CARLSON BOULEVARD CORRIDOR OVERVIEW The prtin f Carlsn Bulevard within the study area stretches apprximately 3.25 miles nrth t suth frm Maine Avenue t the El Cerrit Plaza BART Statin area near San Pabl Avenue. Carlsn intersects with several majr crridrs including Cutting Bulevard, Bayview Avenue, I-80, Central Avenue, and San Pabl Avenue. Maine Avenue t El Cerrit Plaza BART Statin EXISTING CONDITIONS The fllwing issues and pprtunities are present n Carlsn Bulevard: Carlsn runs directly parallel t the Amtrak train tracks and I-580, and as a result, there are n activated land uses n the west side f the street nrth f Mnterey Street. Carlsn Bulevard passes under I-80, which pses significant challenges fr bicycle and pedestrian access as a result f multi-lane n and ff ramps. The skew f the interchange encurages high-speed right-turn mvements at the n-ramps. Typical Carlsn Bulevard crss-sectin nrth f Bayview Avenue. Access t neighbrhds n the west side f the railrad is limited t three lcatins at Cutting Bulevard, Bayview Avenue, and Central Avenue. On the east side, the City s regular blck pattern cntinues, althugh a number f large develpments reduce verall permeability. UPRR rail lines create ne f the mst dangerus intersectins in the state at Carlsn Bulevard/Cutting Bulevard, accrding t the Califrnia Public Utilities Cmmissin despite prximity t schls and residences. Nelsn\Nygaard Cnsulting Assciates, Inc. 10-36
BMP and Pedestrian Plan Prpsed Crss-Sectin PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS The Richmnd Pedestrian Plan and Bicycle Master Plan prpse several imprvements t Carlsn Bulevard: Buffered Bicycle Lanes Suth 23 rd Street t Bayview Avenue Class II Bicycle Lanes Bayview Avenue t Tehama Avenue Existing bicycle lanes suth f Tehama Avenue (cmpleted in 2013) Cnsider grade separatin r rundabut Carlsn Bulevard/Cutting Bulevard intersectin Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Imprvements t Richmnd Greenway at Carlsn Bulevard Shrt-Term: Cnnect nrth f Bradway t 23 rd Street t prvide an n-street cntinuatin f the Richmnd Greenway as a temprary gap clsure Install tw-way cycletrack adjacent t suthbund 23 rd Street Stripe bike lane n part f 22 nd Street bridging 23 rd Street Class I spur path n the east side f Carlsn Bulevard between the Richmnd Greenway and Bradway, which may require right-f-way acquisitin Install tw-way cycletrack n Carlsn Bulevard between Bradway and 23 rd Street Install bicycle signal at Carlsn Bulevard/Bradway t accmmdate transitin between Richmnd Greenway and tw-way cycletracks n Carlsn Bulevard and 22 nd Street Lng-Term: Staggered mid-blck crsswalk acrss Carlsn Bulevard nrth f Ohi Avenue Clse Richmnd Greenway gap acrss 23 rd Street with a bicycle/pedestrian bridge and prvide a crssing at the railrad tracks Nelsn\Nygaard Cnsulting Assciates, Inc. 10-37
PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS/ OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS In the near-term (thrugh 2023), traffic vlumes n Carlsn Bulevard are nt expected t require mre than ne general purpse travel lane in each directin thrughut mst f the crridr, with center left turn lanes in place f a median in advance f selected intersectins. In the near-term, Carlsn Bulevard will cntinue t be served by AC Transit lcal service (Rute 71 linking Richmnd BART with El Cerrit Plaza BART via Carlsn Blvd and Central Avenue), with additinal rutes and shuttles using the crridr suth f Bayview Avenue, as develpment f the Richmnd Bay Campus and Shreline area prceed. Carlsn Bulevard is nt part f the City f Richmnd netwrk f truck rutes. In the lng-term (2030 and beynd), traffic assciated with full build-ut f the Richmnd Bay Campus and ther parts f the Suth Shreline Specific Plan area may increase pressure t expand the peak hur vehicle mvement capacity f this and/r ther key crssings f I-580. It is quite difficult t predict 20- year frecasts even in time perids ver which cnditins are expected t be relatively stable. At present, changes in vehicle miles f travel (VMT) per capita, which peaked in 