Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Marsh Creek Road Bridges Replacement Project to begin construction May 30

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Marsh Creek Road Bridge Replacement Project map. Source: CCC Public Works Dept.

By Kelly Kalfsbeek, PIO, Community & Media Relations Coordinator, CCC Public Works Department.

The Contra Costa County Public Works Department will begin construction of the Marsh Creek Road Bridges Replacement Project starting on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, through March 2025, barring unforeseen circumstances. Work will occur from 7 a.m. through 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), weather permitting. Work will take place on Marsh Creek Road at Bridges 143 and 145. Bridge 143 is located approximately 1.5 miles northwest of Deer Valley Road near the Clayton Palms Community. Bridge 145 is located approximately 3.0 miles east of Deer Valley Road near the road transition to Camino Diablo.

Traffic control will be used. Restrictions will be in place to minimize impacts during commuting hours. Message boards will alert drivers about the work. Drivers should expect delays through the construction zone and consider alternative routes during working hours.

The project will replace two (2) bridges on Marsh Creek Road with two (2) new concrete bridges. Work also includes reconstruction of the bridge approach roadways and construction of drainage facilities.

Funding for this project is provided by the federal Highway Bridge Program and local Gas Tax funds.

To learn more about this project, please visit: www.contracosta.ca.gov/MCR-Bridge

About Contra Costa County Public Works Department:

Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) maintains over 660 miles of roads, 150 miles of streams, channels, and other drainage and over 150 County buildings throughout Contra Costa County. CCCPWD provides services such as Parks and Recreation, Sandbag Distribution and Flood Control throughout the unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County. CCCPWD operates two airports, Buchanan Field Airport in Concord, and Byron Airport in Byron. For more information about CCCPWD, please visit us at: www.cccpublicworks.org.

Traffic Advisory: Overnight Hwy 4 closure planned in Brentwood May 19-20

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Mokelumne Trail Overcrossing April 2023 progress. Photo: CCTA

For Mokelumne Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing

By Linsey Willis, Director of External Affairs, CCTA

BRENTWOOD, CA – In partnership with the City of Brentwood, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is constructing the Mokelumne Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing to provide safe access to cyclists and pedestrians for commuting and recreational travel, reconnecting two sides of the trail that were separated by the expansion of State Route 4.  The overnight closure will enable the contractor to pour concrete for the superstructure as part of the construction work installing the pedestrian and bicyclist crossing over State Route 4.  This closure will impact State Route 4 in both the Eastbound and Westbound directions.  CCTA and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) have scheduled the closure during the early morning hours in order to minimize impacts to the motoring public.

Overnight Freeway Closure of State Route 4 between Lone Tree Way and Sand Creek Road

In order to ensure crew and public safety during the planned construction work, a temporary nighttime freeway closure in both directions of State Route 4 will occur between Friday, May 19, 2023 and Saturday, May 20, 2023 on the following schedule (weather permitting): Eastbound and Westbound Highway 4 will be closed from 9:00pm on Friday, May 19 until 6:00am on Saturday, May 20, 2023.

Detours

Detours will be in place to reroute drivers around the closure and are planned as follows:

Eastbound

traffic will be directed to exit at Lone Tree Way, go eastbound to Shady Willow Lane, then southbound on Shady Willow Lane to Sand Creek Road, before proceeding westbound on Sand Creek Road to the eastbound State Route 4 on-ramp.

Westbound drivers having to detour will exit on Sand Creek Road and go eastbound on Sand Creek Road to Shady Willow Lane, then northbound on Shady Willow Lane to Lone Tree Way, and proceed westbound on Lone Tree Way to the westbound State Route 4 on-ramp.

Future Freeway Closures

Additional overnight closures will be needed over the course of the next eight weeks (weather dependent) to facilitate concrete pours for the stem and soffit and deck of the future Mokelumne Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing.  Additional information regarding dates and detours will be provided once the schedule is confirmed. This project is anticipated to be complete in late summer or early fall of 2023.

About the Mokelumne Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing

In partnership with the City of Brentwood, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is constructing the Mokelumne Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing to provide safe access to cyclists and pedestrians for commuting and recreational travel, reconnecting two sides of the trail that were separated by the expansion of State Route 4.

