt curbs have been installed to date at Alameda Point. Staff are not installing sidewalk now as that is cost prohibitive and doing so will take place as part of the planned backbone improvements being designed now. Assuming the City sells buildings at Alameda Point or otherwise secures construction dollars, the full street reconstruction is expected to be underway in 2026.
The temporary asphalt curb is an environmental design measure that is part of a larger solution to prevent sideshows and reckless driving. Placing the asphalt curb makes existing large open areas less conducive for reckless driving. The tire marks on W Midway are from reckless driving. As shown below, placement of the curbs would prevent this.
2 The curb will be a Caltrans Standard, Type A Dike. Dimensions will be 6 inches high and 5 inches wide at the top, 11 inches wide at the bottom. The curb will be placed in 20-foot lengths with a 2-foot gap between each. The ends of each 20-foot length will either be painted white or have a white reflector installed on top of the curb. In addition, there will be a solid white line marking the right edge of the road. These measures will assist with visibility.
The street width where temporary asphalt curb is installed will typically be 24 -26 feet, consistent with the final street widths approved in the 2020 Alameda Point Master Infrastructure Plan (MIP) Update.
Like a typical street with curb and sidewalk, pedestrians are encouraged to cross the street at an intersection. 10-foot-wide openings in the temporary asphalt curb will be provided at each intersection, consistent with a typical crosswalk width. Should a pedestrian wish to cross mid- block, they can walk through one of the 2-foot-wide openings between asphalt curb lengths or choose to step over the curb. This is functionally no different than a typical street where one would step off the curb to cross at a non-designated crossing.
Bicyclists will generally choose to either ride in the newly defined ‘street’ or adjacent to the street. Both W Tower and W Midway have relatively wide areas adjacent to each side of the new ‘street’, which is likely where people will ride and certainly where people will walk. Intersections will have 10-foot openings where curb ramps typically are installed. See W Tower and Monarch below with those openings highlighted. Although not encouraged, bikes can also enter or exit the street through the 2-foot-wide opening between the asphalt curb lengths.
3 As stated in the staff report, parking (on site or parallel to the curb) will not be impacted by the temporary asphalt curb. Staff are coordinating with adjacent businesses as the design develops.
Respectfully submitted,
Erin Smith, Public Works Director