Fremont City Council Meeting: 04/21/26 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Public Works
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Presentations
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5695) DOC ID: 5695
Updated: 4/17/2026 11:27 AM by Dina Lewis Page 1
FREMONT BOULEVARD COMPLETE STREET PROJECT - Receive presentation on proposed street design and community outreach for a grant-funded project to improve transportation safety, operations, multimodal access, and streetscape beautification along Fremont Boulevard between Country Drive and Grimmer Boulevard, including the addition of a right-turn lane at southbound Fremont Boulevard to westbound Mowry Avenue; and approve plans to remove a right- turn lane at westbound Beacon Avenue to northbound Fremont Boulevard.
Contact Persons:
Name: Noe Veloso Hans Larsen
Title: Assistant City Engineer Public Works Director
Div/Dept: Public Works Public Works
Phone: 510-494-4774 510-494-4722
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to provide the City Council with an update on the Fremont Boulevard Complete Street Project and to address a previous direction to have the Council review any plans for removing a right-turn lane as part of the project. A right-turn lane is proposed for removal from the existing Fremont/Beacon intersection because the relatively low traffic volumes, under existing and planned future conditions, do not justify the need for a dedicated turn lane, and having a narrower intersection is best aligned with the City’s adopted design guidelines for Downtown Fremont and the policy priority for pedestrian-friendly streets.
Background: On July 15, 2025, the City Council considered an action to approve grant funding from the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) for the Fremont Boulevard Complete Streets project.
During the Council item, questions were asked of staff if the project was planning to remove dedicated right-turn lanes as part of the project scope.
Because the design details had not yet been developed, staff was asked to return to Council to review any consideration of eliminating right-turn lanes with the project.
Staff acknowledges that significant community concerns have been raised over a prior project that removed right-turn lanes at the intersection of Fremont Boulevard and Mowry Avenue, specifically the right-turn lane from southbound Fremont Boulevard to westbound Mowry Avenue. Staff shared with Council that the planned Fremont Boulevard Complete Streets project Council Staff Report (ID # 5695) Meeting of April 21, 2026 Updated: 4/17/2026 11:27 AM by Dina Lewis Page 2
proposes to add a dedicated right-turn lane at the location of concern to alleviate traffic congestion.
It is noted that the City’s adopted policies in the General Plan and more specifically for the Downtown Plan include goals related to complete streets.
These goals, summarized below, are being used to guide the scope of the Fremont Boulevard Complete Street project.
General Plan Mobility Goals
• Transforming Fremont’s corridors into “complete streets” that are designed for multiple modes of travel.
• Reducing the number of vehicle miles traveled by Fremont residents and workers by providing more non-automobile travel options and more compact land use patterns.
• Balancing the need for convenience and speed with the need to create safe and pedestrian-friendly streets.
Fremont Downtown Community Plan Transportation Goals
• Create streets that are comfortable and convenient for pedestrians, so walking is a pleasure and accessing residences and businesses is easy. • Make the Downtown District a bicycle-friendly neighborhood, so residents and visitors of all ages and abilities can feel comfortable and secure biking to work, services, and recreation trips.
• Create a roadway network that accommodates necessary automobile circulation but strategically manages vehicle volumes and speeds to minimize the negative impacts that auto traffic has on other modes of travel.
Discussion/Analysis:
Scope of Fremont Boulevard Complete Street Project and
Past Improvements
The Fremont Boulevard Complete Street project (Project) will build upon previous investments in the Downtown area that have been implemented through a series of past projects. This Project will provide improvements along Fremont Boulevard to connect the previous projects and to comprehensively finish the complete streets corridor improvements, which include pavement maintenance, upgrading existing bus stops, modernizing traffic signals, implementing a continuous protected bikeway, streetlighting improvements, intersection improvements (at Beacon, Sundale and Bidwell), and fixing sidewalk gaps and deficiencies.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5695) Meeting of April 21, 2026 Updated: 4/17/2026 11:27 AM by Dina Lewis Page 3
The scope of work for the Project will also include modifications to the intersection at Fremont Boulevard and Mowry Avenue to address the significant traffic congestion experienced by southbound Fremont Boulevard motorists. In total, these projects will create a cohesive and connected complete streets corridor that will improve traffic signal efficiency, improve mobility options, and support the intensifying land uses in the Downtown area.
Past Downtown Area Complete
Street Projects
Status
Capitol Avenue Phase I/II (Fremont
Blvd to Paseo Padre)
Completed in 2015 through 2017
(funded by Federal grants)
Various “Protected Intersection”
projects on Fremont Boulevard at
Mowry, Stevenson, Walnut,
Grimmer, Eugene, and Country
Completed in 2021 through 2025
(funded by Federal, State, MTC,
ACTC, and BART grants)
Walnut Avenue Bikeway Phase II
(Fremont Blvd to Paseo Padre
In construction with completion in
Summer 2026 (funded by ACTC and
BART grants)
Proposed Removal of Right-Turn Lane on Beacon Avenue at Fremont Boulevard
Analysis was conducted by the Project design team to determine the various intersection improvements that could be considered along the project corridor. At the intersection of Fremont Boulevard and Beacon Avenue, the design team analyzed existing traffic volumes as well as forecasted traffic volumes of a fully built-out Downtown area to determine intersection operations with the removal of the right-turn lane on westbound Beacon Avenue. The existing lane configuration on westbound Beacon Avenue includes a left-turn lane, a through lane, and right-turn lane with pork chop islands.
