Title
East Bay Greenway Project - Update and Design Aesthetics Review
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff will present to the Facilities & Transportation Committee an update on the East Bay Greenway Project and request their consensus or feedback on design aesthetics features for the project.
BACKGROUND
The East Bay Greenway project, situated between the Lake Merritt BART and South Hayward BART stations, is sponsored by the Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC). The Greenway project proposes to construct a regional bicycle and pedestrian trail facility that will generally follow the BART alignment for 16 miles. The Project spans the cities of Oakland, San Leandro, Hayward, and unincorporated areas of Alameda County.
Two Greenway corridor design alternatives are being considered, with the selection and location of the final alignment dependent on the amount of UPRR right-of-way that is acquired. The design alternatives are Rail-with-Trail, which assumes minimal UPRR right-of-way easement acquisition, and Rail-to-Trail, which assumes full acquisition of the UPRR right-of-way. These alternatives are identical from Lake Merritt BART to 47th Avenue. South of 47th Avenue the design alternatives are distinguished by the amount of UPRR ROW they occupy.
The Greenway consists of off-street Class I Multi-Use Paths and street-adjacent Class IV Separated Bikeway facilities dependent upon the trail’s location along the Greenway, and will include physical separation and protection between vehicles and trail users to provide a facility that is safe and comfortable for bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities. The Project will also include crossings at intersections and midblock locations including traffic control (stop signs and signals) and other modifications to provide safe and accessible operations; connections to existing sidewalks and pathways along the project corridor; wayfinding signage, pathway lighting, fencing, barrier railings, and other features needed to ensure safety and security; bridge structures and retaining walls; and landscape and hardscape. Portions of the Greenway are adjacent to or within the BART ROW, but work on BART facilities, such as columns and aerial alignments, or within station areas, is not proposed as part of this project.
Analysis
The East Bay Greenway design team is requesting feedback, input and direction from the participating jurisdictions on essential project style elements to inform decision making, the project design approach and Aesthetics Design Guidelines document, cost estimation, and anticipated maintenance requirements for the project. This input and direction will help Alameda CTC and the participating jurisdictions define a base cost for the East Bay Greenway (Greenway) and inform project aesthetic design guidance by identifying required and potential elements and what has or can be agreed upon related to essential design elements. This feedback may also inform how the project is phased to meet potential funding limitations. The Facilities & Transportation Committee is requested to provide either concurrence with the preliminary participating jurisdictions' staff level consensus recommendations or provide alternative recommendations for further study.
Specifically, consideration and direction are requested as to whether the Greenway, along its full length and across all jurisdictions, should have a:
• Greenway-branded or consistent design character
o Consensus - Branding to be consistent throughout the corridor
• Greenway-branded or consistent color for all or certain elements
o Consensus - Green, consistent, but different from the color choice of any specific jurisdiction
• Consistent wayfinding signage style
o Consensus - Separate Greenway logo, similar to Bay Trail signage
• Consistent pathway lighting style
o Consensus - Style "A": simpler style that could be used as pedestrian lighting both for the trail and added to streetlights.
• Consistent rail fence style
o Consensus - Follow the style used for Segment 7A north of San Leandro. Provide break panels to provide variation & offer the opportunity for community customization or public art.
• Consistent hardscape character within streets (medians, islands, curb extensions, buffer areas, and trail entries)
o Undecided
A coordinated project-wide character, wayfinding signage, pathway lighting, rail fencing, street hardscape, and color can establish a recognizable and unique visual identity for the Greenway, create a sense of place, develop a unified appearance, and build upon the importance of the Greenway project as a regional asset.
ATTACHMENT(S)
Attachment(s) to Staff Report
East Bay Greenway Project - Update & Design Aesthetics Review Presentation
PREPARED BY: Keith R. Cooke, Director, Engineering & Transportation Department