Around the Island: How Alameda’s getting better, safer, stronger
Published on February 15, 2022
Across the state and here in Alameda, COVID-19 case rates and hospitalizations are declining from January’s stratospheric omicron surge (from which we’ve seen almost half of Alameda’s cases to date). This week, California's indoor mask mandate was lifted for everyone who is vaccinated. In Alameda, that means for most of us, wearing a mask indoors becomes a choice. Businesses will decide if they will continue to require masks, and each of us will decide what we are comfortable with.
As we adapt to new variants of COVID-19 and the challenges they bring, make the best choice for you and the people closest to you, and be respectful of other people's choices. We live on the same island, but not in each other's shoes. Masking up remains the safest choice.
Indoor masking is still required for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, in high-risk settings, including public transportation, health care, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, long-term care facilities, and in K-12 schools and childcare settings. In city facilities, including at City Hall and the Alameda Free Library, masking indoors is required through the end of February and will be reassessed at that time.
Vaccines and boosters remain the best defense we have against the virus. As of earlier this week, 84.4 percent of Alameda residents are fully vaccinated, and 68.2 percent of the city’s fully vaccinated are boosted. Visit www.alamedaca.gov/getvaccinated to make an appointment.
As COVID transmission declines and spring is upon us, a lot happening around the island that we wanted to update you on.
Safer streets: Our transportation team continues to improve visibility at intersections for people walking, driving, and bicycling. Daylighting, or adding red paint at intersections to prevent parking, lets drivers see people stepping into crosswalks.
We’ll be painting the following intersections red in the months to come: Lincoln Avenue (between Paru and Fountain), Park Street (between Shore Line and Blanding), Santa Clara Avenue (between Park and Grove), Webster Street (between Central and Stargell), and Oak Street (between Powell and Blanding). Read more at www.alamedaca.gov/HICdaylighting.
We’ve identified Grand Street between Shore Line Drive and Encinal Avenue as a high priority for pavement improvements. Several other safety improvements are also under consideration for the project, including flashing beacons at Wood School and the Grand Street/San Antonio Avenue intersection, protected bike lanes, and narrower travel lanes to encourage slower vehicle speeds. We’ll be hosting a second community workshop this spring to hear your feedback. Read more at www.alamedaca.gov/grandstreet.
We’re also planning to make safety improvements to the Mecartney Road and Island Drive intersection. Following analysis and outreach, city staff and consultants will recommend a proposed roundabout at the March 23 Transportation Commission meeting and the May 3 City Council meeting. Modern roundabouts reduce the types of crashes in which people are seriously hurt or killed by up to 90% compared to conventional intersections with stop signs or signals. Read more at www.alamedaca.gov/mecartneyisland.
Finally, save the date for an April 27 virtual community workshop for the Lincoln/Marshall/Pacific safety project, which covers 3 miles of this high-injury corridor from Alameda Point to the East End. Read more at www.alamedaca.gov/lincoln.
Better public spaces: We’ve removed more than 10,000 trip hazards over the last three years. The next phase of our sidewalk trip hazard removal project will take place on Bay Farm Island and includes the removal of trip hazards on North Loop Road and the public paths surrounding the Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal. If you see a hazard, please report it at www.alamedaca.gov/reportaproblem.
We also have several park projects in progress, including replacing the northwest dock of the Grand Street Boat Ramp, repairing and replacing the dock at the Encinal Boat Launch that was damaged in recent storms, repairing the historical fence and playground design and replacement at Lincoln Park, constructing a gathering area at Chochenyo Park, rebuilding the Littlejohn Park Recreation Center, and determining the East End/Bay Farm location and design for a new dog park.
All three libraries continue to be open with masks required indoors, and this week Dewey's Friends Café at the Main Library is reopening. All food and drink must be consumed outside in the adjacent garden. Opening in mid-March is Books for Friends (BFF for short), the Main Library’s new used book store run by the Friends of the Alameda Free Library. Also coming soon will be water bottle fill stations at all three library branches.
A stronger Alameda: During the pandemic, the city created and our community strongly supported the “Alameda Strong” community fund to provide cash grants to struggling small businesses, nonprofits, and low-income renters. Last year, 19 small businesses were awarded grants. This month, the city will award seven nonprofit Alameda Strong grants to Altarena Playhouse, the Bay Area Music Project, Downtown Alameda Business Association, Friends of the Alameda Library, Girls Inc. of the Island City, and Rhythmix Inc. Read more at www.alamedastrong.org.
Alameda honors Black History Month. On February 26, join us at Rhythmix Cultural Works for a performance of Words that Made the Difference: BROWN vs the BOARD OF EDUCATION in honor of Black History Month.