When completed, the overcrossing will provide access to the future East County Intermodal Transit Center and BART Station in Brentwood, as well. It is part of the larger Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail which also includes the Delta de Anza Regional Trail that runs through Antioch and Oakley,  that will, when completed, connect six counties across California from the East Bay to the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The cost to design and build the bridge is approximately $13 million, with funding provided through Measure J taxpayer dollars, the State Route 4 Bypass Authority, and bridge toll funds.

About the Contra Costa Transportation Authority

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is a public agency formed by Contra Costa voters in 1988 to manage the county’s transportation sales tax program and oversee countywide transportation planning efforts. With a staff of twenty people managing a multi-billion-dollar suite of projects and programs, CCTA is responsible for planning, funding and delivering critical transportation infrastructure projects and programs that connect our communities, foster a strong economy, increase sustainability, and safely and efficiently get people where they need to go. CCTA also serves as the county’s designated Congestion Management Agency, responsible for putting programs in place to keep traffic levels manageable. More information about CCTA is available at

ccta.net.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

New Poll: Overwhelming support for more police on BART, greater focus on cleanliness, stronger enforcement of rules 

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Source: Bay Area Council

San Francisco—BART riders and others who have stopped using the system or reduced their use dramatically say they would return in significant numbers if crime, safety and cleanliness issues are addressed, according to new polling released today by the Bay Area Council. Concerns about crime far outweigh remote work as the reason they are not riding. The findings offer an encouraging path forward for a system that is teetering on the brink of a fiscal cliff as BART ridership hovers at historic lows following the pandemic.

A Bay Area Council analysis of the poll findings suggests that by taking a much stronger and swifter approach to crime, safety and cleanliness, BART could see up to 300,000 more trips over the course of the workweek, pushing ridership above 50% of pre-pandemic levels.

Key Findings 

  • 79% say they feel more comfortable riding BART when there is a uniformed police officer or security present
  • 73% say BART should prioritize adding more uniformed police on trains and in stations
  • 62% say BART should improve fare gates to prevent fare evaders; 66% want fare gates to fully enclose station entrances
  • 79% say BART should eject people from the system that violate the passenger code of conduct, which prohibits drugs, smoking, drinking and other illegal or unacceptable behavior
  • 65% say BART should focus on core operations and leave social service issues to other public agencies
  • 90% put high priority on more frequent cleaning
  • 74% feel things in the Bay Area have gotten pretty seriously off on the wrong track

Riders and residents overall are crystal clear about what the main barriers are for them to returning to BART. Among all respondents, including those that never or rarely ride BART, 78% said they would ride BART more often if it was significantly cleaner and safer. This number is particularly striking when compared to the far fewer 46% of respondents who stated they would ride BART more often if they had to commute to work or school more frequently.

There is similar enthusiasm for returning to BART among the 37% of respondents who were regular BART riders before the pandemic but have since dramatically curtailed their use of the system or dropped off completely. These riders may represent BART’s best opportunity to bring more riders back to the system more regularly, with 59% saying they would ride BART a lot more often with safety and cleanliness improvements. But they also generally harbor much stronger levels of dissatisfaction with the system than others who are not BART riders.

“There can be no higher priority for BART and the future survival of the system than to direct every ounce of energy and resources into making the system safer and cleaner,” said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council, which was instrumental in the creation of BART in the 1950s and has long been a champion for the system. “We specifically call on BART to immediately and significantly increase police and security personnel on trains, vigorously enforce the rider code of conduct, and install new fare gates within a year. BART must treat this like a crisis, because it is a crisis. BART is the mass transit backbone of our region and there’s too much at stake for BART and our region not to be more aggressive in addressing the reasons legions of riders are staying away. BART deserves credit for recent moves to increase police presence and ramp up cleaning, but riders and others are saying they must do more and they must do it now.”

See the BART poll findings>> 

Read the full BART poll questionnaire>> 

The concerns about safety and cleanliness are reflected in overall sour views of the system, with 49% giving BART an unfavorable rating compared to 30% for SF MUNI, 23% for AC Transit and 15% for Caltrain. The poll by EMC Research surveyed 1,000 residents in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and northern San Mateo counties encompassing BART’s service area. The poll has a margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points.

Having a more visible police presence across the system is critical to bringing riders back. A vast majority of all those surveyed say they want more police officers on trains and in stations, they want more frequent cleaning of train cars and stations, and they want BART to strictly enforce an existing code of rider conduct which outlaws gate-hopping fare cheats, drinking and smoking, drug use and other illegal and dangerous behaviors.

