City Council
December 6, 2022
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Edward D. Reiskin FROM: Fred Kelley
City Administrator Director, Oakland
Department of
Transportation
SUBJECT: International Boulevard Quick Build
Safety Improvements Study and
Funding Reallocation
DATE: November 21, 2022
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council:
Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Administrator to: Enter Into An Agreement With the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District to Study and Implement Safety Improvements on International Boulevard; Reallocate One Million, Two Hundred Sixty-Six Thousand, Five Hundred Twenty-Six Dollars ($1,266,526) of Measure BB Funds Within the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Adopted Budget to Support Quick Build Safety Improvements on International Boulevard; and Adopt Appropriate California Environmental Quality Act Findings.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
At the October 18, 2022 City Council meeting, Oakland Department of Transportation (OakDOT) staff was asked to provide an action item to allocate the approximately $1.3 million of Measure BB funds for International Boulevard traffic safety improvements.
The proposed resolution would authorize the City Administrator to allocate these $1,266,526 Measure BB funds and enter into an agreement with the Alameda- Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) to study and implement safety improvements along the International Boulevard corridor.
International Boulevard is a critical focus for City resources because, despite significant safety improvements incorporated along the corridor as a part of AC Transit’s Tempo Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service , severe and fatal crashes and dangerous driving including speeding, red light running, and bus lane violations persist. In the last two years, approximately one-quarter of traffic deaths in Oakland have been concentrated on International Boulevard – which has historically been a high injury corridor.
Dec 1, 2022
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: International Boulevard Quick Build Safety Improvements Study and Funding Reallocation
Date: November 21, 2022 Page 2
City Council
December 6, 2022
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
In April 2022, OakDOT provided an informational report to Oakland City Council with recommendations, for improving and expediting traffic calming installations throughout needed locations in Oakland, including completion of installation of approved speed bumps, and recommended budget adjustments to provide for ongoing capacity to ens ure traffic safety and pedestrian safety improvements are completed timely throughout Oakland. Since then, four supplemental reports have been requested and completed, with a fifth being scheduled for December 6, 2022. Reports and associated documentation are available online.
International Boulevard was addressed as a part of this ongoing reporting in the October 18, 2022 City Council report , in response to a request for information on information on work recently agendized at the AC Transit District’s Interagency Liaison Committee regarding quick build strategies along International Boulevard.
To date, AC Transit has received a $400,000 grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's Quick Strike program – which provided support to local and regional projects that can be implemented quickly to benefit communities responding and adapting t o the COVID-19 environment. This funding is to complete a study and build installations on up to 8 blocks along the corridor west of 42nd Avenue. OakDOT has committed to matching that $400,000 in funding to expand the scope of the study east of 42nd Avenue (in Caltrans Right-of-Way). The study aims to identify treatments that could be applied in locations with similar characteristics along the corridor. An update on this work has been scheduled for the February 2023 AC Transit Interagency Liaison Committee with the City of Oakland.
In the October 18, 2022 report, OakDOT recommended that the approximately $1.3 million of Measure BB funds that are currently unallocated be instead allocated for additional funding to advance quick build safety improvements along International Boulevard. At that October 18 , 2022, meeting the Council requested that OakDOT return with an action item to allocate the approximately $1.3 million of Measure BB funds for International Boulevard.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
As described above, OakDOT is collaborating with AC Transit on a study of International Boulevard to identify “quick build” operational and safety treatments to augment the safety improvements already installed along International Blvd as a part of AC Transit’s Tempo Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service. However, existing funds for this work are currently limited. Therefore, OakDOT is recommending that $1,266,526 of Measure BB Funds Within the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Adopted Budget that are currently in a contract contingencies account be reallocated to support planning and implementation of quick -build safety improvements on International Boulevard. Based on construction estimates for the pilot, the additional $1,266,526 could support improvements on approximately 40 more blocks on the International Boulevard corridor (of approximately 110 total blocks in Oakland) – or alternately, more intensive, permanent treatments at locations where higher risk factors are identified through the pilot.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: International Boulevard Quick Build Safety Improvements Study and Funding Reallocation
Date: November 21, 2022 Page 3
City Council
December 6, 2022
Adoption of this resolution advances Oakland’s citywide priorities of holistic community safety, vibrant, sustainable infrastructure, and responsive, trustworthy government by improving safety conditions on International Blvd, supporting safe, sustainable, reliable transit, and responding to community concerns.
