Blueprint - Phased Implementation Plan

Bay Area Transportation Blueprint --
Phased Implementation Plan

Highway Improvements

Part 1: HOV Gap Closures to Support Rapid Bus Program and Carpooling

Cost to Implement	State Funds Requested
$527 million	$398 million

The key to making the rapid bus program rapid is to take advantage of the region's extensive HOV system and to fill in system gaps. This strategy can speed bus movement and offer commuters two options to being stuck in congestion: to carpool or ride the bus.

A series of HOV gap closures are proposed to improve travel along US 101 in Marin and Sonoma, Route 4 and Interstates 80 and 680 in Contra Costa County, and Interstates 580 and 680 in Alameda County. In Santa Clara County, an 85/101 interchange direct HOV lane connection also is proposed. [See map for locations of proposed HOV gap closure projects.]

Cost to Implement	State Funds Requested
$677 million	$359 million

Part 2: Other Highway Projects/ Bicycle Lane Gap Closures

In addition to HOV gap closures, there are seven highway projects that merit special attention.

1. The Golden Gate Bridge/Doyle Drive seismic retrofit and replacement projects are critical safety improvements required to maintain mobility between San Francisco and the North Bay. We propose a significant contribution of $138 million from the governor's plan, to be matched by $170 million in STIP and other funds.
2. The Route 29/Trancas interchange in Napa County has been long delayed because of design problems. The delay has been accompanied by cost escalation, thus requiring an additional $3 million to finally close the funding gap -- in a county that receives a very modest county share STIP allotment.
3. The interchange at I-680/80 in Solano County is a critical bottleneck that delays Bay Area - Sacramento interregional travelers. A second phase $19 million improvement is proposed.
4. Route 12 connects to I-80 near the I-680/I-80 interchange. A $14 million project to complete engineering and design for the widening of Route 12 from Route 29 to Interstate 80 is proposed.
5. The Caldecott Tunnel bottleneck could be relieved by improvements to be defined in a planning study currently being managed by MTC. We propose that this project be included, with the scope and cost of the project to be established when the planning is completed this summer.
6. A $49 million project to improve the Coleman Avenue interchange on I-880 is proposed in order to speed access of people and goods to the San Jose International Airport.
7. Auxiliary lanes would be constructed along US 101 in San Mateo County to improve traffic flow in the busy Peninsula corridor. One-half of the $150 million project cost is proposed for state funding; the other half would be funded from county half-cent sales tax revenues.
8. Finally, there are several critical gaps in the region's bicycle system that can be addressed with $80 million in new investment.

[See map for locations of highway projects]

[See Appendix 2 for a complete list and cost breakdown of proposed highway projects.]

Part 3: Highway Projects Proposed by Bay Area Congestion Management Agencies

The nine congestion management agencies in the Bay Area and others have proposed directly to the state that additional highway projects be added to the governor's plan. MTC supports advanced implementation of any projects that have been approved previously as part of the STIP or our long-range Regional Transportation Plan (RTP).

NEXT: Appendix 1 - Transit Investment Package by Corridor

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