These blog posts about Otis Drive (State Route 61) in Alameda are practically writing themselves — unfortunately.
Here's yet another car crash from last night:
How to bring change — an actual physical change — to Otis Drive? I'm honestly not sure. Caltrans District 4 is a bureaucracy of ~3,500 staff. And the City of Alameda seems to have its hands full with other things. The planning for this project appears to be entirely on autopilot.
Nevertheless, there are no shovels in the ground. There's still time to tell these bureaucracies that they can — and should — do better.
An email you can send this week
Here's an email that an "Alameda resident, driver, cyclist, walker, father of 3" sent the other day. With his permission, I've slimmed down his email and am sharing it here for others to use:
To: caltrans_d4@dot.ca.gov, dina.el-tawansy@dot.ca.gov, citycouncil-list@alamedaca.gov, transportation@alamedaca.gov
Re: Disappointed in Caltrans plans for Otis Drive (SR-61) in Alameda
Dear Caltrans District 4,
I followed the recent Alameda city Transportation Commission where Caltrans presented plans for SR-61. I am extremely disappointed that Caltrans plans to keep 4 lanes on Otis from the Bay Farm bridge to Broadway. I was shocked at the dismissal of a Complete Streets Decision Document sign-off as mere paperwork. Invoking a process technicality to sidestep real safety improvements is galling.
This will effectively allow people to continue speeding along Otis past a massive park and elementary school, all the way to ... the line of cars backed up at the Broadway stoplight. People turning right onto Broadway will fly by the backup at 30+ MPH, increasing the risk of accidents.
I am frustrated that Caltrans continues to focus primarily on efficient movement of cars over the safety, livability, and non-vehicular transportation options for the people of Alameda. We are pleading for lower speeds, road diets, and meaningful investments in safety — not 4-lane boulevards through our neighborhoods.
Best regards,
[your name]
["Alameda resident" or "Alameda pedestrian" or "Alameda cyclist" or "Alameda driver" or however you'd like to describe yourself]
If you feel it's useful you're also welcome to borrow words from any other posts on this blog, although that's not necessary. What's most important is hearing from a wide range of folks who express their own genuine concerns.
Please consider sending an email this week.
The danger of making a concrete "ask" in local politics is that the decision-makers sitting on the sidelines can see the number of people who are actively engaged on a topic — it's often a small number. But the upside is that the folks who do care can meet each other and make a good-faith effort to persuade decision-makers. In Alameda, every voice does count.