body,date,page,text,path
TransportationCommission,2021-01-27,1,"Approved Minutes
Transportation Commission Meeting
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
Time:
6:30 p.m.
Location:
Due to Governor Executive Order N-29-20, Transportation Commissioners was able to attend
the meeting via teleconference. The City allowed public participation via Zoom. City Hall was NOT open to
the public during the meeting.
Legistar Link:
https://alameda.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=811332&GUID=173EF9EF-7A08-48E9-AD93-
5B2FOBD42357&Options=info/&Search=
1. Roll Call
Present: Chair Soules, Vice Chair Nachtigall and Commissioners Yuen, Kohlstrand and Weitze.
Absent: Commissioner Hans
2. Agenda Changes
Chair Soules requested to switch 6A and 6B to accommodate schedules.
3. Staff Communications are as shown in the web link here:
https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4758231&GUID=BE96F602-9092-4789-A529-
8D29AA900855&Options=&Search=&FullText=1
4. Announcements/ Public Comments
Walter Jacobs in Harbor Bay stated that he has a problem with a roundabout or a traffic signal at Island Drive
and Mecartney Road. He prefers a flashing beacon. He has not seen a car crash here. He has a concern about
this proposal.
Jim Strehlow stated that he wants a status on the water taxi. The Fernside area HOA feels that Moreland Drive
has more speeding due to the Slow Streets program on Versailles Street, and other adjacent streets to Slow
Streets program has similar speeding problems.
Michael Robles-Wong stated that he had served on the board of Harbor Bay but is speaking as a 25-year resident
of Bay Farm Island. He agrees with Mr. Jacobs. A traffic guard was hit a few years ago at this Island/Mecartney
intersection. There is a concern about how pedestrians will cross this street.
Anthony Lewis stated that he is blind. Gail Payne had a meeting about a roundabout with the blind community
because it is something new for the blind community. He recommended that a tactile map be created, and to
have a mobility specialist assist with educating blind people how to use roundabouts. The Sherman/Encinal
intersection is complicated even for people who can see. There are approximately 20 people in Alameda who
are blind.
Transportation Commission Meeting Minutes - January 27, 2021
1",TransportationCommission/2021-01-27.pdf
TransportationCommission,2021-01-27,2,"Morgan Bellinger stated that he hopes that everyone listens to the educational presentation on roundabouts, and
respects science and then will make decisions based on science.
Steve Barrett stated that he is a resident of Park Street, and cars speed on this street. He is thrilled to see that
Council is considering roundabouts because drivers will be forced to drive more safely.
Chair Soules read an email from Cheryl Chi, who was unable to come to the meeting, requesting that City staff
look into the trees that were planted along the Cross Alameda Trail because of the round balls that are dropped
by one of the species.
Steven Jones stated that he is a lifelong resident. About the Island/Mecartney intersection, he feels it runs
smoothly and people are courteous. He worked for the City of Alameda Fire Department for 30 years, and he
does not recall ever responding to a collision at that intersection. He worked with a former Public Works
Department Director who concluded that a traffic signal is not needed. He thinks the intersection works fine.
5. Consent Calendar
5A. Draft Minutes Transportation Commission Meeting from Wednesday, November 18, 2020 (Action
Item)
https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4758232&GUID=9172809E-8E90-4634-8A56-
238C4C3B26CC&Options=&Search=&FullText=1
No changes proposed. Vice Chair Nachtigall moved to approve as is. Commission Yuen seconded. The
motion passed 4-0 and Commissioner Kohlstrand abstained since she was not at the meeting.
6. Regular Agenda Items
6B. Review Educational Presentation on Roundabouts (Discussion Item)
Gail Payne, Senior Transportation Coordinator introduced Kittelson staff - Erin Ferguson, Lawrence Lewis
and Mike Alston, who gave a presentation. The staff report and attachments can be found at:
 https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4758234&GUID=2345B774-9EAA-4A94-9A51-
BFC236809F5E&Options=&Search=&FullText=1
At the end of the presentation, Staff Payne added that the City had presented the roundabouts topic to a
group of people with visual impairments, and are preparing tactile maps of a typical roundabout, which will
be shared with the blind community.
