Alameda CTC Celebrates Route 84 Expressway Widening and $1.6b in Transportation Improvements in the Tri-Valley Area

On October 27, 2014 Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC), with partners the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the Cities of Dublin, Livermore and Pleasanton will be cutting the celebratory ribbon of the northern section of the State Route 84 Expressway project. This major widening project, which opened for use over the summer, improves capacity and local traffic circulation, eases congestion and provides increased safety in the area for pedestrian and bicycle access.

SR-84 is a time-saver for local traffic and for commuters between the Central Valley and Silicon Valley, and with this widening project, SR-84 (Isabel Avenue) reaches expressway standards of 55 mile-per-hour drive speeds. The investments in SR-84 will continue to reduce traffic congestion, improve safety, and reduce air pollution.

“These investments benefit Tri-Valley residents and Bay Area commuters alike,” says Supervisor Scott Haggerty, Chair of the Alameda CTC. “A healthy economy depends on a reliable transportation system and it is in our best interests to see that people and products move safely and efficiently throughout Alameda County. These projects help us meet that goal.”

The expressway widening project is the third of five in a series of projects to improve SR-84. The first four projects, beginning with the 580/Isabel Avenue Interchange completed in March 2012, are funded by a combination of local Measure B, state and federal funds. If voters approve the Alameda County 2014 Transportation Expenditure Plan in November 2014 (through its supporting ballot measure BB), the final segment of SR-84 will be funded, completing the entire corridor between Interstate 580 in Livermore and Interstate 680 in Sunol.

Measure B has leveraged more than $1.1 billion in transportation investments in the Tri-Valley area
Since 1986, when local voter-approved transportation funding began in Alameda County with the passage of the original Measure B, more than $1.6 billion worth of transportation capital improvements have been made in the Tri-Valley, including I-580/I-680 interchange improvements and carpool lanes, and the first Express Lanes in the Bay Area on southbound I-680, providing congestion relief and reliable travel times through the Sunol grade. $562 million of the county’s own half-cent sales tax allowed Alameda County to leverage another $1.1 billion in federal, state, regional, and local funds. That’s nearly a three-to-one return on the taxpayers’ investment.

Future Investments
With employment in the Tri-Valley projected to increase 30 percent by 2014, and population by 35 percent in the same timeframe, demand for transportation will only continue to increase in the I-580,I-680, Route 84 triangle.

If Measure BB is passed by voters in November, Alameda CTC will allocate more than $162 million in direct allocations to Tri-Valley cities for transportation improvements over the next 30 years, including funding for local streets maintenance and safety, bicycle and pedestrian paths and safety, and paratransit for seniors and people with disabilities.

“Our sales tax measure in Alameda County has been a major funding source for the Tri-Valley,” says Arthur Dao, Executive Director of Alameda CTC. “The combination of local transportation dollars and state bond funds, both approved by voters, is what delivered this important project.”

Major Tri-Valley transportation projects in the 2014 Plan include BART to Livermore, operating funds for the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority’s WHEELs, affordable transportation for seniors and youth, and highway improvements along I-580, I-680, and SR-84.

About the Alameda County Transportation Commission
Alameda CTC plans, funds, and delivers transportation programs and projects that expand access and improve mobility to foster a vibrant and livable Alameda County. Alameda CTC coordinates countywide transportation planning and delivers the expenditure plan for the half-cent sales tax approved by 81.5 percent of county voters in 2000. The 2014 Transportation Expenditure Plan and Measure BB will be on the Alameda County ballot in November 2014 to fund essential future transportation improvements in every city and throughout the county. Visit www.alamedactc.org/2014Plan to learn more.