Slow Streets Alameda

NEW: Speed cushions were installed on Orion Street, between Corpus Christi Rd and Pearl Harbor Rd, in October 2023, and the Slow Streets barricades were removed.

Per the City Council's direction on December 21, 2021 which was re-affirmed at their December 20, 2022 meeting, the Slow Streets program will continue until the Active Transportation Plan recommendations are implemented (see Chapter 8), as directed by Council at their 12/20/22 meeting:

  • Pacific Avenue, San Jose Avenue, and Versailles Avenue, all current Slow Streets, will become Neighborhood Greenways, which are traffic-calmed bicycle- and pedestrian-priority streets where vehicles are allowed but volumes and speeds are kept low (see Chapter 5 of the ATP for a description of this facility type). These three streets will be transitioned in the near term (by 2024) from Slow Streets to Neighborhood Greenways, using lower-cost infrastructure that can be built quickly. At that point, the temporary barricades will be removed.
  • Santa Clara Avenue will continue to be a Slow Street until the Central Ave Safety Improvement Project is completed, which will provide a low-stress bikeway while Central Ave is under construction from mid-2024 through 2025. Once the separated bike lanes open on Central Ave, the barricades on Santa Clara Ave will be removed.
  • Orion Street will receive improvements so that it will operate similarly to a Neighborhood Greenway, until future development occurs in this area and the street is reconstructed to add a multi-use path and separated bicycle lanes, which is the long term plan, per the Base Reuse Master Infrastructure Plan. In October 2023, speed cushions were added to the street segment, as had been previously planned, and the barricades were removed.

Slow Streets Alameda is a program implementing "soft" closures of select Alameda streets to through traffic. It was originally implemented in 2020 to facilitate physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. By limiting automobile traffic on these streets, the City is creating more places for our community to safely walk, run, bike, scooter and roll, in alignment with its Vision Zero, Active Transportation and Climate Action efforts to provide safer and more sustainable ways for everyone to get around. 

What is the current intention for the Slow Streets, in 2023?

To have low-speed and low-volume streets that provide comfortable places for people of all ages and abilities to bike, and for people to comfortably walk on the sidewalks. They will be in place until the actions described at the top of this web page are implemented. 

How do I drive on a Slow Street?

The streets are intended for local access only, which means you may drive on the street segment if you live there, are visiting someone, or have business, like a delivery, on that street segment. People driving on Slow Streets are encouraged to go very slowly and use caution on these shared streets. Other motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes.  

What activities are allowed on these Slow Streets?

  • Bicycling by people of all ages and abilities in the street and walking/running on the sidewalks.
  • Emergency vehicles, paratransit vehicles, and those whose final destination is on the street.
  • People carrying out essential business activities, such as deliveries.
  • Waste collection is allowed and will continue.
  • On-street parking. 

Is the City adding more Slow Streets?

No. The Active Transportation Plan, however, identifies many new Neighborhood Greenways, which are traffic-calmed, low-volume and low-speed streets.

What about all the other streets in the city?

Alameda is a Vision Zero City and strongly urges all drivers to drive slowly and safely, and to expect to see people walking and biking along ALL streets. 

Please select the appropriate request method: 

  • Report a specific maintenance issue along streets that have been designated as Slow Streets. Go to See Click Fix, and select the "Street Signs" category. Note that the Slow Street barricades and posts are regularly maintained on a monthly basis, so the repair may not be done for several weeks. 
  • Report a safety issue or your general input on the Slow Streets by emailing Transportation@alamedaca.gov.

 

The City has 4.7 miles of Slow Streets in Alameda on these streets:

  • Pacific Ave (Ninth to Oak Streets) 

  • San Jose Ave (Morton to Oak Streets) + Morton St (San Jose to San Antonio Avenues)

  • Santa Clara Ave (Pacific Ave to Sixth St)

  • Versailles Ave (Fernside Blvd to Calhoun St)

  • Orion St (West Midway Ave to Pearl Harbor Rd)

Slow Streets Ex and Future Phases - 2021-04-13 Image.PNG(PDF, 186KB)

 

Staff conducted a thorough evaluation of the Slow Streets program, with public engagement, from July-September 2021, to gather input on the impact of the Slow Streets program and opinions on if and how to continue the program beyond October 2021. At its December 21, 2021 meeting, the City Council voted to continue the program until the recommendations for the Slow Streets in the Active Transportation Plan (ATP) are implemented. This approach was re-affirmed at the Council's December 20, 2022 meeting where the ATP was adopted, as summarized at the top of this web page.

