Road-widening May Cause Traffic Congestion on Bollinger Canyon Road

Traffic delays along the city's busiest road may frustrate community members in the coming months but it's all geared toward alleviating congestion in the future.

Bollinger Canyon Road is facing lane closures between Interstate 680 and Alcosta Boulevard, between Canyon Lakes and Dougherty Valley roads and upcoming work on freeway on and off ramps and traffic sign synchronization.

Together, the projects amount to about $13 million, according to city dngineer Brian Bornstein.

"It's a pretty substantial project with all the components," he said. "We're trying to increase traffic capacity and circulation considering it's the busiest arterial in the city."

The project is also being executed in anticipation of the General Plan 2030 buildout, which allows for growth in the next few years owed to developments such as the City Center.

"When that gets built there will be more vehicle trips will be going in and out," Bornstein said.

Phase four of the project, pertaining to the section between I-680 and Alcosta Boulevard, involves relocating PG&E electrical lines and other utilities like AT&T fiber optics, further away from the road.

This utility relocation effort, totaling $5.5 million, is necessary to accommodate expansion to four lanes in both directions, as well as additional turning lanes.

The project began in mid-April and is 50 percent complete, according to Kenneth Forward, distribution project manager for PG&E.

"We are currently between Camino Ramon and Sunset Drive intersection and in the coming weeks we'll be completing the joint trench work that impacts that section," he said.

Work being done near the site of the upcoming city center is finished and PG&E is waiting on a traffic control plan from the city for the new alignment before commencing to street work that will require blocking traffic, Forward said. Projected completion for this portion is late September or early October.

To accommodate the road widening, the city must acquire property from The Shops of Bishop Ranch and Chevron.

"We cannot comment specifically since we are in current negotiations with the city of San Ramon on this project," said Gus Santoyo, public relations manager for Chevron.

A separate construction project, phase 6, involves adding an additional lane in each direction on Bollinger Canyon Road from Canyon Lakes Drive to Dougherty Valley, resulting in three lanes on each side. 

In addition, a limousine turnout allowing for 30-minute parking and a slurry seal, or roadway resurfacing, will be added. 

The project, which impacts traffic during the day, began in early June and is scheduled to end in late August, Bornstein said.

"We are trying to expedite the construction during the summer months because we will definitely see a spike in traffic volumes when school is in session," he said, adding that costs amount to approximately $1.8 million.

Funding comes entirely from the developer, Shapell Homes, as part of a conditions laid out in January 2005 for approval of Gale Ranch by Contra Costa County.

"This is part of our conditions and we're happy to be doing this and we think it will help with traffic congestion on Bollinger once it's completed," said Steve Savage, assistant vice president of Shapell Homes.

Lane closures for phases four and six will occur during non-peak hours, roughly 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Another aspect of construction on Bollinger Canyon Road, phase 5, applies to the portion between the freeway. The city is processing an encroachment permit through Caltrans to improve the on and off ramps. 

The start date for the $1.5 million project is fall 2010 or summer 2011, according to Bornstein.

"We're been working with (Caltrans) for the greater part of the year trying to go through this process, that's why the other phases started before this phase," he said.

Lastly, a central traffic signal management system upgrade to synchronize traffic signals at Bollinger Canyon Road and Crow Canyon Road, another busy arterial, are scheduled for 2011.

The city is currently working to secure grant funding for the $500,000 project, Bornstein said.

"Historically Crow Canyon was always the busiest arterial street in the city," he said. "Now over the last couple of years Bollinger has passed up Crow Canyon as the major arterial and part of the reasons is the buildout, so now we're focusing all of our projects to improve Bollinger."