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The City Council will consider endorsing final design concepts for the Fernside Blvd Traffic Calming & Bikeways Project at its March 18, meeting.
This bulletin includes:
On Tuesday, March 18, the City Council will hear a presentation, receive public comment, and consider approving the final design concepts. They will also consider an updated recommendation for the Gibbons Dr/High St/Fernside Blvd intersection.
City Council meeting, March 18, 7:00pm (agenda, staff report, and supplemental memo)
The Fernside Blvd/High St/Gibbons Dr intersection is a skewed, 5-way gateway intersection with long pedestrian crossings and a layout that encourages high vehicle speeds onto Gibbons Dr. In late 2024, the Fernside Project consultant and staff team developed a proposal that removes the fifth leg from the intersection by limiting eastbound Gibbons traffic to right-turn only onto High Street. This change would simplify the intersection, shorten pedestrian crossings, reduce vehicle speeds on Gibbons, and reduce traffic signal wait times.
Based on ongoing public feedback and the need for near-term safety measures, on March 18 the City Council will consider an updated staff recommendation to construct these changes intersection in 2026 rather than 2030, pending results of a traffic study determining expected new traffic patterns. See the supplemental memo (attached to the agenda) for more information.
Proposed safety updates, pending traffic study
Existing conditions
Concept design recommendations are based on 1.5 years of work, including two phases of outreach and analysis plus an additional public hearing phase. While the primary objective of the Fernside Project is to plan long-term improvements to the corridor, the Project also has the opportunity to improve safety and comfort in the near term on Fernside Blvd from Tilden Way to High St as part of a planned pavement maintenance project for this roadway segment. The following draft final design concept is recommended:
Quick-Build Pedestrian Median Islands with Buffered Bike Lanes. This design improves pedestrian safety with quick-build pedestrian median islands, curb extensions, and new marked crosswalks; reduces motor vehicle speeds with removal of the center turn lane and narrower travel lanes; and continues the painted buffered bike lanes currently east of High St, with hardening in the buffer at some intersections. It includes two motor vehicle lanes (one in each direction) and curbside parking on both sides of the street. Implementation would be planned for 2026. See the staff report and attachments for more information.
 Short-term draft final design concept (pedestrian median islands and bulbouts not shown in photo rendering)
The project team recommends the following design concept in the long term for the full corridor of Fernside Blvd from Tilden Way to San Jose Ave:
Pedestrian Median Islands with Two-Way Protected Bikeway. This design improves pedestrian safety with new curb extensions, marked crosswalks, and flashing beacons; reduces motor vehicle speeds with removal of the center turn lane west of High St and narrower travel lanes; and creates low-stress, all-ages bikeways. It includes two motor vehicle lanes (one in each direction) and curbside parking on both sides of the street. The implementation goal is 2030 per the Active Transportation Plan, pending approval funding availability. See the staff report and attachments for more information.
 Long-term draft final design concept (pedestrian median islands and bulbouts not shown in rendering)
Contact us
transportation@alamedaca.gov
www.alamedaca.gov/fernside
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