These attitudes shouldn’t come as a big surprise. According to the poll, 53% of residents know of someone who has been a victim of crime on BART, 46% say they have witnessed crime on BART, and 18% say they personally have been a victim on crime on BART. Meanwhile, 44% of BART riders said they have never or rarely seen a police officer.

Overnight Hwy 4 (bypass) closure for Mokelumne Trail overcrossing postponed until May 12 & 13

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Between Lone Tree Way and Sand Creek Road

The overnight closure of State Route 4 between Lone Tree Way and Sand Creek Road in Brentwood originally planned for Friday, May 5 through Saturday, May 6, 2023 has been postponed one week to Friday, May 12 through Saturday, May 13, 2023.

In partnership with the City of Brentwood, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is constructing the Mokelumne Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing to provide safe access to cyclists and pedestrians for commuting and recreational travel, reconnecting two sides of the trail that were separated by the expansion of State Route 4.

When completed, the overcrossing will provide access to the future East County Intermodal Transit Center and BART Station in Brentwood, as well. It is part of the larger Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail which also includes the Delta de Anza Regional Trail that runs through Antioch and Oakley,  that will, when completed, connect six counties across California from the East Bay to the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The overnight closure will facilitate final adjustments to the falsework as part of the construction work installing the pedestrian and bicyclist crossing over State Route 4. This closure will impact State Route 4 in both the Eastbound and Westbound directions. CCTA and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) have scheduled the closure during the early morning hours in order to minimize impacts to the motoring public.

In order to ensure crew and public safety during the planned construction work, a temporary nighttime freeway closure in both directions of State Route 4 will occur in both Eastbound and Westbound lanes of Highway 4 from midnight on Friday, May 12 until 6:00am on Saturday, May 13, 2023 (weather permitting).

Detours
Detours will be in place to reroute drivers around the closure and are planned as follows: Eastbound traffic will be directed to exit at Lone Tree Way, go eastbound to Shady Willow Lane, then southbound on Shady Willow Lane to Sand Creek Road, before proceeding westbound on Sand Creek Road to the eastbound State Route 4 on-ramp.

Westbound drivers having to detour will exit on Sand Creek Road and go eastbound on Sand Creek Road to Shady Willow Lane, then northbound on Shady Willow Lane to Lone Tree Way, and proceed westbound on Lone Tree Way to the westbound State Route 4 on-ramp.

Future Freeway Closures

Additional overnight closures will be needed over the course of the next eight weeks (weather dependent) to facilitate concrete pours for the stem and soffit and deck of the future Mokelumne Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing. Additional information regarding dates and detours will be provided once the schedule is confirmed. This project is anticipated to be complete in late summer or early fall of 2023.

Overnight Highway 4 (bypass) closure this weekend May 5-6

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Mokelumne Trail Overcrossing April 2023 progress. Photo: CCTA

Midnight to 6:00 am for Mokelumne Trail overcrossing

BRENTWOOD, CA – In partnership with the City of Brentwood, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is constructing the Mokelumne Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing to provide safe access to cyclists and pedestrians for commuting and recreational travel, reconnecting two sides of the trail that were separated by the expansion of State Route 4.  The overnight closure will facilitate final adjustments to the falsework as part of the construction work installing the pedestrian and bicyclist crossing over State Route 4.  This closure will impact State Route 4 in both the Eastbound and Westbound directions.  CCTA and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) have scheduled the closure during the early morning hours in order to minimize impacts to the motoring public.

Overnight Freeway Closure of State Route 4 between Lone Tree Way and Sand Creek RoadIn order to ensure crew and public safety during the planned construction work, a temporary nighttime freeway closure in both directions of State Route 4 will occur between Friday, May 5, 2023 and Saturday, May 6, 2023 on the following schedule (weather permitting):Eastbound and Westbound Highway 4 will be closed from midnight on Friday, May 5 until 6:00am on Saturday, May 6, 2023.

Detours

Detours will be in place to reroute drivers around the closure and are planned as follows:Eastbound traffic will be directed to exit at Lone Tree Way, go eastbound to Shady Willow Lane, then southbound on Shady Willow Lane to Sand Creek Road, before proceeding westbound on Sand Creek Road to the eastbound State Route 4 on-ramp.

Westbound drivers having to detour will exit on Sand Creek Road and go eastbound on Sand Creek Road to Shady Willow Lane, then northbound on Shady Willow Lane to Lone Tree Way, and proceed westbound on Lone Tree Way to the westbound State Route 4 on-ramp.