2004 and cntinues t be in decline even after the recessin; vehicle technlgy, and generatinal shifts in the preference fr driving, make reliable predictin f 20-year frecasts exceedingly difficult. Fr planning purpses, tw ptins have been cnsidered fr Carlsn Bulevard and Cutting Bulevard (ne f the tw may need t revert t the current number f travel lanes (tw thrugh lanes in each directin) t accmmdate traffic between Suth Richmnd and the I-80 and I-580 crridrs). Carlsn Bulevard prvides a lng, cntinuus, nrth-suth link in the bicycle netwrk, linking Central Richmnd t El Cerrit and the El Cerrit Plaza BART Statin. It als cnnects with a prpsed bike bulevard in Albany that cnnects t Berkeley s 9 th Street bike bulevard and cntinues n ther streets thrugh Emeryville and Oakland t the West Oakland BART Statin With enhanced east-west cnnectins between Suth Richmnd and Carlsn Bulevard, Carlsn Bulevard wuld prvide an imprtant bicycle rute t transit Carlsn Bulevard prvides access t the Richmnd Greenway, which cnnects t the Ohlne Greenway and El Cerrit Del Nrte BART Statin t the east. Sidewalk gap clsure and imprvements are being cnsidered fr the nrth and suth sides f Cutting Bulevard just west f the intersectin at Carlsn Bulevard. Thrugh this prject, intersectin imprvements at the Cutting Bulevard/Carlsn Bulevard may als be made. As a result, any nearterm planning and investments shuld cnsider the lng-term recmmendatin fr a rundabut at this lcatin. Thrugh previus planning effrts, grade-separatin f Cutting Bulevard ver the railrad track, just west f the Cutting Bulevard/Carlsn Bulevard intersectin, has been cnsidered but nt included in planning dcument s due t cncerns frm adjacent businesses. CONCEPTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS: NEAR TERM (2015-2024) Building-ff f previus recmmendatins fr these tw crridrs, the SRTCP prpses near-term bicycle and pedestrian imprvements. The intent f the near-term preliminary recmmendatins is t prvide cst-effective, readily-implementable access imprvements using lw-cst materials, such as paint, safe-hit psts, and planter bxes The fllwing segment imprvements are prpsed: Nelsn\Nygaard Cnsulting Assciates, Inc. 10-38
Bradway t Bayview Avenue Fur-lane t tw-lane reductin (ne in each directin) Stripe typical buffered bicycle lanes (11' travel lane, 4' buffer, 7' bike lane) Bayview Avenue t Tehama Avenue Bicycle lanes (70' crss sectin: 8 parking, 6 bicycle lanes, 11 utside travel lanes, and 10 inside travel lanes) Figure 10-16 Carlsn Bulevard, Nrth f Bayview, Cnceptual Recmmendatin, Near-Term (2015-2024) Additinally, the fllwing intersectin treatments are recmmended: Carlsn Bulevard/Richmnd Greenway Install tw-way cycletrack adjacent t suthbund 23rd Street Stripe bike lane n part f 22 nd Street bridging 23 rd Street Class I spur path n the east side f Carlsn Bulevard between the Richmnd Greenway and Bradway, which may require right-f-way acquisitin Nelsn\Nygaard Cnsulting Assciates, Inc. 10-39
Install tw-way cycletrack n Carlsn Bulevard between Bradway and 23 rd Street Install bicycle signal at Carlsn Bulevard/Bradway t accmmdate transitin between Richmnd Greenway and tw-way cycletracks n Carlsn Bulevard and 22 nd Street Carlsn Bulevard/Bayview Avenue Eliminate turn pckets where required, stripe curb extensins, stripe median nse, and accmmdate bikeways and prtected intersectin feature (see the Bayview Avenue Crridr Prfile n Page 10-49 fr an illustratin f cnceptual recmmendatins fr this intersectin). Mark and Enhance Crsswalk apprximately every 500 (every tw blcks) between Tehama Avenue and Central Avenue Stripe median refuge with planters and safe-hit psts at SB ff-ramp Narrw n-ramp t have n receiving lane Stripe curb extensin with planters and safe-hit psts at suthwest crner f SB n-ramp T supprt frequent crsswalks, cnsider marking crsswalks at: Carl Avenue Placer Street Plumas Avenue Sutter Avenue Sacrament Avenue Panama Avenue El Drad Street Carlsn Bulevard/I-80 WB Ramps Stripe median refuge with planters and safe-hit psts at SB ff-ramp Narrw n-ramp t have n