Commissioner Clarifying Questions for #6B
Vice Chair Nachtigall asked in relation to pedestrian safety and the Central Avenue project, if a traffic
signal provides priority for pedestrians so that vehicles stop when they get a green, how roundabouts are
safer for pedestrians and if vehicles stop.
Ms. Ferguson responded that drivers can easily see pedestrians and yield to them at roundabouts.
Pedestrians look for a gap in traffic and proceed. There are ways to encourage auto yielding behavior, such
Transportation Commission Meeting Minutes - January 27, 2021
2",TransportationCommission/2021-01-27.pdf
TransportationCommission,2021-01-27,3,"as using Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons. Research has found that the yielding rate is good for single
lane roundabouts. The rates do go down with multiple lane roundabouts.
Vice Chair Nachtigall asked if landscaping of roundabouts and the splitter islands might reduce the visibility
of pedestrians.
Ms. Ferguson responded that, as part of the roundabout design process, sight distances are measured to
determine a landscaping plan including planting heights, or if no landscaping should be installed, to retain
visibility.
Commissioner Yuen asked if traffic circles have the same benefits as roundabouts, particularly since many
Alameda intersections could not accommodate a modern roundabout.
Ms. Ferguson responded that mini-roundabouts are encouraged by the Federal Highway Administration for
safety. And, they can be safer than other intersection controls. The important design considerations are to
slow vehicle speeds, and to make clear how bicyclists and pedestrians will navigate the mini-roundabout.
The reduced number of conflict points still are realized with mini-roundabouts.
Commissioner Weitze asked for information on the different types of accidents that occur at one lane, versus
two lane roundabouts.
Ms. Ferguson responded that both eliminate fatal and severe collisions. However, more side swipe
collisions occur with multi-lane roundabouts as drivers change lanes in the roundabout.
Commissioner Weitze asked if this increase in minor accidents is this more or less than one would see at
an intersection with a traffic signal.
Ms. Ferguson stated that it varies depending upon context and the design of the roundabout such as which
lane the vehicles are in as they enter the intersection.
Commissioner Weitze stated that he has heard people say that because roundabouts are unfamiliar to the
public, they will be dangerous. He asked if this is true, and if the collisions reduce over time, as the
community gets used to them.
Ms. Ferguson stated that single-lane roundabouts are consistently safe over time, even if the road users are
unfamiliar with them. Multi-lane roundabouts perform better when drivers are familiar with them. For
example, in Bend, Oregon, they used many single-lane roundabouts successfully for many years. Then,
with growth, they planned multi-lane roundabouts, and for this they did an extensive outreach and education
effort. There is no research on changing collision rates as familiarity increases, however, anecdotally, if
collisions start out higher, they reduce with familiarity.
Commissioner Weitze asked if the City has accident history for the Bayport roundabouts.
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TransportationCommission,2021-01-27,4,"Staff Payne responded that these are not modern roundabouts, and that staff would have to look up what
data we have.
Commissioner Kohlstrand asked if the City would use traffic circles to meet some traffic management
needs, where there is less space for a full roundabout.
Ms. Ferguson said that mini-roundabouts are another option when right-of-way is constrained, particularly
to remove two- or four-way stops. The key is that there needs to be enough space to manage vehicle speeds
and the direction of travel. Mini-roundabouts still use central islands and splitter islands, but they are
traversable by larger vehicles.
Chair Soules asked staff to clarify the process on determining the locations for roundabouts, and the
language in the slides. The City should not be trying to find out where they could work. This is just one
possible option for intersections, part of the tool box. She would like staff to solve issues, rather than just
respond and analyze the community's specific request for a specific device, like a stop sign.