Future Freeway Closures

Additional overnight closures will be needed over the course of the next eight weeks (weather dependent) to facilitate concrete pours for the stem and soffit and deck of the future Mokelumne Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing.  Additional information regarding dates and detours will be provided once the schedule is confirmed.  This project is anticipated to be complete in late summer or early fall of 2023.

About the Contra Costa Transportation Authority

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is a public agency formed by Contra Costa voters in 1988 to manage the county’s transportation sales tax program and oversee countywide transportation planning efforts. With a staff of twenty people managing a multi-billion-dollar suite of projects and programs, CCTA is responsible for planning, funding and delivering critical transportation infrastructure projects and programs that connect our communities, foster a strong economy, increase sustainability, and safely and efficiently get people where they need to go. CCTA also serves as the county’s designated Congestion Management Agency, responsible for putting programs in place to keep traffic levels manageable. More information about CCTA is available at ccta.net.

Danville resident Alan Kalin among Bay Area 2023 Bike Champion of the Year Winners

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Danville cyclist Alan Kalin on the road up Mt. Diablo. Photo: MTC

Bike Month begins May 1, Bike to Wherever Days all month, Bike to Work Day is May 18

Bay Area Bike to Wherever Days (BTWD) organizers have named the winners of the 2023 Bike Champion of the Year (BCOY) awards. Given to individuals for inspiring bicycling in their Bay Area communities, this award recognizes riders in the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties for their commitment to cycling as the primary mode of transport.

Here are the 2023 Bike Champion of the Year award winners:

  • Contra Costa County: Alan Kalin, who almost single handedly made bicycling on Mount Diablo safer through a first-of-its-kind project that has become a model for biking safety across the nation.
  • Alameda County: Demorea “Truckie” Evans, part of Oakland’s Roll Out Crew, believes that “It’s going to take all of us to see the change that we desire to see.”
  • Marin County: Dave Rhoads actively volunteers with the Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC) and advocated for safer bicycle infrastructure and the use of bicycles as a means of transportation.
  • Napa County (co-winners): Violet Grove, our youngest champions ever at age 13 and a great inspiration for the future, and Donal O’Briain, who started riding his bike for transportation just about the age of Violet and has never stopped pedaling or advocating for bicycles.
  • San Francisco County: Hansel Palarca-Reiva, who learned to bike as an adult during the pandemic. “I know that learning to ride as an adult can be terrifying, embarrassing, and intimidating,” he said. “But the joy that awaits you is truly worth the struggle, and I say all this from personal experience.”
  • San Mateo County: Marin Holt founded Coastside on Bikes, connecting people who need bikes to people who have bikes that need a new home – over 200 bikes to date!
  • Santa Clara County: April Beyersdorf is this year’s second youngest rider as a junior in high school, and the founder of her school’s Sustainable Commuting Club. The club’s mission is to encourage other students to feel confident biking and taking public transit, with a goal of reducing traffic congestion and protecting the environment.
  • Solano County: Robert “Bob” Haran, who was inspired by the kids in “Spanky and Our Gang” at age 10 to start riding and hasn’t looked back since.
  • Sonoma County: Bill Petty says his morning bike commute is better than coffee, and he brings that enthusiasm to his participation as a Climate Rider with Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition’s Green Fondo fundraising team and weekly rider with the Santa Rosa Taco Tuesday Ride.

About the Contra Costa County Winner

Alan Kalin’s passion for cycling isn’t just about the ride. “My story is one of dogged determination to prevent collisions and save lives on the roads of Mount Diablo,” says Alan. A Danville resident and Bay Area native, he started riding Mount Diablo three days a week in 2010 after he retired. He grew alarmed by the ambulances and medivac helicopters that were too often seen transporting cyclists off the mountain. Seeing that little was being done to prevent bike vs. car collisions, he set to work.

Alan started by first establishing the Mount Diablo Cyclists and analyzing hundreds of traffic reports.

Using the data and his own experiences on the mountain, he recognized that the accidents were largely occurring on or near blind curves. Picturing an old county road with car turnouts, Alan envisioned a solution that would separate cyclists from the cars with bike turnouts. He became a driving force behind the now 45 turnouts that give bicyclists safe harbor as they ride the 11-mile Summit Road on Mount Diablo. With its resulting 80% reduction in collisions, the first-of-its-kind project has become a model for biking safety across the nation.

