MAC Gets Updates on Infrastructure, Proposed Rail Project
“Burger Island”- the patch of land on the west end of Castro Valley Boulevard that’s home to McDonald’s and Wendy’s.
Infrastructure is the big buzzword nationally and it’s no different here in Castro Valley, as the Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) heard an update on various infrastructure projects from the Alameda County Public Works Department at their Monday night meeting.
First up was an update on plans for the infamous “Burger Island”- the patch of land on the west end of Castro Valley Boulevard that’s home to McDonald’s and Wendy’s. The county is reconfiguring the island with improvements to the intersection and a new sidewalk. The median will be reconstructed at Castro Valley Boulevard and Stanton Avenue and a traffic signal with left turn and southbound through movements will be added.
A traffic signal will also be added at John Drive for northbound Strobridge Avenue traffic. Construction is expected to begin in September 2022, with additional public meetings to be held before it begins, according to Daniel Woldesenbet, Public Works Director.
Woldesenbet also told the MAC about a variety of median repairs the county plans for around town. Damaged concrete is set to be mended at the Crow Canyon Road and Cull Canyon Road intersection, Redwood Road at Heyer Avenue, 3636 Castro Valley Boulevard, 20406 Redwood Road, and 20892 Redwood Road beginning this December. In 2022, 11 more medians and curbs are scheduled to be fixed, largely along Castro Valley Boulevard
The MAC also heard an update about a proposed rail connection project that would better connect the East Bay with the South Bay, especially a new Ardenwood station on the Capitol Corridor line.
Jim Allison, Manager of Planning for the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority told the MAC about the “South Bay Connect” project, a key rail project which would reduce train congestion from Oakland and San Jose and provide a new Transbay connection linking rail to buses and employer shuttles via improvements to the existing Union Pacific rail lines and route shifting.
Allison says they lost about 35 percent of their passengers during the COVID-19 shutdown and their daily ridership was about 6,000 prior to COVID. The number is relatively low, and Allison estimated a new South Bay connection would only take our 200 more cars off the road.
“The Ardenwood station would tap into the potential for busses and rails to work together and serve the peninsula,” said Allison. “We’d also think there would be a good connection with employer shuttles on the peninsula.”
A draft environmental impact report for the project is expected in the spring and construction is tentatively set for 2024. You can learn more about the project at southbayconnect.com.