Update on Transportation and Transit improvements to Tam Valley, Almonte and North Sausalito Communities

 

Dear Friends in the Gateway communities:

 

We’ve been working hard with our local and State transportation agencies to bring transportation and transit improvements to the Tam Valley, Almonte and North Sausalito communities. Read here for details. Also, feel welcome to call my office at 473-7331 if you have questions or ideas. A community member’s suggestion recently was implemented by Caltrans at Shoreline and Almonte (see report below).

 

At this time of sharing and gratitude, it is my pleasure to serve you and to help make our communities safer, more connected and easier to travel.

 

Sincerely,

Kate Sears 

 

Transportation Updates:

 

1) Pine Hill at Shoreline – Crossing Guard has been approved and is in place (as of the week of 10/15/12)!

• Crossing Guard at Pine Hill – approved by Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) after successful District Three office/community outreach.

 

• Caltrans Assessment – studying the area at Pine Hill Road. Caltrans is proposing to place optical bars at the crosswalk as a speed control measure and to help draw attention to the crosswalk in advance. Helpful in situations when one motorist yields to a pedestrian, catching other motorists behind by surprise.  

  

• Caltrans will continue to explore other longer term measures at this location.

  

 

2) Almonte bike/ped lane –

 

• damaged bike/ped. lane delineator at the beginning of the northbound row was replaced by County Department of Public Works (DPW).  

 

• Roadside vegetation clearing occurred several weeks ago to improve visibility and safety. 

 

• County DPW evaluating options for the Almonte bike lanes south of Almonte/Miller. Results expected in approximately three weeks.

 

 

3) Tam Junction traffic light status:

 

• Tennessee Valley Road and Shoreline Highway

 

• Flamingo and Shoreline 

  

Tennessee Valley Road and Shoreline Highway Signal 

This project has had some utility issues that have taken time to resolve. Foundations are going in this week, poles will be erected next week, and the signal should be operational by mid-December. Note: Caltrans ultimately has control over when the signal becomes operational.

 

Flamingo Road and Shoreline Highway Signal 

Coordination with Caltrans on getting approval of poles/mast-arms/pedestrian push buttons/etc/ has taken longer than anticipated.

 

Signal poles are scheduled to be shipped by mid-December, 2012. With the onset of the holidays, the traffic signal is expected be completed by January, 2013.  Once the hardware is all in place, Caltrans ultimately has control over making the signal operational.

  

Final striping plan for the Flamingo Road and Shoreline intersection

The final striping calls for an exclusive northbound right turn lane from Flamingo to Shoreline and a shared lane for thru and left turn traffic to Shoreline Highway.

 

 

4) Tennessee Valley Multiuse Pathway Project update

 

The Tennessee Valley Multiuse Pathway project is moving along! 

 

The first section from Marin Avenue to Shoreline Highway, as well as the pedestrian bridge over Coyote Creek, was finished in June. This timing couldn’t have been better; it was completed just in time to help usher in the Tamalpais Community Services District’s successful and popular Creekside Friday series of live music concerts with dinners.

 

For the second section downstream (east) of Shoreline Highway, due to the presence of clapper rail (a protected species in this wetland area), this section was not started until early September, and should be finished up in December, weather permitting. 

 

The contractor is continuing work on the raised boardwalk section of the path (easterly and downstream of Shoreline Highway – connecting to Sausalito Mill Valley path).  This work is expected to be complete by sometime in December, but is dependent on weather as asphalt paving is involved.

 

The electrical subcontractor is working on the Tennessee Valley Road/Shoreline Highway traffic signal.  There is still some hardware (poles/mast-arms/detector loops) to install. Once the hardware is in place, Caltrans ultimately has control over making the signal operational.

 

Overall, the construction should be complete, and the path open for bicycles and pedestrians in mid- December, with the contractor addressing punch list items later in December.

 

CALTRANS Updates:

 

1) New Camera on Highway 101 Shows Traffic Flow

~ New Waldo Grade Camera Eases Commute Worries 

Thanks to Caltrans, and with the helpful nudge from constituent Chuck Ballinger of Strawberry, the offices of Supervisors Kate Sears and Steve Kinsey, as well as Marin Transit and Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) staff, there is now a camera on Waldo Grade at Spencer Avenue. You can check traffic on 101 in Southern Marin in real time, before you leave your house - with or without your 'smart phone'!

 

Keep this link in your "Favorites" file for quick updates before you travel to or from San Francisco: 

http://video.dot.ca.gov/asx/d4-101-at-spencer.asx

 

 

2) Tam Valley Resident’s Request for a Safer Intersection at Almonte and Shoreline is Implemented via A Signal Timing Change

Caltrans thanked our local Tam Valley resident, Alice, and Supervisor Sears for offering a suggestion to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians crossing Shoreline Highway from the Rug House to the Arco Station.

 

On October 25th, Caltrans modified the signal timing to provide an exclusive pedestrian phase at the west crosswalk (see arrow pointing to it on aerial view below). The investigation performed by Caltrans Traffic Operations Division found that providing pedestrians with an exclusive phase for crossing the intersection, without conflicts with vehicles turning on green, would be more effective than a yield to pedestrians sign.

 

Three cheers to Alice for offering this good idea and to the Office of Transit & Community Planning, Caltrans District 4 for implementing the suggestion so swiftly.