Contra Costa Herald

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

Southbound Rudgear Road on-ramp closed Mon & Tues nights, Jan 30 – Feb 1 for I-680 Express Lanes construction

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Summary

Upcoming construction activity for the Express Lanes on I-680 between Walnut Creek and San Ramon requires a temporary, nighttime ramp closure. The construction activity will include asphalt repair work for the on-ramp. The following ramp closure is scheduled:

Things to Know

Detour route for the southbound I-680 Rudgear Road on-ramp closure:

  • Enter northbound I-680 from Rudgear Rd.,
  • Continue on northbound I-680,
  • Exit on the Olympic Blvd. off-ramp,
  • Continue west on Olympic Blvd.,
  • Enter southbound I-680.

When traveling near the construction site:

  • Always use caution,
  • Be prepared to reduce speeds,
  • Follow posted signs.

Construction is a dynamic process and information is subject to change without notice. Work is subject to weather conditions.

For more information about the I-680 Express Lanes project between Walnut Creek and San Ramon, click here.

County Supervisors proclaim local emergency due to $18 million in road, other damage from storms

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Damage to Alhambra Valley Road between Bear Creek Road and Castro Ranch Road. courtesy of CCCSheriff

Marsh Creek, Alhambra Valley Roads still closed; cleanup continues

Alternate routes for closure of Alhambra Valley Road.

During a special meeting on Thursday, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors ratified a proclamation of local emergency stemming from storm damage that took place during the first two weeks of January.  High winds coupled with continued rains over a short timeframe led to an estimated $18 million in damage in a number of unincorporated areas of the County, within our cities, and at water, park and sanitation district facilities.  The proclamation, along with the State’s declaration of a State of Emergency on Monday, will put the County and local jurisdictions in line for potential recovery funding.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, (FEMA,) is doing site visits throughout the state this week, along with the State Office of Emergency Services.  It will take several months for the County, working with State and Federal authorities, to get a more firm total on the damages and what costs can be covered.

At Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, Contra Costa County Supervisor Candace Andersen praised Public Works, the Sheriff and the Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services workers for their efforts to respond quickly to the storm’s impacts, noting that repairs are being made as quickly as possible.  Public Works Director Julie Bueren agreed, noting that months of work in advance by Public Works and Flood Control District staff helped to minimize the problems in the unincorporated area.  Two problem areas that were closed are now open:  Morgan Territory Road and McEwen Road.

Two major road closures are still in effect in Contra Costa County:

  • Marsh Creek Road between the Clayton city limits and Deer Valley Road
  • Alhambra Valley Road between Bear Creek and Castro Ranch Roads

Marsh Creek is open for local traffic only.  Caltrans and County officials are working jointly developing a plan to repair the sinkhole on Alhambra Valley Road.

With more rain expected next week, and the ground still very saturated from previous storms, you are encouraged to use any gaps in the rain to prepare for the next wave, checking rain gutters and storm drains for blockage.  If you’re concerned about flooding at your home or business, it’s not too late to visit one of the sandbag stations located throughout the county.  Please note that you’ll need to bring a shovel, but bags and sand are available for free.   Find out details regarding County sandbag sites at www.cccounty.us/sandbags.

County Public Works Maintenance road crews maintain the storm drain inlets through a program of annual inspection and cleaning. To report a clogged catch basin or drainage inlet please call the Public Works Maintenance Division at 925-313-7000 during work hours and after hours call Sheriff’s Dispatch at 925-646-2441.

Important phone numbers and webpages:

(925) 313-7000 Public Works Maintenance Division- For emergencies during normal business hours

(707) 551-4100 California Highway Patrol- For emergencies after hours

(925) 646-2441 Contra Costa County Sheriffs Dispatch- For emergencies after hours

http://www.cccounty.us/sandbags  – Contra Costa County Sandbag Locations

Construction begins on Richmond-San Rafael Bridge lane project

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Artist’s rendering of the planned bicycle/pedestrian path on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. courtesy of MTC.

Location and highlights of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge access improvements. Credit: Peter Beeler

The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) has begun construction on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project to ease traffic congestion, improve vehicle access to the bridge, and establish a bicycle/pedestrian path connecting Contra Costa and Marin counties.

This exciting project will employ an innovative approach for congestion relief by converting the existing eastbound shoulder to a third lane during evening commute hours. Electronic signs will be used to indicate when the third lane is open to eastbound motorists. After the third lane is completed (weather-permitting in late 2017), a bicycle/pedestrian path will be built on the upper deck to connect critical portions of the San Francisco Bay Trail.