FISCAL IMPACT
One Million, One Hundred Fifty -Eight Thousand, Nine Hundred Ninety -Six Dollars ($1,158,996) is currently set aside in a contract contingencies account (54011) in Measure BB Local Str eets and Roads Fund (2218) along with One Hundred Seven Thousand, Five Hundred Thirty Dollars ($107,530) currently set aside in a contract contingencies account (54011) in Measure BB Bicycle and Pedestrian Fund (2219) in the Midcycle Budget that is available to be reallocated to support planning and implementation of quick-build safety improvements on International Boulevard.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
This work has a high level of public interest, and OakDOT and AC Transit staff have presented updates on this work to the AC Transit Interagency Liaison Committee comprised of AC Transit Board members and Oakland City Council representatives, to City Council as described above, and to Oakland’s Bicyclist and Pedestrian Advisory Commission as a part of a September agenda item on OakDOT’s Rapid Responses to fatalities. Additional outreach is planned as this work moves forward in coordination with AC Transit, through City Council offices and Neighborhood Councils.
COORDINATION
OakDOT is coordinating with AC Transit to conduct this work, which also includes coordination with the Oakland Police Department, City Administrator’s Office, and Department of Race and Equity through the Safe Oakland Streets initiative, as well as the Alameda County Public Health Department to help with data collection, analysis and community outreach.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: Infrastructure improvements to create safer streets, save lives, and reduce injury severity have potential economic benefits through the reduction of direct and indirect economic costs of severe and fatal crashes on residents and the community, as well as by improving safety conditions on International Boulevard – a critical transportation corridor for Oakland.
Environmental: Strategies to improve traffic safety help encourage more people to choose to travel by walking, bicycling, scootering, and similar more environmentally friendly modes. This work also aims to improve AC Transit’s Tempo BRT service by reducing collisions and preventing bus lane violations, thus improving travel times for riders and supporting more sustainable trips via public transit.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: International Boulevard Quick Build Safety Improvements Study and Funding Reallocation
Date: November 21, 2022 Page 4
City Council
December 6, 2022
Race & Equity: Oakland’s safety and equity goals are advanced by addressing traffic safety on International Boulevard. Communities of color are disproportionately impacted by severe and fatal traffic crashes in Oakland, and these crashes are disproportionately concentrated on International Boulevard – one of the city’s high injury corridors which spans over 6.5 miles and runs through many of Oakland’s high priority equity communities.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
The planned safety improvements on International Boulevard are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.25(b)(1) (pedestrian and bicycle facilities, including new facilities). The project is also exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301(c) (Existing Facilities, Highways and Streets), 15302 (Replacement or Reconstruction), and/or 15061(b)(3) (No Significant Effect on the Environment). Each of the above exemptions provides a separate and independent basis for CEQA compliance.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Administrator to: Enter Into An Agreement With the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District to Study and Implement Safety Improvements on International Boulevard; Reallocate One Million, Two Hundred Sixty-Six Thousand, Five Hundred Twenty-Six Dollars ($1,266,526) of Measure BB Funds Within the Fiscal Year 2022- 2023 Adopted Budget to Support Quick Build Safety Improvements on International Boulevard; and Adopt Appropriate California Environmental Quality Act Findings.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Megan Wier, Assistant Director , at [email protected].
Respectfully submitted,
FRED KELLEY
Director, Department of Transportation
Reviewed by:
Ariel Espiritu Santo, Assistant Director
Prepared by:
Megan Wier, Assistant Director
Joe Wang, Supervising Traffic Engineer
Safe Streets Division