Public Works & Transportation Committee
May 9, 2023
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Steven Falk FROM: G. Harold Duffey
Interim City Administrator Director, Oakland Public
Works
SUBJECT: Waterfront Bay Trail Update DATE: March 13, 2023 City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Receive An Informational Report On The Status Of Waterfront Bay Trail Implementation.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Informational Report is an update on the status of Oakland Waterfront Bay Trail Implementation.1 At the request of the Public Works and Transportation Committee, this memorandum is the seventh update since July 2017 on the City of Oakland (City) efforts and progress in implementing continuous Bay Trail projects along the Oakland Waterfront.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
From the total $198,250,000 Measure DD General Obligation Bond approved by voters in 2002, $53,000,000 was allocated to the Estuary Waterfront Access category. Of that allocation, $43,500,000 is designated for waterfront t rail and parks acquisition and construction. Through this category of funding, Oakland is completing local segments of the regional San Francisco Bay trail, a 500-mile walking and cycling path around the San Francisco Bay that passes through 47 cities and all nine Bay Area counties. Annual reports hav e been provided on July 11, 2017; March 13, 2018; January 15, 2019; February 10, 2020; March 3, 2021; and March 21, 2022.
Since the inception of Measure DD through the end of 2022, about two-thirds (approximately 4.3 miles) of the planned Bay Trail segments along the Oakland waterfront have been completed. 1 Inf ormational Memo is available on the following website: https://www.oaklandca.gov/resources/info- memo
Apr 27, 2023
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Waterfront Bay Trail Update
Date: March 13, 2023 Page 2
Public Works & Transportation Committee
May 9, 2023
Since the last annual report, a contractor was selected to complete the Fruitvale Land Crossing Bay Trail segment (approximately 420 linear feet). That project will be completed this summer.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
Since the inception of Measure DD through the end of 2022, about two-thirds (approximately 4.3 miles) of the planned Bay Trail se gments along the Oakland waterfront have been completed, as shown in Attachment A and described in Tables 1 and 2, below. Completion of these waterfront trail segments advances the Citywide Priorities of holistic community safety, vibrant, sustainable infrastructure, and responsive, trustworthy government by creating new or repairing existing trails to improve the safety and accessibility of the Bay Trail.
Table 1. Completed Trail Segments - Public
Trail Segment
Map Designation
Name
2. Jack London Square
3. Harbor Master (1853 Embarcadero)
4. Embarcadero Cove
5. Livingston Pier
6. Cryer Boat House
7. Union Point Park
12. Derby to Lancaster
14. Alameda Avenue
16. 66th Avenue Gateway
T
able 2. Completed Trail Segment – Private
Trail Segment
Map Designation
Name
A. Jack London Square
B. Brooklyn Basin (partial completion)
C. Homewood Suites
E. Executive Inn and Suites
F. Oakland Marina
G. Livingston Street to Dennison Street,
H. Phoenix Housing
I. Glasscock Housing
J. A-1 Self Storage
N. Tidewater Boating Center to Damon Slough
Ther
e are twelve active segments of the Bay Trail that remain to be completed (see Table 3 of Active Projects below and in Attachment A). Of the remaining twelve segments, five will be completed by another agency or through on-going private development. These include:
• S egment B of the map is under the development of the Brooklyn Basin project. A portion of
the Brooklyn Basin trail was completed in November 2020. In November 2021, Shoreline Park, which includes a Brooklyn Basin trail segment, was completed, and opened t
o the public.
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Waterfront Bay Trail Update
Date: March 13, 2023 Page 3
Public Works & Transportation Committee
May 9, 2023
• S egments D, K, L, and M are being completed by the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD).
The remaining seven segments have been managed by the City and are in varying stages of completion. Of those, three segments are still under land tenure negotiation with private owners/lessees, including: (1) Miller Milling (formerly ConAgra), (2) 333 Kennedy Street, and (3) Cemex (collectively referred to as the 7th Street to 23rd Street/29th Avenue project #1001661).
The City’s land rights and easements negotiation consultant obtained permission for the City to enter the properties to complete data collection required for assessment and design work. As a result, the Draft Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Report Work is under revision and will be finalized in May 2023. An order-of-magnitude cost estimate for easement acquisitions of the three properties is in progress.