Staff Payne clarified that this roundabout effort is part of City's Vision Zero effort. This analysis with
Kittelson is being used to determine the top five intersections for roundabouts in the City, based on safety,
looking at the High Injury Network.
Chair Soules encouraged community involvement in these types of decisions with new treatments.
Public Comments for #6B
Michael Robles-Wong stated that they learned to use roundabouts in the United Kingdom, and knows they
are safer, especially for very wide intersections. His primary concern is for pedestrians and children. They
notice that the crosswalks are further from each other. They encouraged the City to talk to the Police
Department, since they pay the crossing guards. They wondered if the Island/Mecartney intersection would
need four crossing guards, instead of the one or two it has now if a roundabout were installed due to the
spacing of the crosswalks and the lack of visibility between them. Thank you for the great informational
presentation.
William Pai, Board President of Harbor Bay Isle, sees advantages of roundabouts. He is curious about the
Island/Mecartney intersection and if it were to be done how long would it take to implement. He has
concerns about the construction period.
Staff Amiri, City Traffic Engineer, clarified that Public Works hired a consultant in 2019 to perform an
Intersection Control Evaluation, which compared three options (existing, traffic signal and roundabout),
and recommended a roundabout as the best for traffic control. She offered to present it at a future meeting.
A typical construction period could be as long as a year.
Chair Soules asked staff to explore the construction period needed, and the neighborhood disruption, and
bring to future meeting.
Transportation Commission Meeting Minutes - January 27, 2021
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TransportationCommission,2021-01-27,5,"Jennifer Rakowski asked: (1) how roundabouts impact emergency response vehicles and response times,
and (2) if there is any data on the number of police stops at roundabouts versus a traffic signal.
For (1), Ms. Ferguson replied that the roundabout design always accounts for emergency vehicles to be able
to maneuver through the intersection. The slowing through a roundabout would be similar to the slowing
emergency vehicles do as they pass through a signalized intersection to check for cross traffic.
Staff Amiri added that typically the Fire Department is one of the loudest voices in the design of
roundabouts.
For (2), Ms. Ferguson stated there is only anecdotal information, and no research, regarding police stops.
In Bend, the City found they could shift their enforcement focus to other parts of the city, since roundabouts
have a natural traffic calming benefit. So, there was less enforcement needed at roundabouts than at
signalized intersections.
Anthony Lewis thanked the City for the presentation and appreciated Staff Payne for following through on
the tactile maps. There are 20 blind people who want to be able to understand how roundabouts work. It
would be helpful if blind people and people with disabilities could do a ""walk through"" of a typical
roundabout to understand it further, and asks that staff set this up. Also, they wondered how people in a
wheelchair, who are lower to the ground, would be visible if there is landscaping at the roundabout.
Staff Payne stated that she likes the idea of doing a field visit to Lafayette, which has a modern roundabout,
and will try to set up a field trip, post-COVID.
Geoffrey Burnaford, who lives on Central Avenue at McKay Street, asked if there is a roundabout proposed
at Encinal High School. They can imagine traffic gridlock as students walk across the street, which would
happen at any high pedestrian intersection. Recently, they saw some very heavy large vehicles on Central
Avenue, and he hopes the concrete of a roundabout can accommodate this weight at the Sherman
Street/Encinal Avenue proposed roundabout.
Staff Payne stated that City staff is proposing, and the Transportation Commission approved, roundabouts
along Central Ave at these two intersections. Central Avenue is a truck route so the roundabouts are being
designed to accommodate large trucks with the biggest being 100 feet long and 15 feet. Today, the high
school students take over the intersection, and this condition still would be expected for ten minutes before
school starts. The consultant did some research and found that roundabouts work quite well in front of
schools.