Beginning this week, travelers will see the installation of temporary striping and barriers (k-rail) to protect construction workers along eastbound 580.

  • Shoulder Closures –The right shoulder of the eastbound Richmond San Rafael Bridge will be closed from 5am to 2pm daily during the week of Jan. 23. Both traffic lanes will remain open.
  • Nighttime Construction– Through Saturday morning, Jan. 28, temporary striping and barriers (k-rail) will be installed along both eastbound and westbound I-580 from Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Marin County to Castro Street in Contra Costa County. One lane will remain open at all times
  • Bicycle Shuttle By Request – Starting Thursday January 26, the existing bicycle access on 580 between Marine Street and Stenmark Drive in Richmond will no longer be available. In lieu of freeway access, a free shuttle with bike racks will be available from 7am to 7pm. PLEASE NOTE: The shuttle may take up to 20 minutes to arrive once called (510-715-1465). Cyclists will no longer have access to freeway shoulders.

During the week of Jan. 30:

  • Main Street Eastbound On / Off Ramp Closures – Temporary nighttime closures of the eastbound I-580 Main Street on- and off-ramps in San Rafael will occur. The San Quentin/Main Street off-ramp will be closed from 7pm to 6am; and the on-ramp will be closed from 9pm to 6am. Please see detour maps below.

February Nighttime Construction

  • Starting in February, the contractor will relocate a water main under Main Street between Francisco Blvd. and the eastbound I-580 on- and off-ramps. Construction will occur at night to minimize traffic impacts.

Notice: This information is based on the work plans submitted by the contractors which are subject to change for various reasons. For the most current information on all lane and ramp closures please check the web site shown below before beginning your travel.

You are receiving this e-mail as a courtesy from the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project. We send out notifications when contractors on the project plan a lane closure or construction activity that may have an effect on traffic in the vicinity. If you no longer wish to receive these notifications, please respond to this e-mail and state that you would like to be removed from the distribution list.

For More Information

For more information or to see a video about the project, please click here. If you have additional questions about the project or construction updates, please call the project hotline at (510) 273-3640.

The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Access Improvement Project is made possible by a partnership between BATA, Caltrans, the Contra Costa County Transportation Authority (CCTA), and the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM).

About the RSR Bridge:

Over the last 50 years, the Richmond San Rafael (RSR) Bridge has efficiently and effectively served Bay Area travelers while seeing a steady increase in daily vehicle use in recent years. From 2009 to 2014, the Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) across the bridge climbed from 70,000 to 80,000 representing a 14.3-percentage increase. The RSR Bridge Access Improvements will ease congestion by increasing vehicle capacity on the Bridge and providing a new route for non-motorized travelers.

 

GoMentum Station named National Proving Ground by U.S. Department of Transportation

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Contra Costa testing facility selected to be part of first-ever “Community of Practice” for automated vehicle technology

GoMentum Station was named one of ten federally designated automated vehicle proving grounds by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The announcement was made by U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on Thursday, January 19, who noted that the pilot sites were selected to encourage testing and information sharing around automated vehicle technologies, foster innovations that can safely transform personal and commercial mobility, expand capacity, and open new doors to disadvantaged people and communities. GoMentum Station was selected from more than 60 applicants to help advance the safe deployment of automated technology.

“We are honored to have been selected as part of this elite group of test facilities,” said Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) Executive Director Randell Iwasaki. “When we established GoMentum Station a little over two years ago with our partners, our goal was to make it the country’s premier secure test facility of autonomous and connected vehicle technology. To be selected as a federally designated proving grounds is a confirmation of the significant value our facility adds to the field and its role in redefining the next generation of transportation.”

“The designated proving grounds will collectively form a Community of Practice around safe testing and deployment,” said Secretary Foxx. “This group will openly share best practices for the safe conduct of testing and operations as they are developed, enabling the participants and the general public to learn at a faster rate and accelerating the pace of safe deployment.”

Each of the ten sites have a unique testing environment. Among the qualities that set GoMentum Station apart is being one of the largest, secure proving grounds in the United States, which enables partners to safely push their technology to its limits while testing at GoMentum Station.  Founded in 2014, GoMentum Station is located at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station, making Contra Costa County a center of cutting-edge transportation research. The innovative technology being explored at GoMentum Station will reinvent the ways we will move through our communities over the next 25 years and beyond.