But he isn’t done yet. Alan continues his advocacy and fundraising efforts to finish Phase II of the Bike Turnout Project in honor of friend and fellow cyclist Joe Shami who was killed in a collision in 2021. This phase will add the final 43 turnouts called for in the safety plan. He’s also working to redesign the Lafayette roundabout that was the site of his friend’s death and is involved in numerous projects as the Chairman of the Bike Danville Bicycle Advisory Commission.

“Cycling is about the people you meet and the journey,” Alan says. He loves that every ride is different, and that he is part of an ever-growing community of cyclists in Contra Costa County that take care of each other. He still loves riding today as much as he did when he was a kid, remembering fondly that back then “Mount Diablo felt like just a big hill,” and a train still ran on the Iron Horse Trail.

Full details about the winners can be found here.

Each winner will receive a Public Bikes handlebar bag from Mike’s Bikes, a $50 gift card from Sports Basement, a laminated, boxed set of San Francisco Bay Trail map cards from the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)/Bay Trail, and a picnic/stadium blanket from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).

Photo by Noah Berger

Don’t miss Bike to Wherever Days during the entire month of May, as well as Bike to Work Day on May 18! Details can be found online at Bayareabiketowork.com. Follow us on Facebook at @biketoworkday, Twitter @BikeToWorkSFBay, and Instagram @biketoworkday_bayarea.

Bay Area Bike to Wherever Days is presented by MTC (the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area), 511 (the region’s traveler information system), Amazon, and Stanford Medicine. BTWD 2022 also receives regional support from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), as well as from many sponsors at the local level. Prizes for the Bike Champion of the Year winners were donated by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), MTC, Sports Basement, and Mike’s Bikes.

Local transit CEOs take BART, buses, even an electric trolley during Earth Day ride-along event

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Bay Area Council President and CEO Jim Wunderman (left), BART General Manager Robert Powers (center), and Director of Transportation for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Jeffrey Tumlin are pictured at Orinda Station. Source: BART

“Our systems are more aligned now than ever”

By BART Communications Staff

On Friday, April 21, ten transit CEOs from across the Bay Area gathered for a multimodal, three-hour-long voyage that carried them from the green hills of Orinda to the dry heat of Pittsburg.  The “All Aboard with Transit CEOs” event was held in celebration of Earth Day as well as the ongoing coordination and collaboration of local transit agencies in the face of immense financial challenges.  Members of the public were invited to join the ride-along to meet and ride with the CEOs.

Following the success of the first “All Aboard” event in September, which carried the CEOs from Oakland to San Francisco and back, the second ride-along saw the travelers ride a bevy of East Bay transit operators, including BART, Tri-Delta Transit, and County Connection. Leaders in attendance included BART General Manager Robert Powers, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Executive Director Andy Fremier, Bay Area Council President and CEO Jim Wunderman, Director of Transportation for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Jeffrey Tumlin, SamTrans General Manager/CEO April Chan, County Connection General Manager Bill Churchill, Tri Delta Transit CEO Rashidi Barnes, WestCAT General Manager Robert Thompson, Napa Valley Transportation Authority Executive Director Kate Miller, and  Contra Costa Transportation Authority Executive Director Timothy Haile.

Ride-along attendees and transit riders fill a County Connection Route 14 bus. Source: BART

The ride-along kicked off with a press conference at BART’s Orinda Station, where regional leaders stressed the importance of securing long-term sustainable funding for public transportation.

“At the heart of any region’s economy is public transit. As goes public transit goes the economy,” said BART General Manager Robert Powers, who noted that regional transportation systems “are more aligned now than ever.”

MTC Executive Director Andy Fremier urged the state legislature to “pass a new budget that supports transit operations … to keep us going so we have a multi-year transit recovery program we can count on.” (Reference this handy Twitter thread to learn more about the distinction between transit agencies’ operating and capital budgets.)

“California cannot meet its climate goals unless we do something about getting people on transit,” Fremier added, acknowledging the Earth Day holiday. “Part of that involves advocating aggressively to keep transit operating.”

