Alameda Lane Repurposing

• This project is designed to improve safety and reliability along the Alameda corridor while maintaining access for people driving, walking, biking, and using transit.

  Key goals include:

  • Improve safety for everyone using Alameda
  • Reduce crashes along the corridor
  • Maintain access for drivers and businesses
  • Make crossing Alameda safer for pedestrians
  • Support reliable transit service throughout the corridor

A safety review of Alameda found more crashes than expected compared to similar corridors, particularly:

• Rear-end crashes
• Sideswipe crashes
• Turning-related crashes

These preventable crashes are largely due to the current lane setup, which has two travel lanes in each direction but no center turn lane.

In 2018, DOTI evaluated and implemented on Corona Street and, in 2020, completed “after” data collection and safety analysis on Alameda to determine appropriate next steps. This included a corridor-wide study of crash trends and hotspots along Alameda between Lincoln St and Franklin St, and an analysis of the safety and operational impacts of potential lane repurposing to enhance the safety of all users.

Based on DOTI's analysis, adding a center lane for left turning vehicles has the potential to significantly reduce crashes along the corridor. This improvement will convert a single westbound through lane into a shared center turn lane for eastbound and westbound left turning vehicles out of the path of through vehicles. Within the lane repurposing section, the project improvements have the potential to reduce crashes by 25% between Pearl and Franklin.

Additional improvements are planned at Grant and Pennsylvania, which have the potential significantly reduce crashes at those intersections.

DOTI will install a temporary demonstration of the lane repurposing design before making final decisions about permanent changes.

The demonstration allows the city to:

This approach allows adjustments to be made before the final design is implemented.

While the demonstration includes features that are subject to change, DOTI will be simultaneously installing permanent safety improvements, as described below:

What improvements are permanent?

What improvements are part of the demonstration?

• Designated left-turn lanes
• Pedestrian buffer between travel lane and sidewalk/amenity zone
• Flex post pedestrian refuge islands

Based on the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure’s (DOTI) analysis, the impact to side streets will be minimal; no more than 5% of vehicles will reroute throughout the entire day.

Because some cars may shift to the Virginia and Downing intersection, DOTI is making safety upgrades to address past crash issues and improve how everyone moves through the area. The changes will help people walking, biking, and driving interact more safely. Improvements include adding sidewalk bulb-outs to make crossings shorter and adjusting signal timing to include features like “no right turn on red” and protected left turns.

DOTI helps plan and build multi-modal improvements to our roadways and neighborhoods to ensure that all modes of transportation are safe for all residents and visitors.

While Alameda may not have a history of many pedestrian and cycling crashes, DOTI heard consistently from residents and businesses along the corridor voicing frustrations over unsafe conditions for those attempting to cross Alameda. Specifically, DOTI heard from schools, crossing guards and families who either have attempted to cross Alameda or avoid crossing because of existing danger.

A bike lane is not, nor has ever been planned for this part of Alameda. 

• Redesign – now thru summer 2026
• Deployment of Full Demonstration – Summer 2026
• Community feedback and Data Analysis - Spring 2027      

• During construction impacts will be limited to westbound, where crews will have to restripe the center turn lane. DOTI does not anticipate business access to be blocked, but any impacts during construction will be communicated ahead of time.
• Post construction, there should be no significant impact for business access.