Contra Costa’s autonomous and connected vehicle testing facility is built on a public/private partnership model, allowing the private sector space to innovate and test while providing the public sector with access to new technologies as they are being developed. The work being carried out at GoMentum Station facilitates informed policy, regulation and planning decisions around the technology.

“We are excited that there may be opportunities to potentially collaborate with other test facilities around the nation.  If we can coordinate on testing, we can eliminate redundant and duplicative testing, learn from one another and accelerate our ability to bring this transformative technology to market,” noted Iwasaki. “We hope this designation will be valuable to our partners and the public in helping to further this life-saving technology. We’re looking forward to working with USDOT on advancing this technology for a public good.”

About GoMentum Station

GoMentum Station in Concord, California is where the Contra Costa Transportation Authority leads and facilitates a collaborative partnership among multiple automobile manufacturers; original equipment manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers; communications suppliers; technology companies; researchers and academia; public agencies and other partners. At GoMentum Station, technology, innovation and commercialization will converge to define the next generation of transportation network infrastructure. More information about GoMentum Station is available at gomentumstation.net.

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. 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.

GoMentum Station in Concord announces new partnership with BestMile to advance driverless car project

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BestMile’s cloud-based computing platform will support and enhance efforts to solve the first-and-last mile challenge

GoMentum Station and BestMile announced a new partnership today to further the shared autonomous vehicle (SAV) pilot project aimed at addressing the first-and-last mile challenge in Contra Costa. BestMile will offer its cloud-based computing platform to support the operation and optimization of SAV fleets, including the full testing of EasyMile shuttles. The EasyMile shuttles arrived at GoMentum Station in September of 2016, and the pilot demonstration project with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority marks the first time EasyMile shuttles will be utilized in the United States. BestMile’s computing platform will not only allow the EasyMile shuttles to work more effectively together, it will facilitate the ability of riders to interface with the shuttles.

“GoMentum Station is putting Contra Costa and the Bay Area squarely at the center of the transportation technology revolution with this innovative project to address first and last mile transit accessibility challenges, which we hope will allow people to use transit and commuter rail more effectively and efficiently,” said Randy Iwasaki, Executive Director of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA). “We are excited to leverage BestMile’s unique technology capabilities to incubate transportation solutions that will help further shared mobility.”

“We believe the future of mobility isn’t in autonomous vehicles themselves, but in what they can offer when they’re operated and managed collectively in an integrated ecosystem. It is an incredible opportunity for BestMile to be able to showcase its fleet optimization platform within the framework of this exciting project at GoMentum Station, Bishop Ranch and then hopefully expand to the Bay Area. It will allow passengers of SAVs to experience a truly optimized, sustainable and efficient SAV service. Ordering your own SAV will be only one click away thanks to the traveler app we are also providing as part of our platform” said Raphael Gindrat, CEO of BestMile.

BestMile has created the world’s first cloud platform for the operation and optimization of autonomous vehicle fleets, designed to support shared electric connected and automated mobility. Using cutting-edge algorithms, it sends optimized missions to vehicles and seamlessly handles planning, real-time automated dispatching, intelligent routing, and electrical energy management. Their first commercial project launched in June 2016 with Switzerland’s main transport operator, PostBus. The collaboration with GoMentum Station marks the first time BestMile’s technology will be incorporated into a project within the United States and aligns with BestMile’s mission to accelerate innovative autonomous transportation solutions for cities everywhere.

About GoMentum Station

GoMentum Station in Concord, California is where the Contra Costa Transportation Authority leads and facilitates a collaborative partnership among multiple automobile manufacturers; original equipment manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers; communications suppliers; technology companies; researchers and academia; public agencies and other partners. At GoMentum Station, technology, innovation and commercialization will converge to define the next generation of transportation network infrastructure. More information about GoMentum Station is available at gomentumstation.net.

About BestMile

BestMile is a Swiss company with offices in Lausanne (Switzerland), San Francisco (USA) and London (UK), developing distributed and highly scalable cloud technology leveraging the full potential of autonomous vehicles to tackle urban mobility challenges. By providing the first platform allowing for the intelligent operation and optimization of autonomous vehicle fleets, BestMile is revolutionizing mobility. It manages both scheduled trips and on-­demand service and is independent of any vehicle manufacturer, thus allowing customers to remotely manage heterogeneous fleets composed of autonomous vehicles of different types and brands. By using cutting-edge algorithms to handle planning, real-time automated dispatching, intelligent routing, and electrical energy management, BestMile is shaping “individual robots” into an intelligent, innovative and flexible mobility system. After launching its first commercial project with Switzerland’s main transport operator in June 2016, BestMile now has a foot in the US thanks to GoMentum Station, located in Contra Costa County. More information is available at www.bestmile.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. 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.