Recommendations and Data Analysis:  

Public Engagement: 

  • Community survey, conducted August 9 - 29, 2021, with almost 2,000 responses:
  • Four virtual open houses:
  • Summary of comments [coming soon]
  • Watch the Open House presentation [12 minutes]
  • Thursday, August 12, 12 noon – 1 pm
  • Thursday, August 12, 6:30 - 7:30 pm
  • Tuesday, August 17, 6:00 - 7:00pm
  • Monday, August 30, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
  • In person outreach events:
  • Farmers Market: Saturday, July 17, 9:00 – 11:00 am
  • Open House: Saturday, July 17, 2:00 - 5:00 pm

Stay up-to-date: subscribe to our mailing list (look for "Transp - Commercial and Slow Streets")

FAQs as of 2021

Original FAQs for Slow Streets program are here(PDF, 116KB) . 

Update as of June 14, 2021

A short Slow Street is being implemented in phases on Orion Street, between West Midway Avenue to Pearl Harbor Road. By Tuesday, June 15, barricades will be placed at each end of this street segment. Within the next month, speed cushions will be installed on the street. This effort, which helps to broaden the Slow Streets further into west Alameda, was approved by the City Council in March 2021.

Update as of March 2021

Council direction given in March 2021 not to continue the Slow Streets network expansion, except for adding Orion Street, north of West Midway.

Update as of Feb 11, 2021

On Friday, Feb. 12th, the City will make a minor adjustment to the Versailles Slow Street, by moving the barricade from Otis Dr, back one block to Calhoun St. This new location will be safer, reflect the draft recommendations in the Active Transportation Plan, and provide better connectivity to other destinations. Motorists on Otis Dr wishing to travel north beyond the immediate vicinity are still encouraged to use an alternate route, such as Broadway.

Update as of October 2020

City Council direction given at their October 20, 2020 meeting to continue the Slow Streets program for an additional year, through October 31, 2021. 

Update as of September 2020

City staff will take recommendations on the future of the program to the Transportation Commission on September 23 and then the City Council on October 20, 2020.

The program continues to have wide community support. Almost 1000 people have responded to the program survey, with 73% of respondents supporting the program and 72% who would like to see it continue. Of all respondents, 16% live on a Slow Street. The top issue by far with the Slow Streets before June 15th (the time of the most recent program expansion), was "missing road closures barriers/signage" (33%). Since June 15th, that percentage has dropped to 22%, however "speeding cars" and "driver confusion" have gone up from 12 to 23% and 13 to 24%, respectively. However, this data is based on a much smaller pool of responses - there are only 115 responses since June 15th.

Update as of June 18, 2020

On Friday, June 19th, the City will add two additional Slow Streets, creating 4.5 total miles of Slow Streets in Alameda:

  • San Jose Ave (Morton to Oak Streets) + Morton St (San Jose to San Antonio Avenues)

  • Versailles Ave (Extend current Slow Street from Central Ave to Otis Dr)

Notification flyers were delivered to residents on these blocks on June 16th.

These street segments were selected in part based on community input via our Slow Streets survey (see tab below).  The program continues to have wide community support (73% of the 866 survey respondents said they support the program), and the number of people walking and biking on these streets remains high.

The implementation of further phases of the program, endorsed by City Council at their May 19th meeting, will be dependent on ongoing program evaluation and social distancing requirements. Potential future phases are shown on the map in the tab below.

Update as of May 21, 2020

With the City Council’s endorsement at their May 19th meeting, two additional Slow Streets will be added on Tuesday, May 26th:

  • Pacific Avenue (Grand to 9th Streets)

  • Santa Clara Avenue (Sixth St to Pacific Ave)

Notification flyers are being delivered now to residents on these blocks. (Note that the start date on the neighborhood flyer was modified to May 26th after printing.)

At this same meeting, the City Council also endorsed the further expansion of the program, as shown in the map in the tab below. Exact streets and implementation of further phases will be dependent on ongoing program evaluation and social distancing requirements.

Thanks to the over 470 people who filled out our survey as of May 19th! In response to suggestions received, the City added more barricades to the original two Slow Streets and will install barricades at all busier intersections along the two new Slow Streets. With 75% of respondents in support of the program and the increased usage of these streets for walking and biking, staff recommended program expansion. Streets recommended for expansion were selected in large part based on public input.

Update from May 14, 2020

Thanks to the over 320 people who have filled out our survey to date! In response, the City has:

  • Added an additional 8 barricades to the Slow Streets on Pacific and Versailles Avenues, to alert drivers that the street is closed to through traffic.
  • Recommended an expansion of the program, which is being considered by the City Council on Tuesday, May 19 (Item 2-D of the Special Meeting listed at the end of the regular meeting agenda; methods for public comment are shown at the top of the meeting agenda). Based on community feedback, the Phase 2 expansion, if endorsed by City Council, would extend the Pacific Ave Slow Street to the west to Ninth St, and add Santa Clara Ave from Sixth Street to Pacific Ave. Streets to consider for future expansion are included in the staff report, and in the map included under the map tab below.

slow-streets-logo.png

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Status

Began: April 30, 2020

Approved by Council until: Recommendations in Active Transportation Plan are implemented

Funding

Your Measure B and Measure BB Transportation Sales Tax dollars keep transportation programs like this going in Alameda!

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