I am not a meteorologist, but I do have Alameda’s forecast for the next several years: Traffic.
You’ve already experienced the detours on Central Avenue, but do you know about the Oakland Alameda Access Project to create a direct on-ramp to I-880 from the Posey Tube? That’s not expected to be completed until 2029, and until then, we can expect full and partial closures of the tubes. Coupled with myriad other construction and demolition projects scheduled in the upcoming months that have yet to be publicly announced, traffic issues are going to multiply.
The West End will be more difficult to access for customers wishing to patronize Webster Street businesses, despite the street’s recent renaissance after losing so much business to COVID. Students who attend the College of Alameda will find their commutes extended, and many will choose to take their classes at other schools instead. All of that traffic that can’t get into or out of the West End will try to make it in and out of the East End, clogging ingress and egress as the four bridges and streets across the city try to absorb the excess vehicles.
I worry what will happen to response times for emergency vehicles and medical transport to facilities other than Alameda Hospital, like Highland—the only adult Level 1 Trauma Center in the East Bay—or Alta Bates, or Kaiser. What happens if we have a repeat of the power outage in 2023 that left three of the four bridges stuck open?
There has been too little information shared by the City about how consequential the effects of this construction will be. Businesses need to plan for several quarters in advance, but the few workshops that have been promoted come only a few months before construction is scheduled to begin.
I have spoken with many stakeholders on the West End who think the City has dropped the ball. They feel like they are facing another major setback, equal to the effects of the pandemic, just as they are recovering. I found a document on the OAAP website which states only, “The proposed project includes enhanced bicycle and pedestrian access through the Tubes.” There hasn’t been any public planning for accommodating emergencies or natural disasters during the construction.
In the absence of a coordinated campaign from the City, the Post has done its best to keep the community informed about these major projects that will affect the quality of life for years to come in Alameda. Having direct access to I-880 when exiting the Posey Tube will be a huge improvement for Oakland’s Chinatown, and of benefit to Alameda as well. There’s no question about that. But there is going to be a lot of pushback from residents, businesses, and organizations when their income, access, and quality of life suffer because they were not adequately informed with enough lead time to accommodate these major obstacles.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on May 7, 2025 to amend the following: The City began its coordinated outreach campaign in September 2024, and alternative routes have been proposed and shared with the public.
Adam Gillitt is the Publisher of the Alameda Post. Reach him at [email protected]. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Adam-Gillitt.
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