The Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC), the Port of Oakland, and the City of Oakland have announced significant milestones for two major transportation enhancement projects.
According to the Port of Oakland, the two projects celebrated include:
- A Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Freight Intelligent Transportation Systems (FITS) Project: Installation of cutting-edge technology to better manage truck arrivals and commodities flow, increase safety and incident response, and minimise vehicle wait times and emissions.
- The 7th Street Grade Separation East Segment (7SGSE) Project: Improvements to a primary gateway to the Port of Oakland, including roadway reconfiguration and reconstruction; upgrading the current bike and pedestrian pathway to meet current ADA and design standards and connect with the waterfront; and a project ‘green element’ with live plants on the pathway wall at the request of the community.
Many notable leaders were heralding the two milestones, including: Alameda CTC Chair and Emeryville Mayor John J. Bauters; Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao; Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Commissioner.
The FITS project plans to implement 15 novel demonstration technologies to improve the efficiency, safety, operations, circulation, and dependability of truck and rail access across the Port of Oakland, as well as to lessen cargo truck impact on the West Oakland community.
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FITS technological advancements reportedly include the provision of real-time traveller information on mobile devices for truck drivers and other goods transportation providers, providing predictability and the opportunity to better schedule port visits.
“The FITS and 7SGSE projects are bringing critical improvements to the local community as well as to the larger region,” noted Alameda CTC Chair John J. Bauters.
“These efforts will increase the safety and efficiency of truck and rail access at the busiest port in Northern California.
“We are also delivering a high-quality modern bicycle and pedestrian pathway connection to Middle Harbor Shoreline Park and a project greenwall along 7th Street, reflecting improvements requested by West Oakland residents.”
Bauters added: “Our thanks go to our government and agency partners and to the community members in West Oakland for their collaboration in bringing this project to the construction phase.
“We also have great appreciation for the Federal Highway Administration, California Transportation Commission, CalSTA, Caltrans, MTC, and to Alameda County voters for funding this project so we can deliver on our promises.”
This month, the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners approved a fiscal year 2024 (FY24) budget of $558 million.
More recently, the Port of Oakland announced that their overall container volume decreased in June of this year compared to June of 2022.