Autonomous shuttle service opens to the public at San Ramon’s Bishop Ranch

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Presto vehicle on the move at Bishop Ranch. Photos: CCTA

CCTA announces first in Bay Area free service to enhance mobility for both work and play

By Linsey Willis, Director of External Affairs, Contra Costa Transportation Authority

SAN RAMON, CA – Yesterday, Monday, April 24, 2023, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) launched the Bay Area’s first autonomous shuttle program to be open to the public. The Bishop Ranch Autonomous Shuttle Program will run through fall 2023, providing free, electric shuttles to four key destinations within Bishop Ranch in San Ramon, California. CCTA’s groundbreaking program will be available to the community Monday through Friday from 7:30am – 5:30pm. This marks the launch of CCTA’s PRESTO — a new suite of mobility options that will include bike share, scooter share, and express bus service in addition to autonomous shuttles. PRESTO will prepare the Bay Area for the future of transportation and increase transit options for all, including transportation-challenged and underserved communities in Contra Costa County.

“We’re excited to be able to provide the public with free access to these zero-emission, low-speed, autonomous shuttles. The service can help cut down on harmful emissions, reduce congestion on our roads, and create a new, accessible connection to transportation hubs throughout Contra Costa County, and we’re grateful to Bishop Ranch and the city of San Ramon for sharing our vision of a brighter future for the county,” said CCTA Board Chair Federal Glover.

CCTA’s partnership with Bishop Ranch allows campus employees and anyone from the public to experience the safe and accessible service that autonomous shuttles offer. Bishop Ranch’s 30,000 employees and miles of private roadways, bisected by public roads, make it an ideal location for the program’s launch. The program is funded in part by an $8 million grant award from the Federal Highway Administration’s Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment (ATCMTD) program.

“We are proud to be a part of such a beneficial project and we look forward to seeing members of the community trying out PRESTO here on Bishop Ranch,” said Alex Mehran Jr., President and CEO of Bishop Ranch by Sunset Development Company. “CCTA is bringing impactful innovation to the everyday lives of people and will help positively impact how we all get around.”

Celebrating the new autonomous shuttle are (L-R) CCTA Board Member and Danville Town Council Vice Mayor Karen Stepper, BEEP, Inc. CEO Joe Moye, CCTA Executive Director Tim Haile, San Ramon Vice Mayor Mark Armstrong, CCTA Board Member and Pleasant Hill City Council Member Sue Noack, CCTA Board Vice Chair and Danville Town Council Member Newell Arnerich, CCTA Board Member and Hercules City Council Member Chris Kelley, Jennifer Rizzo of Senator Glazer’s office, Gayle Israel of Supervisor Candace Andersen’s office, Concord City Council Member Dominic Aliano also of Senator Glazer’s office, and Alexander Mehran Jr., CEO and President of Bishop Ranch by Sunset Development Company.

CCTA is also partnering with Beep, which specializes in testing autonomous shuttles to create and manage stress-free and self-sufficient autonomous mobility solutions. Beep has tested autonomous shuttles around the country, including in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and even at Yellowstone National Park. PRESTO shuttles do not have drivers, pedals, or a steering wheel, but an attendant is always on board to make sure riders have a safe and pleasant experience. The Beep Command Center also remotely monitors the shuttles at all times to ensure the shuttles are operating safely

“It’s an honor to partner with CCTA to deliver autonomous mobility solutions to Bishop Ranch,” said Joe Moye, Beep CEO. “CCTA shares our commitment to bringing these innovative technologies to communities to test how shared autonomous mobility can transform how we access goods and services. Our autonomous shuttles in San Ramon will provide all members of the community access to key destinations and opportunities at Bishop Ranch.”

The Bishop Ranch PRESTO shuttle will take passengers along a route with four stops throughout Bishop Ranch and City Center. PRESTO shuttles hold up to eight passengers plus an attendant and have a maximum speed limit of 15 miles per hour. The service is family-friendly, but riders under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. More information on how to use the shuttles can be found at ridePRESTO.com.

The Bishop Ranch Autonomous Shuttle Program will help CCTA develop services that could soon provide transit solutions in office parks, campuses, suburbs, and town centers. Just as CCTA’s INNOVATE 680 program aims to connect the I-680 corridor through seamless, efficient, and accessible modes of travel, this latest deployment is another example of how CCTA is bringing the future of transportation to Contra Costa County and the greater Bay Area.

CCTA plans to bring shuttles to several public events across the county this summer to make it easier for people to see and experience autonomous shuttles first-hand.

