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TRANSACTIONS NEWSLETTER ONLINE

December 2001

Taking a Look at New Ways To Cross the Bay


Six of the most promising options for improving transbay travel in the Bay Area over the next 25 years were approved for further study by MTC's Bay Crossings Study policy committee in November. The six were selected from a wide range of possible enhancements and new strategies that had been evaluated by staff and consultants and reviewed by the public over the nine months since the study was launched.

"We'll be using forecasts of future travel demand, and engineering and cost analyses to further narrow down the list to the most practicable alternatives in the three major transbay corridors," said Larry Magid, MTC project manager for the study. And, starting in early 2002, the region's residents will have a chance to weigh in again.

The least expensive and quickest-to-implement option, which could be applied to all three corridors under study, is the "operational improvements" alternative. This would involve upgrading the carpool lane network, bridge approaches and toll plazas, expanding electronic toll collection, and initiating or enhancing express bus service.

In the Bay Bridge corridor, a rail option would provide both a new rail tunnel to connect the Peninsula's Caltrain intercity rail system with the East Bay (and potentially serve a future high-speed rail line), and improvements to BART to relieve congestion in the busiest stations in downtown San Francisco.

In the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge corridor, one alternative would expand the bridge's capacity by initially installing reversible lanes and a movable median barrier, and later widening the span to eight lanes. Another alternative would be to construct a new bridge and tunnel linking State Route 238 in the East Bay with Interstate 380 on the Peninsula, also with a reversible lane.

In the Dumbarton Bridge corridor, two options are being considered: commuter rail service across a rehabilitated Dumbarton rail bridge, and a new approach road that would connect State Route 84 to U.S. 101.

The study is scheduled to be completed and a final report issued in July 2002. But don't expect to see a major new bridge or tunnel anytime soon.

"All of the proposed major new facilities are fairly high in cost," said Magid. "We're hoping that the study will point to some affordable and effective enhancements for the near-term while the region considers whether it wants to pursue revenues for a new transit or highway crossing."
-- Réka Goode

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