The design team analyzed a lane configuration for westbound Beacon Avenue with a left turn lane and a shared through right-turn lane.
The analysis concluded that the removal of the right-turn lane on westbound Beacon Avenue would have a negligible effect on the waiting times experienced by motorists for existing traffic volumes and moderate waiting time with the maximum development buildout of the Downtown area. It is noted that some “wait time” is expected at traffic signals particularly during peak commute periods. The “perception of traffic congestion” is typically Council Staff Report (ID # 5695) Meeting of April 21, 2026 Updated: 4/17/2026 11:27 AM by Dina Lewis Page 4
reached when an average wait time exceeds 60 seconds, and vehicles cannot clear the intersection in a single signal cycle. The chart below summarizes the results of the data analysis.
Scenario Right Turn
Lane
Traffic Volume
(vehicles per
hour)
Existing
Average
Wait Time
(seconds)
Post-Project
Average
Wait Time
(seconds)
AM Peak
(Existing Condition)
64 10 10
AM Peak
(Buildout of Downtown)
76 14 15
PM Peak
(Existing Condition)
94 14 15
PM Peak
(Buildout of Downtown)
125 21 22
The proposed improvements at the Fremont Boulevard and Beacon Avenue intersection are consistent with the Downtown and City Center Community Plans, which envision the Downtown area as becoming more urban in character, with more intense infill development, and streets becoming more pedestrian-friendly with trees, sidewalks, benches, plazas, public art and other amenities. The Project will create a more pedestrian-friendly environment with wider pedestrian spaces, shorter crossing distances and reduced vehicle speeds.
Community Outreach and Mobility Commission Coordination In September 2025, staff conducted a public outreach process that included a project website (see WEBLINK section), placing project information posterboards along the project corridor, and providing a project fact sheet to businesses, property owners, and residents within the project limits. The project website provided an opportunity for the community to submit general comments or questions and provide input on the conceptual design elements.
The community provided strong support for modifications at the Fremont Boulevard and Mowry intersection to address the significant waiting time experienced by motorists for southbound Fremont Boulevard. The addition of a dedicated right-turn lane for southbound Fremont Boulevard at Mowry Avenue would address the issue of greatest concern to the Council Staff Report (ID # 5695) Meeting of April 21, 2026 Updated: 4/17/2026 11:27 AM by Dina Lewis Page 5
community. The current average wait time for the southbound Fremont to westbound Mowry during AM peak period is 122 seconds. With the added right-turn lane the wait time will reduce by 49% to 62 seconds.
The community also submitted clarifying questions about the sidewalk-level bikeway, the two-way cycle track between Country Drive and Mowry Avenue, pedestrian connections at the Bidwell intersection (for better school access), and concern regarding the overall growth and densification along Fremont Boulevard. Staff did not receive any comments from the community regarding the removal of the right-turn lane for westbound Beacon Avenue.
On March 18, 2026, the results of the public outreach process were presented to the Mobility Commission addressing data analysis of the anticipated project impact to the intersection at Beacon Avenue, and the proposed intersection enhancement designs throughout the project limits.
After receiving public comments and having further discussion, the Mobility Commission recommended approval of the plan to remove the right-turn lane on Beacon Avenue.
Fiscal Impact: The Fremont Boulevard Complete Street project has received grant funding approvals in the amount of $9.5 million from the following sources: Metropolitan Transportation Commission, $4.1 million (Housing Incentive Pool and Federal Earmark); BART, $3.0 million (Safe Routes to BART); and Alameda CTC, $2.4 million (Measure BB and Transportation Fund for Clean Air).
Environmental Review: The recommended action to provide planning guidance for transportation improvements along Fremont Boulevard does not require environment review within the meaning of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) as the actions are not considered a project and it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility the actions will have a significant effect on the environment. Appropriate environmental review will be prepared for the proposed project during the design phase and prior to any project construction.
Weblink:
https://www.fremont.gov/government/departments/public-works/public- works-projects/fremont-boulevard-country-to-mission-view-project
Council Staff Report (ID # 5695) Meeting of April 21, 2026 Updated: 4/17/2026 11:27 AM by Dina Lewis Page 6
ATTACHMENTS:
• Proposed Design for Fremont/Beacon Intersection
• Agenda Item 6.B. Fremont Bl Presentation
Recommendation: Take the following actions related to the Fremont Boulevard Complete Street Project located between Country Drive and Grimmer Boulevard:
1. Receive presentation on the project and community outreach.
2. Approve plan to remove a dedicated right-turn lane from westbound Beacon Avenue to northbound Fremont Boulevard.