About Beep

Beep delivers the next generation of autonomous, shared mobility solutions through its software and services. Specializing in planning, deploying and managing autonomous shuttles for private and public communities, Beep safely connects people, places and services with autonomous networks that reduce congestion, eliminate carbon emissions, improve road safety and enable mobility for all. Beep leverages the data and learnings from its deployments to enhance and advance the safety, experience and operating capabilities of autonomous platforms. For more information visit ridebeep.com.

About Bishop Ranch

Owned and developed by Sunset Development since 1978, the family-operated company is guided by the long-held vision of making Bishop Ranch a distinct Californian community. Spread across 600 acres in Northern California’s San Ramon Valley, Bishop Ranch is where community, commerce and culture collide to create a thriving, walkable downtown for the city of San Ramon and a significant job center for the region. At its core, the 10-million-square-foot, next-generation workplace is one of the country’s largest office campuses and home to 30,000 employees and a dynamic mix of more than 600 businesses, including Fortune 500 companies, local startups and everything in between. With an award-winning transit program and a deep commitment to sustainability, Bishop Ranch aims to be the largest distributed power generation site in the world with 80% of its energy produced on-site by solar.

The heartbeat of Bishop Ranch is City Center, a $300 million, 300,000-square-foot, open-air shopping, dining and entertainment destination. With its range of nearly 60 distinctive retailers and notable restaurants – including The Slanted Door, LB Steak, Boba Guys and Fieldwork Brewing Company — along with Equinox Fitness, the luxurious LOT Cinema and the inviting public square, City Center is a unique and ever-popular gathering place. From art and music events to a thriving farmers’ market, City Center is the destination for social and cultural experiences.

With an unwavering commitment to build a walkable downtown, Bishop Ranch will soon introduce several distinctive residential communities, eventually numbering some 6,000 homes. Also planned is a new boutique hotel, as well as restaurant and retail options throughout the various neighborhoods. For more information, visit BishopRanch.com.

About the Contra Costa Transportation Authority

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is a public agency formed by Contra Costa voters in 1988 to manage the county’s transportation sales tax program and oversee countywide transportation planning efforts. With a staff of twenty people managing a multibillion-dollar suite of projects and programs, CCTA is responsible for planning, funding and delivering critical transportation infrastructure projects and programs that connect our communities, foster a strong economy, increase sustainability, and safely and efficiently get people where they need to go. CCTA also serves as the county’s designated Congestion Management Agency, responsible for putting programs in place to keep traffic levels manageable. More information about CCTA is available at ccta.net.

Get Off Your Apps. April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

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By California Office of Traffic Safety

In the smartphone age, people are more connected than ever before, but also attempting to stay connected when they shouldn’t: behind the wheel. And it is not just cell phones. Distracted driving is anything that takes your eyes or mind off the road or hands off the steering wheel – especially when texting or using your phone.

Using your cell phone while driving is not only dangerous, but also illegal. In California, you cannot use a cell phone or similar electronic communication device while holding it in your hand. You can only use it in a hands-free manner, such as speaker phone or voice commands, but never while holding it. Any driver under the age of 18 is prohibited from using a cell phone for any reason.

Because engaging in distracting behaviors with a phone like dialing, talking, or texting is so dangerous (it increases the risk of getting into a crash by three times), The California Office of Traffic Safety started the “Put Your Phone Down. Just Drive” public awareness and education campaign. Like the “Silence the Distraction” campaign that started in 2015, it is intended to appeal to the smartphone culture and younger audiences – specifically those between the ages of 16 to 24. The youngest and most inexperienced drivers are most at risk when driving distracted. The campaign emphasizes that all functions of a phone can be distracting: using an app, shuffling through music or playing videos, looking at social media, maps or photos. They are all dangerous and illegal when you are driving, and the safest thing drivers can do is put down the phone and just drive.

And remember. Other serious driver distractions such as eating, grooming, reading, reaching for objects on the floor, changing clothes or talking with passengers are just as dangerous and can result in a “reckless driving” or “speed unsafe for conditions” ticket.

The “Put Your Phone Down. Just Drive.” PSA, along with tips, facts and other information about distracted driving laws and prevention, can be found at gosafelyca.org.

Additional information, programs and resources on distracted driving:

California’s Cell Phone Laws

Focus on the road, not your status. That phone call, text or email can wait. Put down the phone and just drive. Our roads are safer when they are distraction-free.