Ms. Ferguson stated that at schools, with their peak periods of student crossings, there will be delays, but
the benefit is that as soon as that peak is past, traffic can flow steadily through the intersection. At a
signalized or stop sign controlled intersection, it would take much longer for the traffic to clear, through
several signal cycles or many cars stopping.
Jim Strehlow commented that there were no diagrams in the presentation that show the closure of Sherman
Street for the Central Avenue project. He also asked if the cost of installing and then removing roundabouts,
after complaints are made, has been considered. Pleasanton is now removing some roundabouts due to
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TransportationCommission,2021-01-27,6,"community complaints. And, how much more property damage occurs at intersections with roundabouts,
due to cars hitting houses/property, as they round the turn at high speeds.
Ms. Ferguson responded that there is no data on the number of communities that have put in and then
removed roundabouts. Conversations with the public are important, and a thoughtful process on where,
and how they are designed is essential. As for property damage, the data shows that rear-end crashes, which
are lower severity, are the most common at all roundabouts, and also side swipes, at multiple lane
roundabouts. With signage and the right geometry, they do not see overly aggressive and fast driving
through intersections. It is just not feasible.
Denyse Trepanier, Bike Walk Alameda Board member, appreciates staff bringing this item up. She strongly
encourages everyone to view the NHTSA website, which has great case studies and some write ups from
conservative places, where roundabouts have been installed with opposition and then later were embraced
by the community. In the Bay Area, there are mini-roundabouts implemented inconsistently, which makes
it difficult for the community. In Berkeley, some have no stops, others have two-way stops and others have
four-way stops. It is unclear how to use them. She hopes that Alameda will have consistency with their
implementation and that stop signs would be pulled out where mini-roundabouts are installed. Combining
the two devices is confusing.
Steven Jones appreciates the education from the consultants. A roundabout at Central/Encinal/Sherman
makes sense since there have been bad accidents there, which he knows as a past Fire Department employee.
At Island/Mecartney, however, conflicts are extremely low. If it ain't broke then don't fix it.
Chair Soules, based on the Zoom chat, asked for staff to respond to a question about roundabouts and stop
signs.
Ms. Ferguson stated that stop signs should not be used at roundabouts. Either stops signs or roundabouts
are installed, not both.
Mr. Alston stated that there are many types of circular intersections. In Berkeley and Oakland, these are
not modern roundabouts.
Michelle Wan, via the Zoom chat, asked three questions: (1) In the presentation, there was a slide for Safety
Performance. I would like a clarification on what is the set up that is compared to, and whether the set up
is similar to the spots (including Bay Farm) that we are considering putting roundabouts.
Ms. Ferguson stated that statistics are from studies of roundabouts from the United States. They compared
intersections that were converted from signalized to roundabouts at intersections, and looked at before and
after data, usually with 3-5 years of data for both. There were many locations and they were urban or
suburban.
Michelle Wan asked what the cons are of roundabouts.
Transportation Commission Meeting Minutes - January 27, 2021
6",TransportationCommission/2021-01-27.pdf
TransportationCommission,2021-01-27,7,"Ms. Ferguson stated that roundabouts may not perform as well as a traffic signal because of delays. In some
situations, they are a good solution, and in others they are not. There are situations that are not as
advantageous - like a series of signalized intersections, where roundabouts would decrease the efficiency
of signals.
Michelle Wan asked about statistics on the Bay farm location that can be shared.
Staff Payne provided a link in the Zoom chat:
Page
10: https://www.alamedaca.gov/files/assets/public/departments/alameda/transportation/vision-
zero/alamedavisionzerocrashreport-update.pdf
Commissioner Comments and Discussions for #6B
Commissioner Kohlstrand asked about the five high priority intersections and if the Commission will get a
comprehensive presentation on these locations and if Island/Mecartney is part of the five.
Staff Payne stated that the five have not yet been selected. Staff are doing roundabout education first. The
goal is to try to select up to five, and this can be brought up as an agenda item, possibly in May.
