A major construction project in Alameda County designed to improve travel between the city of Alameda, Interstate Highway 880 and Oakland broke ground this week.
The $175 million transformation, called the Oakland Alameda Access Project, has been inching forward for nearly two decades and will provide a more direct connection to northbound I-880 from Alameda, ease street congestion, and create bike and pedestrian lanes in the Webster Tube and surface streets, according to Caltrans.
Conceptions for the street reconfiguration date back to 2009, when analysis formally began. The idea advanced to more detailed planning stages with an environmental impact report in 2017, before design work was finalized from 2022 to 2024.
Construction officially began Monday with a groundbreaking ceremony, putting the work on track to be completed in 2029.
Highlights of the project will include a horseshoe feature directly connecting the Posey Tube to northbound I-880 and Oakland’s Fifth Street, dedicated walkways and bike lanes in Webster Tube connecting the two cities, and reconfigured on/offramps. The project is expected to improve congestion and air quality in the area, according to Caltrans.
Funding for the project came from a variety of sources at the local, state and federal level, including about $105 million from Measure BB, a one-cent sales tax increase approved by Alameda County voters in 2014. Another roughly $70 million came from state sources.
Alameda County Board of Supervisors President and Chair of the Alameda County Transportation Commission, David Haubert, said the residents who voted for the funding were about to get what they paid for.
“This project reflects the vision of Measure BB and Alameda County voters’ commitment to investing in transportation improvements that make our streets safer for all, and benefit residents, businesses, and travelers across the region,” Haubert said in a statement.
The planning involved coordination between several agencies, including the Alameda Transportation Commission, California Transportation Commission, the Federal Highway Administration, representatives from both the city of Alameda and the city of Oakland, and a range of community groups.
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