County road closure updates – McEwen Road closed in West County

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McEwen Road is closed between Highway 4 and Carquinez Scenic Drive near Port Costa due to mudslides. The road is open to emergency vehicles only.

Alhambra Valley Road between Bear Creek Road and Castro Ranch Road is closed indefinitely.Signs and message boards will alert drivers of the closure. There is not an estimated timeframe for reopening Alhambra Valley Road at this time.Drivers are encouraged to use the routes on the map above as alternate routes for Alhambra Valley Road.

Morgan Territory Road is open to local traffic only between Marsh Creek Road and Manning Road is anticipated to reopen the week of January 23-30

The amount of rain received has saturated the soil which makes it more difficult to remove the mudslides and clean the roadways. Crews are monitoring County roads during the storms and additional closures may be necessary for public safety. The County will continue to provide updates as conditions change.

BART offers longer trains for inauguration-related events

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BART is taking steps to prepare for what are expected to be large crowds for Inauguration-related events in downtown Oakland and San Francisco. Longer trains will be available for riders all day Friday and Saturday.  BART also plans to have a few additional event trains on standby at key locations on Saturday ready to deploy if warranted by the size of the crowds.

Additional employees will be at the ready to assist BART riders during the next few days.  That includes more Station Agents at what are likely to be the busiest stations.  We will have extra technicians at the ready at those stations to make sure our ticket machines are working and to respond to any new elevator or escalator outages.  Also, additional officers and sergeants from the BART Police Department will be working through Saturday to help with crowd control.

Dozens of events are planned for the region starting Thursday night and continuing through Saturday.  We are expecting some our busiest stations to include 12th Street and Lake Merritt in downtown Oakland as well as Civic Center and Embarcadero in San Francisco.

Riders also play an important role in preparing for these busy travel days.  We strongly encourage everyone to either buy roundtrip tickets or use their Clipper cards.  Also, if you see something suspicious at a station, please tell BART police or a station agent.  If you see something say something.

The ceremonies for the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States will begin Friday morning at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time, 8:30 a.m. Paficic.

 

Two closed roads in county reopened Friday afternoon, one closed indefinitely

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Alhambra Valley Road between Bear Creek and Castro Ranch Roads closed indefinitely

Contra Costa County reopened Marsh Creek Road between the Clayton city limits and Deer Valley Road today. The following roads are open to local traffic only:

  • Morgan Territory Road between Marsh Creek Road and Manning Road (anticipated to reopen the week of January 23)
  • McEwen Road between Highway 4 and Carquinez Scenic Drive (anticipated to reopen this weekend on either January 21 or 22)

The closures were required due to mudslides and flooding concerns. The amount of rain received has saturated the soil which makes it more difficult to remove the mudslides and clean the roadways. Alhambra Valley Road between Bear Creek Road and Castro Ranch Road is closed indefinitely. Signs and message boards will alert drivers of the closure. There is not an estimated timeframe for reopening Alhambra Valley Road at this time. Drivers are encouraged to use the routes on the map below as alternate routes for Alhambra Valley Road.

If you’re concerned about flooding at your home or business, it’s not too late to visit one of the free sandbag stations located throughout the county. Please note that you’ll need to bring a shovel, but bags and sand are available for free. Find out details regarding County sandbag sites at www.cccounty.us/sandbags.

County Public Works Maintenance road crews maintain the storm drain inlets through a program of annual inspection and cleaning. To report a clogged catch basin or drainage inlet please call the Public Works Maintenance Division at 925‐313‐7000 during work hours and after hours call Sheriff’s Dispatch at 925‐646‐2441.

Important phone numbers and webpages:

(925) 313-7000 Public Works Maintenance Division- For emergencies during normal business hours

(707) 551-4100 California Highway Patrol- For emergencies after hours

(925) 646-2441 Contra Costa County Sheriffs Dispatch- For emergencies after hours

http://www.cccounty.us/sandbags   –  Contra Costa County Sand Bag Locations

http://www.cccounty.us/5906/Winter-Storm-Preparedness-Winter Storm Preparedness

http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/5895/Flooding-Information-Flood Information

http://www.cccounty.us/332/FEMA-Floodplain-Program- FEMA Floodplain Program

http://www.contracosta.ca.gov/1578/Flood-Forecast-Information-How to Flood Forecast

http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/5907/Flood-Preparedness-California Flood Preparedness

 

County Public Works Dept. says closed county roads to reopen Friday by 5:00 p.m.