Island/Mecartney is not part of this study; it is a separate process.
Staff Amiri responded that when a development project was done, they set aside funds to address this
intersection of Island/Mecartney. To date, staff have only done the evaluation of intersection control types.
No decisions have been made, and no community outreach has been done. Traffic volumes do warrant
some type of control.
Vice Chair Nachtigall asked if the increase in rear-end collisions is due to cars stopping for pedestrians.
And, she wondered if there are increases in pedestrian collisions at roundabouts.
Ms. Ferguson stated that there have been 15 years of thorough research, but there is not great data on
bicycle/pedestrian collisions, since there are so few collisions and the sample size is so small. This topic
continues to be an area of study.
Staff Amiri added that speed is the biggest factor in the severity of collision. Since roundabouts slow
vehicles, it is logical that they would reduce pedestrian fatalities.
Chair Soules stated that she appreciated the presentation, and she would like elevated transparency in the
process, since this is a novel treatment. Please keep the public and community informed, and provide
forums for them to ask questions and provide input.
Chair Soules requested to change the agenda to better accommodate schedules to 6D, 6C and then 6A.
Commissioner Kohlstrand made a motion and Yuen seconded the motion.
Transportation Commission Meeting Minutes - January 27, 2021
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TransportationCommission,2021-01-27,8,"6D. Community-Led Committee on Police Reform & Racial Justice Draft Recommendation to
Review Traffic and Parking Citation Fines (Discussion Item)
Lisa Foster, Transportation Planner introduced the Steering Committee and the following individuals were
present:
Christine Chilcott, Al Mance, Cheryl Taylor, and Jolene Wright as well as community volunteers Heather
Reed, Hannah Grose, Beth Kenny, Lynn Cunninghas, Melodye Montgomery and Jennifer Rakowski
Cheryl Taylor made a presentation. Lynn Cunningham also provided comments. Jolene Wright provided
the webpage that is listed in the staff report: :https://www.alamedaca.gov/RESIDENTS/Police-Reform-and-
Racial-Equity
The staff report and attachments can be found at:
  https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4758236&GUID=985566B1-9A05-405B-BE8D-
20B72B6989D6&Options=&Search=&FullText
Commissioner Clarifying Questions for #6D
Chair Soules asked about who provides the parking enforcement and about automatic license reading.
Staff Foster responded that the parking enforcement is done by non-sworn, civilian staff.
Chair Soules asked about automatic license reading with parking.
Staff Foster responded about the technology to automatically read license plates to see if the car has been
there past the time limit or if they have paid. Speed cameras are more of an equity concern and not parking
since people usually are not at the car when ticketed.
Heather Reed discussed a walk through at Alameda Point. Hannah Grose reported about issues with drag
racing, speeding, sidewalks in disrepair, lighting, lack of striping and lack of speed humps/dips. Additional
signage on the speed limit and enforcement would be helpful. Heather Reed is working with Madlen Saddik
of the Chamber of Commerce and businesses on signage to make people aware of the residential business
area. There is a drunk driving concern. It is extremely expensive to be poor.
Commissioner Kohlstrand stated that the most equitable way to ticket is by camera and asked if they want
to keep it in the Police Department. She also asked about neighborhood policing to ensure more positive
interactions with the community.
Hannah Grose said that the Alameda Point does have a great relationship with one police officer. They also
have said that calls have gone unanswered. They are interested in having more positive interactions with
police. They would prefer not to have drunk driving in their neighborhood.
Transportation Commission Meeting Minutes - January 27, 2021
8",TransportationCommission/2021-01-27.pdf
TransportationCommission,2021-01-27,9,"Beth Kenny stated that one of the recommendations will be for the City to advocate to allow for automated
speed enforcement. Police should focus on responding to crimes and not on abandoned vehicles. The
number one way people interact with police is through traffic violations, and we want to reduce this
interaction. We want to look at taking it out of the Police Department.
