June is busting out all over with construction projects that will ultimately improve traffic problems in the area. Hisham Noeimi of the Contra Costa Transit Agency (CCTA) gave a presentation to the committee at the June meeting on the upcoming changes to I-80 between El Portal and McBryde. Per Mr. Noeimi, the length of road for these on/off ramps and San Pablo Dam Rd. is too short and there is insufficient time for traffic to merge. The project will correct this problem by moving the El Portal on/off ramps closer to Hilltop and eliminating the McBryde off/on ramp completely. McBryde will become an extension of the San Pablo Dam Rd. ramp instead. In addition, they will be raising and widening the San Pablo Dam Bridge over I-80 and improving the pedestrian bridge that drops off at Riverside Elementary.
The cost of the entire project is estimated at $119 Million. Phase 1, which includes the work on El Portal and the pedestrian bridge starts this month and will cost about $38 Million. It is funded through Measure J, WCCTAC and matching funds from state sources. There will be three closures of El Portal west during Phase 1 between now and March of 2015 however, people will still be able to access the area through neighborhood streets. El Portal east will not be impacted. I-80 will also close for three days at the end of the project when they remove the old pedestrian bridge. Construction of Phase 1 is expected to be complete in the Fall of 2016. Phase 2 is not currently funded and CCTA is considering another sales tax measure to help pay for it. For more information click here.
This project should not be confused with I-80 Integrated Corridor Mobility Project currently under construction on I-80.
In other construction news, the Moody Underpass in Marina Bay is more or less on schedule to open in May of 2015. Jacqueline Majors who does the outreach for this project, provided us with some nice construction photos of the progress to date.
You may already know, but just in case, the Richmond City Council has approved the minimum wage hike. The Chamber took an opposed position and Chamber members went to the Council to plead their case. Some changes were made to the ordinance to accommodate businesses in Richmond.