Alameda gets $16M road safety grant

ALAMEDA, Calif. - The City of Alameda plans to make changes to a major roadway after receiving a multi-million dollar grant from the federal government.

At the height of the morning commute, cars, bikes, scooters, and pedestrians cross the unusual, five-way intersection of Lincoln Avenue, Fifth Street and Marshall Way.

"People do pick up speed around here," said Gwen Meyer, an Alameda resident.

There are at least three schools and a child development center within a half-mile radius of the intersection. Yatziri Rivas, a seventh grader who rides her bike daily, said she has experienced close calls.

"There was a van coming, and I was about across the road, and she didn’t stop!" Rivas said.

The city plans to replace a five-way intersection with a roundabout. 

"I’m OK with it. I think it will be interesting," Meyer said.

The city’s website shows a map of the proposed changes which would eliminate traffic signals at the intersection.

"People won’t have to stop; they can just go slowly through," said Gail Payne, project manager for the City of Alameda. "It will reduce crashes, it will reduce delays, it will reduce roadway flooding."

Payne says the city wants to improve a three-mile stretch of Lincoln Avenue between Main and Broadway. Over the last five years, there have been at least five crashes causing serious injuries on that portion of roadway.

"We’ve also had fatalities on this corridor as well. It’s a big deal to get this project funded," Payne said.

The Biden administration awarded Alameda a $16 million grant to fund the project. Plans include reducing Lincoln Avenue from four lanes to three, adding a center turning lane and a bike lane, as well as adding flashing lights at crosswalks and intersections. Construction is expected to begin in 2026.

The city is also set to start construction on three other roundabouts along Central Avenue this November, part of a separate traffic safety project that is already paid for through city and county funds.

On the City of Alameda's Facebook Page, several residents expressed fears about the reduced lanes and roundabout increasing traffic congestion. 

"I am all for improvements for safety, however I am concerned though that for some parts of Lincoln if you change it down from two lanes to one in each direction you are going to have such a backup of traffic, double parkers for the businesses," said Kristen Thiel.

Payne said she understands the concerns. 

"It does seem like 'road diet?' Oh, that's a bad thing, but it actually functions better. Drivers will have their own turning lane, so that prevents traffic from backing up. People all have their own space to do what they need to do."

She added that roundabouts also improve traffic flow, since there are no stop lights, and added: "It's aesthetically more pleasing… there's a mound in the middle where you can put in landscaping and trees."

The first roundabout will be finished next year at Central and Main near Alameda Point, a common route to the Alameda Ferry Terminal.