receiving lane Stripe curb extensin with planters and safe-hit psts at suthwest crner f WB n-ramp Cmplete a signal warrant analysis t cnsider implementatin f a traffic signal t supprt nrthbund left-turns nt I-80 EB Ramp and left-turns ff f the I-80 WB ramp Crdinate with existing I-80 EB Ramps signal and a ptential signal at Tehama Avenue/San Luis Avenue Carlsn Bulevard/I-80 EB Ramps Narrw n-ramp t have ne receiving lane Stripe curb extensin with planters and safe-hit psts at nrtheast crner f EB n-ramp Mdify signal and intersectin gemetry t remve right-turn slip lane Carlsn Bulevard/Tehama Avenue/San Luis Avenue Cmplete a signal warrant analysis t cnsider implementatin f a traffic signal t sup Crdinate with existing I-80 EB Ramps signal and a ptential signal at I-80 WB Ramps Relcate bus stps t far-side f intersectin if signal is implemented Carlsn Bulevard/Clumbia Avenue and Carlsn Bulevard/Sacrament Ave Cmplete a signal warrant analysis t cnsider implementatin f traffic cntrls t supprt safe rutes t schl at Fairmunt Elementary Schl and destinatins n San Pabl Avenue. Nelsn\Nygaard Cnsulting Assciates, Inc. 10-40
Cnceptual recmmendatin is fr installatin f RRFB and in-street lighting fr the pedestrian crssing at Sacrament and full signalizatin fr the crssing at Clumbia Avenue. Relcate bus stps t be at the far side f all signalized intersectins, where supprted by existing crsswalks and land uses As detailed abve, suth f Tehama Avenue, it is recmmended the enhanced crsswalks be marked and installed with pedestrian-activated beacns apprximately every 500 feet (apprximately every tw blcks thrugh the Richmnd Annex). The intent is t imprve pedestrian access thrugh the neighbrhd, particularly where Carlsn still have a fur-lane crss sectin. The crsswalk enhancements listed abve assume the 500 ft spacing. Transit In the near-term Carlsn Bulevard will cntinue t be served by AC Transit Lcal Line 71 (Richmnd BART-El Cerrit Plaza BART), with service frequency increasing ver time suth f Suth 47 th Street, as demand increases in assciatin with develpment at the Berkeley Glbal Campus (BGC) and within the Suth Shreline area. Future transit cnnectins and service frequency alng Carlsn Bulevard depend in part n rute ptins fr serving the new BGC as it develps. Suth f Bayview, cmbined transit service frequency n Carlsn Bulevard will be ne bus every 10-15 minutes, as a result f ruting a new direct service frm Richmnd BART t El Cerrit Plaza BART via Marina Bay Parkway/Suth 23 rd, Regatta Bulevard, Meade Street, Bayview Avenue, Carlsn Bulevard, and Central Avenue. This level f service and estimated future traffic vlumes n Carlsn Bulevard d nt necessitate lane dedicatin fr transit r HOV in the near-term. All existing bus stps in the crridr wuld need t be made fully accessible fr peple with limited mbility and where necessary, upgraded with shelters, benches and schedule infrmatin. CONCEPTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS: LONG-RANGE (2030 +) Lng-range slutins are all als prpsed, as anticipated develpment frm the Suth Shreline area and the Lawrence Berkeley Natinal Lab Richmnd Bay Campus take shape. The lng-range recmmendatins include making majr changes t the radway, such as adjusting curb and gutter and prviding raised cycletracks, sme f which may be funded thrugh develpment. The fllwing segment imprvements are prpsed: Bradway t Bayview Avenue Fur- t tw-lane reductin (ne lane in each directin) Tw-way cycletrack n the west side f the street (10' bikeway, 3' minimum buffer; install sft-hit psts, rumble strips separating buffer and travel lane) Narrw travel lanes t 10' suthbund t accmmdate wider bikeway Nrthbund, assign additinal radway space frm lane reductin t a widening the landscaped median Cnsider widening the sidewalk (instead f widening the median) in the future if land uses with higher pedestrian demand redevelp Bayview Avenue t Tehama Avenue Nelsn\Nygaard Cnsulting Assciates, Inc. 10-41