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Contra Costa County plans to reopen the following roads by 5:00 p.m. on January 13, 2017.

  • Marsh Creek Road between the Clayton city limits and Deer Valley Road
  • Morgan Territory Road between Marsh Creek Road and Manning Road
  • McEwen Road between Highway 4 and Carquinez Scenic Drive

The closures were required due to mudslides and flooding concerns. Alhambra Valley Road between Bear Creek Road and Castro Ranch Road is closed indefinitely.Signs and message boards will alert drivers of the closure. There is not an estimated timeframe for reopening Alhambra Valley Road at this time.Drivers are encouraged to use the routes on the map below as alternate routes for Alhambra Valley Road.

If you’re concerned about flooding at your home or business, it’s not too late to visit one of the free sandbag stations located throughout the county.  Please note that you’ll need to bring a shovel, but bags and sand are available for free.   Find out details regarding County sandbag sites at www.cccounty.us/sandbags.

County Public Works Maintenance road crews maintain the storm drain inlets through a program of annual inspection and cleaning. To report a clogged catch basin or drainage inlet please call the Public Works Maintenance Division at 925-313-7000 during work hours and after hours call Sheriff’s Dispatch at 925-646-2441.

Important phone numbers and webpages:

(925) 313-7000 Public Works Maintenance Division- For emergencies during normal business hours

(707) 551-4100 California Highway Patrol- For emergencies after hours

(925) 646-2441 Contra Costa County Sheriffs Dispatch- For emergencies after hours

http://www.cccounty.us/sandbags   –  Contra Costa County Sand Bag Locations

http://www.cccounty.us/5906/Winter-Storm-Preparedness-Winter Storm Preparedness

http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/5895/Flooding-Information-Flood Information

http://www.cccounty.us/332/FEMA-Floodplain-Program- FEMA Floodplain Program

http://www.contracosta.ca.gov/1578/Flood-Forecast-Information-How to Flood Forecast

http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/5907/Flood-Preparedness-California Flood Preparedness

Frazier introduces bill to reduce teen driving accidents

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Sacramento, CA – Today, Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D – Oakley) introduced AB 63, legislation to reduce vehicle collisions and fatalities among teen drivers by strengthening California’s provisional driver’s license program.

“This bill will help significantly decrease accidents among newly licensed drivers,” stated Frazier. “Increasing the age for a provisional license will ensure that California’s most vulnerable motorists go through proper training to become safe, responsible drivers.”

AB 63 would increase the maximum age to receive a provisional license to 21 years old guaranteeing that less experienced drivers have appropriate protections during this crucial learning period, by amending Section 12814.6 of the California Vehicle Code.

According to the Legislative Counsel’s Digest, “The bill would expand the scope of the provisional licensing program by extending the applicable age range for the program to 16 to under 21 years of age. By expanding the scope of the provisional licensing program, the violation of which constitutes an infraction, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize a licensee who is 18, 19, or 20 years of age to keep in his or her possession a copy of his or her class schedule or work schedule as documentation to satisfy the exceptions for a school or school-authorized activity and employment necessity, respectively, and would provide that a signed statement by a parent or legal guardian is not required if reasonable transportation facilities are inadequate and the operation of a vehicle by a licensee who is 18, 19, or 20 years of age is necessary to transport the licensee or the licensee’s immediate family member. The bill would make other technical and conforming changes. The bill would also include specified findings and declarations.”

“We are thankful that Assemblymember Frazier has taken on this critically important issue,” said Doug Villars, President of the California Association of Highway Patrolmen. “Traffic collisions are the number one killer of young people in America. We are proud to be sponsors of this bill and look forward to working together toward a common goal—saving young drivers’ lives and making roadways safer for all of us.”

It is estimated that one in three drivers do not receive their license before the age of 18, making them ineligible to participate in the provisional license program. A recent report from the Governors Highway Safety Association discovered that improvement in fatal crash rates among 18- to 20-year-old drivers was far less than their 15- to 17-year-old counterparts.

Policy expanding this program is essential to building safe driving skills for this at risk population. “We applaud Assemblymember Frazier for introducing this vital legislation,” stated Cathy Barankin, Executive Director CA Coalition for Children’s Safety and Health. “First time teen drivers are 45 percent more likely to be involved in a vehicle crash. This bill will stop teens from prematurely losing their lives.”

To read the complete text and Legislative Counsel’s Digest of the bill, click here.