Alameda County will attempt to improve bike and pedestrian safety along the I-880 corridor with its East Bay Greenway project. The I-880 corridor through the East Bay faces a myriad of environmental, financial, and transportation challenges. Stretching from Oakland to Hayward, the corridor is notable for frequent traffic fatalities, high asthma rates, and low levels of auto-ownership.
The $30 million provided to Alameda County is the largest DOT grant this cycle in Northern California, and the second largest in the state. The first phase, which is expected to begin construction in 2025, will connect the Lake Merritt Bart station to Bayfair BART. The route follows 12th Street to the Fruitvale Bart Station, and then runs beside San Leandro Street.
But for those involved in the project, those are small sacrifices for a greenway that could drastically improve health outcomes in local communities.