AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: Megan Wier
City Administrator Acting Director, Oakland
Department of
Transportation
SUBJECT: International Boulevard Quick-Build
Project Funding Authorization
DATE: April 4, 2024
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To Increase Funding For The International Boulevard Quick-Build Project By Five Hundred Eighty-Seven Thousand, Nine Hundred Seventeen Dollars ($587,917) From One Million, Two Hundred Sixty-Six Thousand, Five Hundred Twenty-Six Dollars ($1,266,526) to One Million, Eight Hundred Fifty-Four Thousand, Four Hundred Forty- Three Dollars ($1,854,443) To be Paid To The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District According To The Funding Agreement Negotiated By The City Administrator Authorized By Resolution No. 89516 C.M.S.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
At the December 19, 2022 City Council meeting, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 89516 CMS authorizing the City Administrator to allocate $1,266,526 of 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 cor ridor. The City has since entered into the agreement and worked with AC Transit to develop the Quick -Build Project that now encompasses approximately 75% of the corridor, with construction slated to begin in Spring 2024.
International Boulevard continues to be 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 2023, approximately one-third of traffic deaths in Oakland were concentrated on International Boulevard, which has historically been a high injury corridor.
The proposed resolution would authorize the City Administrator to increase funding for the International Quick-Build Project to support critical near-term improvements on the corridor
City Council
April 16, 2024
Jestin Johnson (Apr 4, 2024 20:04 PDT)
Apr 4, 2024
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: International Boulevard Quick-Build Project Funding Authorization Date: April 4, 2024 Page 2
City Council
April 16, 2024
with an additional $587,917 to be paid to AC Transit according to the Funding Agreement negotiated by the City Administrator and authorized by Resolution No. 89516 C.M.S.
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 adj ustments to provide for ongoing capacity to ensure 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 work recently agendized at the AC Transit District’s Interagency Liaison Committee regarding quick build strategies along International Boulevard.
At the December 19, 2022 City Council meeting, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 89516 CMS authorizing the City Admi nistrator to allocate $1,266,526 of Measure BB funds and enter into an agreement with AC Transit to study and implement safety improvements along the International Boulevard corridor.
Since March 2023, OakDOT and AC Transit have provided quarterly progres s updates on the International Quick Build at the AC Transit District’s Oakland Interagency Liaison Committee – comprised of representative of Oakland’s City Council and the AC Transit Board.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
International Boulevard continues to be 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 2023, approximately one-third of traffic deaths in Oakland were concentrated on International Boulevard, which has historically been a high injury corridor.
Since the Council action in December 2022, the City has entered into an agreement with AC Transit and worked to develop the Quick -Build Project, that now encompasses approximately 75% of the corridor, with construction slated to begin in Spring 2024.
AC Transit initially secured a $400,000 “Quick Strike” grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to install several Quick Build safety enhancements along eight blocks of International, from 14th to 42nd Avenues. The City of Oakland is already contributing $1,266,526 to extend the project to 107th Avenue, prioritizing areas where its data suggests that severe and fatal crashes are more concentrated. The Quick Build safety enhancements include:
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: International Boulevard Quick-Build Project Funding Authorization Date: April 4, 2024 Page 3
City Council
April 16, 2024
• Yellow vertical posts every 10 feet to separate directions of travel. • White vertical posts every 15 feet between the BUS ONLY lane and general travel lanes. • White painted text on the pavement to emphasize BUS ONLY lane. • White painted arrows on pavement to emphasize permissible turns. • All-new BUS ONLY lane violation and fines signage.
• All-new traffic enforcement Speed Limit signage.
• "BUS" sign installed on transit signals to separate transit-only use.
The project also includes an evaluation to assess the impact of these roadway safety enhancements after implementation to guide future improvements for the corridor.
Given the urgency and need on this corridor, this resolution would authorize the City Administrator to increase funding for the International Quick -Build Project to support the critical near-term improvements on the corridor with an additional $587,917 to be paid to AC Transit according to the Funding Agreement negotiated by the City Administrator, authorized by Resolution No. 89516 C.M.S.
Adoption of this proposed 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, sus tainable, reliable transit, and responding to community concerns.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
The planned safety improvements on International Boulevard are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Gui delines Sections 15301(c) (Existing Facilities, Highways and Streets), and/or 15302 (Replacement or Reconstruction). Each of the above exemptions provides a separate and independent basis for CEQA compliance.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding is available to support the increased amount for the agreement with AC Transit in Project 1007168, Funds 2218 and 2219. OakDOT has already submitted an initial payment to AC Transit in the amount of $198,326; the remaining funds in Project 1007168 will cover the scope of the increased agreement amount with AC Transit.
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 Commit tee comprised of AC Transit Board members and Oakland City Council representatives, to City Council, to Oakland’s Bicyclist and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, and via a public zoom meeting in November 2023.
Additional outreach is planned as this work moves forward in coordination with AC Transit, through City Council offices and Neighborhood Councils.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: International Boulevard Quick-Build Project Funding Authorization Date: April 4, 2024 Page 4
City Council
April 16, 2024
COORDINATION
OakDOT is coordinating with AC Transit to conduct this work, which also includes coordination with the Oakland Police Department, Oakland Fire Department, City Administrator’s Office, and Department of Race and Equity through the Safe Oakland Streets initi ative, as well as the Alameda County Public Health Department to help with data analysis.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: This project includes 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.
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.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing the City Administrator to Increase Funding For the International Boulevard Quick-Build Project by Five Hundred Eighty- Seven Thousand, Nine Hundred Seventeen Dollars ($587,917) From One Million, Two Hundred Sixty-Six Thousand, Five Hundred Twenty-Six Dollars ($1,266,526) to One Million, Eight Hundred Fifty-Four Thousand, Four Hundred Forty-Three Dollars ($1,854,443) To be Paid to the Alameda- Contra Costa Transit District According to the Funding Agreement Negotiated by the City Administrator Authorized by Resolution No. 89516 C.M.S.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: International Boulevard Quick-Build Project Funding Authorization Date: April 4, 2024 Page 5
City Council
April 16, 2024
For questions regarding this report, please contact Megan Wier, Acting Director, at 510- 238-6382 or [email protected].
Respectfully submitted,
MEGAN WIER
Acting Director, Oakland
Department of Transportation
Reviewed by:
Craig Raphael, Funding Program Manager
Brian Sukkar, Supervising Transportation
Engineer
Prepared by:
Megan Wier, Acting Director
Oakland Department of Transportation