Commissioner Kohlstrand stated that San Francisco has shifted to traffic control officers and not sworn
officers.
Chair Soules mentioned a number of equity studies in the Bay Area to spur economic justice reform.
Commissioner Yuen stated that she appreciates all the work from the steering committee and community
volunteers. She would like to see more information on the scale of the problem in Alameda such as what
were the violations and who was involved to better understand the gravity of the problem related to traffic
stops. She also would like to know the scale of the fines and fees such as costs and numbers. She
encourages more studies on the matter, especially on how to use enforcement as a strategy.
Cheryl Taylor responded that a crime analyst position could help better understand ticketing and traffic
stops by demographics. An article was written by Rasheed Shabazz about the west end being over ticketed:
https://m.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/towing-for-dollars-in-
alameda/Content?oid=22699785&showFullText=true
Jennifer Rakowski responded that larger cities are required to count ticketing by demographics, and
Alameda will begin with citations moving forward. Data shows that minorities are more likely to have
traffic stops in Alameda based on Census data such as Black community members are five to six times more
likely to be stopped for traffic citations compared to White community members.
Lynn Cunningham responded that automated technology will be more objective than a police officer.
Public Comments for #6D
Rasheed Shabazz stated that he appreciates that there is a Transportation Commission. He wants to have
non-police methods of police enforcement such as creative artwork for traffic calming. He questions the
use of technology because facial recognition is biased. He is grateful that the Alameda Police Department
will report this data that has been available since 1998. He mentioned about a young child who was hit by
Chipman School yet no speed humps were installed because of where it occurred. He related that he was
towed and his white neighbor's car was not towed at the same parking spot. He wants to see fee forgiveness
for people who are disproportionately impacted.
Morgan Bellinger wants to echo Rasheed Shabazz about cameras and facial recognition. He states that free
parking is inequitable since wealthier people park more cars on the street. Roads can be used by anyone
including bus riders. A citywide parking permit program would be more equitable.
Jim Strehlow stated that the laws only allow sworn officers to see license plate information to protect
privacy.
Transportation Commission Meeting Minutes - January 27, 2021
9",TransportationCommission/2021-01-27.pdf
TransportationCommission,2021-01-27,10,"Commissioner Comments and Discussions for #6D
Commissioner Nachtigall commented about Alameda Point, and there are a number of long-range plans for
Alameda Point and realizes that these improvements are not helping now. She stated that the Slow Street
initiative is looking to expand to Alameda Point.
Commissioner Weitze stated appreciation for the presentation by the steering committee. The infrastructure
is neglected in Alameda Point, and it should be upsetting to all of us.
Heather Reed responded that she is speaking about Orion Street, and would like it to be a Slow Street. It
needs permanent traffic calming solutions. Facial recognition is problematic in that it is racially biased.
Beth Kenny stated that they do not want storage of personal information, and wants to move forward in a
way that addresses these issues.
Staff Amiri is new to Alameda, and is surprised about the condition of Alameda Point. The striping is faded
in Alameda Point, and Public Works staff will be installing high visibility crosswalks, increased visibility
at intersections and signage. The City is closing Oriskany Avenue at Central Avenue.
Chair Soules mentioned that there are signs/fees/penalties and partnerships with other cities that could be
created. About Alameda Point, she mentioned how difficult it is to transform federal land and that it is very
complex. She would be interested to understand more about temporary solutions for immediate relief such
as to alert the police about high speeds. She wants to tackle equity and mobility, and would like to sort it
out in the different areas with City staff.
6C. Endorse Council Approval of Grant Applications to Alameda County Transportation
Commission for the 2022 Comprehensive Investment Plan Call for Projects (Action Item)
Rochelle Wheeler, Senior Transportation Coordinator gave a presentation. The staff report and attachments
can be found at:
https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4758235&GUID=5EB01FE9-69E6-43D2-A061-
6CEF2AA5BD55&Options=&Search=&FullText=1
Commissioner Clarifying Questions for #6C
Vice Chair Nachtigall asked about the trail submittal and potentially not submitting it.