  • California has a hands-free cell phone law, which prohibits drivers from holding a phone or other electronic device while behind the wheel.
  • Drivers under the age of 18 may not use any mobile communications device at all, whether hands-free or hand-held.
  • Starting July 1, 2021, violations that occur within 36 months of a prior conviction for the same electronic device violation is subject to a point against a driver’s record.
  • If you need to make a call or send a text, pull over and park at a safe location.
  • Avoid the temptation of using the phone while driving altogether! Put the phone in the glove box, trunk, or back seat; anywhere you cannot reach.
  • Other distractions: deep conversations with passengers or fussy children in the back seat. If you find yourself in any of these situations, find a quiet, safe place to park and address the distraction!

#justdriveCA

New BART fare gates to be installed systemwide to enhance safety, improve access

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Source: STraffic

$90 million Next Generation Fare Gate project

BART is moving forward with a historic purchase of brand-new fare gates to be installed systemwide as part of its latest effort to win riders back and overhaul safety in the system. The new fare gates will bring a new look and improved experience, offering state-of-the-art technology that will boost safety by reducing fare evasion, enhancing access for people in wheelchairs and those who bring bikes and strollers on BART, and optimizing the reliability and maintenance needs of the fare gates.

At the March 23, 2023, BART Board of Directors meeting, staff recommended the Board move forward with the first purchase of the $90 million Next Generation Fare Gate project. Staff recommended awarding up to $47 million to STraffic America to implement the project. BART staff will develop an installation timeline with STraffic and will stress-test the new fare gate design at a yet-to-be-determined station later this year. The project calls for all stations to have new fare gates by 2026.

“We want to deter fare evasion, modernize our aesthetic and reduce maintenance,” explained Sylvia Lamb, BART’s assistant general manager of infrastructure delivery, at Thursday’s BART Board of Directors meeting.

The transit agency’s board of directors received an update Thursday on the fare-reliant agency’s long quest to implement new gates that prove harder to jump and prove more reliable.

“There’s an appetite out there to go ahead and get this thing done,” said Bob Powers, BART’s general manager, adding the agency will soon be on a “path that’s going to get us to a systemwide replacement very, very quickly.”

Thursday’s presentation was informational only. At the second presentation, to be made on April 13, BART directors will seek the board’s approval for the $47 million fare gate contract.

“This is a very happy day, and I can’t wait to vote next month,” said BART Director Bevan Dufty.

Source: STraffic

To inform the endeavor, BART built and installed prototypes that it deployed in several stations in its system beginning in 2020, particularly around elevators, in an effort to make it easier for elevator users to tag in and out of the system. It has also retrofitted some of the older gates in an attempt to make them more resistant to fare evasion.

The agency has estimated that fare evasion could cost as much as $15-25 million in lost revenue every year, although the exact figure is difficult to pin down.

The new fare gates will look unlike any other of the current 700 fare gates in the BART system. While the new design has not yet been finalized, the gates will have clear swing barriers that will be very difficult to be pushed through, jumped over, or maneuvered under.

The next generation fare gates will not have the orange fins riders have become accustomed to. They will also be different than the new swing-style fare gates designed by BART staff and recently installed to enclose elevators into the paid area.

The new gates will be able to handle large crowds without slowing people down as they move in and out of stations while processing their Clipper cards. The gates will have advanced 3D sensors that are able to detect if someone is in a wheelchair or has a bike, stroller, or luggage with them, allowing for more time before the swing barrier closes. The gates will have LED lighting on the swing barriers and the pathway through the gate to help visually impaired riders. STraffic has worked extensively with members of the ADA community and is committed to continue this work while designing the BART gates.

“New fare gates will transform the rider experience and will deliver immediate improvements to safety and reliability,” said BART Board President Janice Li. “BART researched world-wide best practices in fare gate designs to help guide this pivotal purchase. I want to thank the local, state, and federal funding sources who have stepped up to support this impactful project. I am committed to seeing this project fully funded and fully implemented without delay.”

To date, BART has secured $73 million of the $90 million project, with funding from:

  • BART Funds (Operating-to-Capital Allocations and Measure RR) $23M
  • County Transportation Agency Funds $28M
  • Federal Funds $15M
  • State Funds $6.5M

In recommending the vendor, BART staff evaluated proposals from industry leaders and scored each proposal on their technical approach, qualifications, experience in delivering similar projects, and price. STraffic America, LLC offered the best value to BART and committed to subcontracting 11% of the work to Disadvantage Business Enterprises.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.