A
nother three of the seven segments are bridge connections over which multiple jurisdictions, including Alameda County, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) have jurisdiction. One of these, the Bay Trail Project at High Street Bridge (High Street Bridge Connection) was cancelled on November 30, 2022 after it was concluded by the US Coast Guard and US Army Corps of Engineers in August 2022, based on input from commercial mariners, that due to increased navigational concerns and vessel safety risks from the City’s proposed undercrossing trail connection, the High Street Bridge Connection would not be approved for detail design and construction. The attached Cooperative Agreement Bay Trail Project at High Street Bridge – Notice of Termination (Attachment B), documents communication between the City and the Alameda County regarding the termination of the October 4, 2011 Cooperative Agreement to work collaboratively to build the trail segment. The decision to cancel this undercrossing connection was supported by EBRPD staff (see Attachment C). EBRPD staff will pursue an alternative Bay Trail connection from the Tidewater Boating Center along the Tidal Canal to High Street. This project is depicted in Attachment A as map segment 15 and will be described in future reports as an EBRPD project.
T
able 3. Active Trail Segments to be Completed (Shaded rows being completed by others) Trail
Segment
on Map
Name Project Status (work
completed since last update)
Notes/Next Steps
1. 1 Estuary Park
City of Oakland
65% Design complete; Bay
Conservation and
In Design: Phase 1
construction planned for
project Development Commission fall 2025 if funding can working with staff on project be secured. Additional
permit; Project awarded CA funding is needed to
Coastal Conservancy Climate complete design,
Adaptation fund grant for permitting, and
enhanced design of the living construction. The full
shoreline. Draft California estimated project cost is
Environmental Quality Act approximately $20.4
(CEQA) Environmental Impact million, leaving a gap of
Report (EIR) Addendum and $17.4 million. It is
95% Documentation will pause expected that Series D
to allow time for the enhanced Measure DD bond will
shoreline design to advance. help fill the funding gap.
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Waterfront Bay Trail Update
Date: March 13, 2023 Page 4
Public Works & Transportation Committee
May 9, 2023
Trail
Segment
on Map
Name Project Status (work
completed since last update)
Notes/Next Steps
2. B. Brooklyn Basin
Private project
Project under Brooklyn Basin
development. First of four
parks (Shoreline Park) was
completed and opened to the
public in November 2021.
In Progress: The
remaining portions of
Segment B to be
constructed by Brooklyn
Basin development are
under development.
Phase 2 is planned for
construction in early
2024 and Phases 3 and
4 are in design with
construction planned for
2026.
3. D. Crowley Site
EBRPD project
East Bay Regional Park
District (EBRPD) working with
the Port of Oakland to develop
the trail, with the original
Measure DD funding set aside
for use by EBRPD to build a
permanent trail.
In Progress: EBRPD is
in preliminary design
phase, gathering site
information, andwill be
applying for US
Department of
Transportation and
RAISE program funds
for the trail extension
across this property.
4. 8 Miller Milling
(2201 E 7th St.)
City of Oakland
project
These three segments are
referred to as the E. 7th St. to
23rd St./29th Ave. project. The
City’s land rights and
easements negotiation
consultant assisted the City to
gain Permission to Enter the
properties to complete data
collection required for
assessment and design work.
As a result, the Draft Phase II
Environmental Site
Assessment Report Work is
under revision with a final
report expected in May 2023.
Negotiation &
Planning: An order-of-
magnitude cost estimate
for easement
acquisitions of the three
properties is in
progress.
5. 9 333 Kennedy St.
City of Oakland
project
6. 10 CEMEX (333
23rd Ave.)
City of Oakland
project
7. 11 Park Street
Bridge
Connection
(Trail
Undercrossing)
City of Oakland
project
Conceptual plans and
elevations of a fixed-pier trail
connection beneath the bridge
completed and presented to
the US Coast Guard, US Army
Corps of Engineers. Concerns
expressed by the City’s
Facilities Division of Public
Design on hold: This
project is on hold while
City negotiates land
easement acquisitions
on the north side of the
bridge (at the Cemex
site). The bridge
undercrossing would
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Waterfront Bay Trail Update
Date: March 13, 2023 Page 5
Public Works & Transportation Committee
May 9, 2023
Trail
Segment
on Map
Name Project Status (work
completed since last update)
Notes/Next Steps
Works about the cost and
challenge to maintain the
undercrossing trail are being
evaluated.
need to connect to the
Cemex property trail
segment.
8. 13 Fruitvale Bridge
Land Crossing
(Gap Closure)
City of Oakland
project
This trail connection includes a
grade railroad crossing across
the railroad track to Fruitvale
Ave. 100% of Designs
completed, construction bids
received, and apparent low
bidder identified. Working to
secure City Council approval
and contract execution.