Staff Wheeler responded that the City would try to submit both with the bridge being the higher priority yet
it would be difficult to cover both potentially due to the funds needed.
Commissioner Weitze asked about the gates at Jean Sweeney Park and if they are open.
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TransportationCommission,2021-01-27,11,"Staff McGuire responded that the public can access the park at Eighth Street.
Commissioner Weitze asked if the City looked to open gates without the pathways.
Staff McGuire stated that it needs to be accessible if the gates are opened.
Commissioner Kohlstrand asked about St. Charles Street in that the path does not go through there.
Staff Wheeler stated that it is Housing Authority roadway so the path would connect to it.
Commissioner Kohlstrand made a motion to endorse the Jean Sweeney trail grant application, and then
Commissioner Yuen seconded the motion. The motion passes 5-0.
Chair Soules recused herself for the vote on the bike/ped bridge grant application.
Commissioner Kohlstrand made a motion to approve the bike/ped bridge grant application, and
Commissioner Weitze seconded the motion. The motion passes 4-0.
6A. Endorse the Annual Report on the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan and the Annual Report
on Transportation (Action Item)
Gerry Beaudin, Assistant City Manager, gave an overview of Climate Action and Resiliency Plan
(CARP) work. The staff report and attachments regarding the Annual Report on the Climate Action and
Resiliency Plan and the Annual Report on Transportation can be found at:
https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4758233&GUID=ED785EAD-B7EB-4471-
A03B-1E1375D9B441&Options=&Search=&FullText=
Commissioner Weitze praised the report and said resilience is important. He asked how much staff time is
put towards resilience versus mitigation.
Staff Beaudin said that they do not quantify the breakdown but can think about that as a metric in the future.
He spoke about neighborhood-based resilience hubs and said that Alameda's Emergent Groundwater study
caught a lot of attention regionally and other cities are doing similar studies. Alameda has a new
Sustainability and Resilience Manager: Danielle Mieler.
Commissioner Kohlstrand asked about the evaluation of the Commercial Streets program, which said there
were no significant traffic delays, but she read that there were AC Transit delays. She expressed concern
that the City is not putting enough focus on transit outside of ferry terminals. For instance, the
improvements on Encinal Avenue, which is a Caltrans project, include bike lanes, but she said Encinal
Avenue is designated as a transit priority street, not a bicycle priority street.
Commissioner Yuen is concerned about changes that will impact the transportation system, and the cuts
that AC Transit is planning to make. She asked how those cuts impact our ability to meet CARP goals.
Transportation Commission Meeting Minutes - January 27, 2021
11",TransportationCommission/2021-01-27.pdf
TransportationCommission,2021-01-27,12,"Transportation Department on a traffic analysis policy for new developments. She also is working on a
traffic signal operations policy to look at prioritization including transit. Installing the right equipment at
intersections to service transit will require investment.
Chair Soules said she hopes that the Bay Area can receive federal funding to bring transit back post-
pandemic. We need to continue showing the relationship between land use and transportation, which is
important for sustainability. She encouraged Gerry Beaudin to come back and talk about metrics.
Commissioner Weitze moved to endorse the Annual Report on the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan and
the Annual Report on Transportation. Commissioner Yuen seconded. The motion passes 5-0.
Transportation Commission Meeting Minutes - January 27, 2021
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TransportationCommission,2021-01-27,13,"7. Announcements/ Public Comments
Jim Strehlow stated that double parked delivery vehicles block the street with the most courteous drivers
being from the U.S. Postal Service. He suggested creating a new class of parking spaces for delivery during
the day in residential streets if residents request it.
8. Adjournment
Chair Soules adjourned the meeting at 11:00 p.m.
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