Maintain Class II bicycle lanes within existing right-f-way, as prpsed under the near-term imprvements (70' crss sectin: 8 parking, 6 bicycle lanes, 11 utside travel lanes, and 10 inside travel lanes) Cnsider a fur- t three-lane reductin with additinal radway space used t prvide parkingseparated directinal cycletracks (6 bicycle lanes, 3 buffers, 8 parking, 11 travel lanes, and 10 twway left-turn lane). Prvide 6 raised median refuge at unsignalized crsswalks. All lcatins Pedestrian-scale lighting crridr-wide n Carlsn Bicycle and pedestrian wayfinding signs Figure 10-17 Carlsn Blvd. at Cutting Blvd., Preliminary Recmmendatin, Lng-Term (2030+) Nelsn\Nygaard Cnsulting Assciates, Inc. 10-42
Additinally, the fllwing intersectin treatments are recmmended: Transit Cutting Bulevard/Carlsn Bulevard Cnsider implementing a rundabut instead f a signal at this lcatin pending future feasibility analysis building n the wrk cmpeted fr the Pedestrian Plan and City supprt Define radway edge with curb and gutter n nrthwest and suthwest crners with curb extensins and squaring up crsswalks Clse sidewalk gap n nrth and suth sides f Cutting Bulevard Prvide extra wide sidewalk n the suth side f Cutting with space marked fr travel by bicycles, linking the prpsed Spring Street bikeway t a wide crsswalk cnnectin t the Carlsn Bulevard cycle track. Widen suthbund Carlsn Bulevard apprach t accmmdate right-turn pcket Install separate bike phase r prtected turn phasing acrss cycletrack Cnsider grade separatin f the railrad tracks in the lnger term, depending n City and cmmunity supprt Carlsn Bulevard/Bayview Avenue and Carlsn Bulevard/Bradway Install separate bike phase r prtected turn phasing acrss cycletrack All Intersectins Bicycle Signal Detectin In the lng-term (2030 and beynd), the fllwing transit enhancements are prpsed fr the Carlsn Bulevard crridr: Service alng the entire crridr, frm El Cerrit Plaza BART t Richmnd BART wuld be upgraded t meet frequent service standards (service every 15 minutes r better at least 18 hurs per day n weekdays). Service frequency wuld be best (every 7-15 minutes) suth f Bayview Avenue, with the additin f a new frequent service rute cnnecting Richmnd BART with El Cerrit Plaza BART, via Marina Bay Parkway/Suth 23 rd, Regatta Bulevard, Meade Street, the SE edge f the Berkeley Glbal Campus, Bayview Avenue, Carlsn Bulevard and Central Avenue. A new rail transit statin alng the UPRR crridr at r near the prpsed Suth 47 th Street verpass f I- 580 wuld prvide reginal transit cnnectins fr residents f the Carlsn Crridr, emplyees f the Richmnd Bay Campus, and ther Shreline area residents, emplyees and visitrs. The statin wuld be cntingent upn the develpment f an Eastshre transit line (similar in frequency, capacity and functin t the ebart line currently under cnstructin in East Cntra Csta Cunty, as envisined in the San Francisc Bay Area Reginal Rail Plan and the draft BART Metr Visin plan). The new service wuld be prvided n r adjacent t the existing Unin Pacific main line, cnnecting Hercules and Richmnd t San Leandr, with stps in Berkeley, Emeryville, West Oakland (with a ptential direct cnnectin t BART) amng thers. All existing bus stps in the crridr wuld need t be made fully accessible fr peple with limited mbility and where necessary, upgraded with shelters, benches and schedule infrmatin. Nelsn\Nygaard Cnsulting Assciates, Inc. 10-43
This level f service and estimated future traffic vlumes n Carlsn Bulevard d nt necessitate lane dedicatin fr transit r HOV in the near-term, althugh the City f Richmnd and AC Transit shuld carefully mnitr transit and vehicle traffic patterns ver time and adjust lane restrictins and crridr travel pririty accrdingly. KEY OUTCOMES The fllwing key utcmes are anticipated as a result f the near-term and lng-term recmmendatins: Reduced pedestrian crssing distances at signalized and unsignalized intersectins Prvides lw-stress bike cnnectins between Richmnd Greenway/Central Richmnd and El Cerrit Plaza BART Statin area Access t Shreline and Richmnd Bay Campus fr residents f Eastshre, Parkview, Pandhandle Annex, and Richmnd Annex residents Nelsn\Nygaard Cnsulting Assciates, Inc. 10-44