Bid Award:
Construction anticipated
to start summer 2023.
9. 15 High Street
Bridge
Connection
(Trail
Undercrossing)
City of Oakland
project
cancelled.
Alternative
project
transferred to
EBRPD
Project was cancelled on
11/30/22 after US Coast
Guard and US Army Corps of
Engineers concluded in
August 2022, based on input
from commercial mariners,
that due to increased
navigational concerns and
vessel safety risks from the
City’s proposed undercrossing
trail connection, the project
would not be approved for
detail design and construction.
Negotiation &
Planning: EBRPD
pursuing an alternative
Bay Trail connection
from the Tidewater
Boating Center along
the Tidal Canal to High
Street.
10. K Gallagher &
Burk (344 High
Street – Oliver
De Silva Inc.,
owner)
EBRPD project
EBRPD is continuing to work
on planning and designing this
segment of trail.
Planning: EBRPD is in
the preliminary stages
of assessing project
feasibility.
11. L Hanson
Aggregates
(4501 Tidewater
Avenue) – Home
Dock Properties
EBRPD project
EBRPD is continuing to work
on planning and designing this
segment of trail.
Negotiation and
Planning: EBRPD is
continuing negotiations
with the property owner
for the easement.
12. M Tidewater
Boating Center
(incomplete
section)
The EBRPD Tidewater Day
Use Area Public Access
Improvement Project is
nearing completion.
Construction: EBRPD
to construct the project.
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Waterfront Bay Trail Update
Date: March 13, 2023 Page 6
Public Works & Transportation Committee
May 9, 2023
FISCAL IMPACT
This item is for informational purposes only and does not have a direct fiscal impact or cost.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
The advancement of Measure DD-funded projects is overseen by the Measure DD Community Coalition (Coalition) which is open to any member of the public wishing to participate. The Coalition meets bi-monthly on the third Monday. Meeting agendas, minutes, and other documents pertinent to Measure DD actions are available on the Measure DD website at https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/measure-dd-community-coalition. Specific public outreach and engagement for each of the projects referenced in this report occurs on a project-by-project basis.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: Although this report is for informational purposes and has no direct economic opportunities, the continued efforts of implementing trail improvement projects will provide contracting opportunities for City vendors and contractors through the design and construction process. The completed trail along the waterfront may also enhance economic opportunities for Oakland businesses and may improve economic opportunities for persons needing to commute by walking or biking.
E
nvironmental: Although this report is for informational purposes and has no direct environmental impacts, completion of the waterfront trail projects referenced in this report will benefit the environment by encouraging pedestrian and bicycle use of the trail to access destinations, thereby reducing vehicle usage and its associated pollution. Encouragement of trail use may also improve appreciation for and stewardship of the adjacent Oakland Estuary.
R
ace & Equity: Although this report is for informational purposes and has no direct race and equity impacts, the waterfront trail projects referenced in this report are part of the regional San Francisco Bay Trail which serves and connects many communities around the San Francisco Bay, including many frontline communities. It provides a safe and low-impact connection between numerous points and neighborhoods of Oakland. It encourages physical activity, recreation, and invites engagement with the environmental habitat of the Bay to improve the quality of life for residents throughout the city. The trail system provides a safe means of transit via walking or biking for recreational transit or commuting. This is especially important for residents who may not have a car or resources for other transit travel. The trail projects will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and provide equitable access to seniors and those with mobility impairment. Improvement of the trails could allow expansion of programs promoting youth recreation and health improvements.
Steven Falk, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Waterfront Bay Trail Update
Date: March 13, 2023 Page 7
Public Works & Transportation Committee
May 9, 2023
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Receive An Informational Report On The Status Of Waterfront Bay Trail Implementation.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Terri Fashing, Acting Watershed and Stormwater Management Division and DD Bond Manager, Bureau of Design and Construction, Oakland Public Works at [email protected] or 510-238-7276.
Respectfully submitted,
G. HAROLD DUFFEY
Public Works Director
Reviewed by:
Siew-Chin Yeong, P.E., Assistant Director
Bureau of Design & Construction
Attachments (3):
Prepared by:
Terri Fashing, Acting Division Manager
Watershed and Stormwater Management
Division and DD Bond Manager
A: Oakland Waterfront Bay Trail Projects Map
B: Oakland-Alameda County High St. Bridge Agreement Termination C: SF Bay Trail at High Street Letter to Oakland