daily californian logo

BERKELEY'S NEWS • NOVEMBER 21, 2023

Caltrans to begin Interstate 80/Gilman Street interchange construction in May

article image

ALAMEDA COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION | COURTESY

A construction project on the Gilman Street interchange at Interstate 80 will begin in May and is expected to be finished by summer 2023. The project, which is being completed in two phases, is estimated to cost $75 million.

SUPPORT OUR NONPROFIT NEWSROOM

We're an independent student-run newspaper, and need your support to maintain our coverage.

APRIL 15, 2021

Gilman Street will be closed through late May as Caltrans begins construction on the Gilman Street interchange at Interstate 80, or I-80.

There will be an installation of two roundabouts and a pedestrian bridge for the project, which is expected to be completed by the summer of 2023.

The project is being completed in two phases: phase one is the installation of the pedestrian and bicycle overcrossing, while the second phase, beginning in November, will include the installation of the roundabouts. There will be roundabouts on each side of the I-80.

“The purpose of the project is to increase safety and improve navigation, mobility and traffic operations on Gilman Street between West Frontage Road and 5th Street through the I-80 interchange,” an Alameda County Transportation Commission press release reads. “The project will reduce congestion, shorten queues and minimize merging and turning conflicts.”

The Gilman Interchange has seen injury collisions at rates far higher than the national average. For example, data from 2012-15 showed the eastbound on-ramp has injury and fatality rates 95% above the national average. According to the Federal Highway Administration, installing a roundabout can result in a 76% decrease in injury collisions and a 90% decrease in fatality collisions.

The interchange has also been described as a high-stress area for cyclists. The installations include the pedestrian and bicycle overcrossing over I-80, a dedicated two-way bike lane from the west end of Gilman Street to Fourth Street, and bicycle “sharrows” connecting Gilman Street to Codornices Creek, the proposal states.

Street closures will be limited throughout construction. During the first phase, there will be ramp closures on the I-80, street closures and brief one-way overnight closures of the I-80. In the second phase, there will be sporadic closures of Gilman Street, other neighboring streets and ramps but no freeway closures.

The project is currently projected to cost $75 million.

Contact Taylor Rudman at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at @TaylorRudman.
LAST UPDATED

APRIL 15, 2021


Related Articles

featured article
On Thursday, the Bay Area received a total of $407 million from the California Transportation Commission, or CTC, to fund 11 projects.
On Thursday, the Bay Area received a total of $407 million from the California Transportation Commission, or CTC, to fund 11 projects.
featured article
featured article
After 12 years atop the Interstate 80 pedestrian and bicycle overpass, the “Berkeley Big People” statues have been removed by the city of Berkeley due to their costly maintenance and repair needs, as first reported by Berkeleyside.
After 12 years atop the Interstate 80 pedestrian and bicycle overpass, the “Berkeley Big People” statues have been removed by the city of Berkeley due to their costly maintenance and repair needs, as first reported by Berkeleyside.
featured article
featured article
Construction meant to improve safety and ease traffic congestion at the Interstate 80/Gilman Street interchange in Northwest Berkeley is slated to begin by the end of the year, according to a fact sheet recently released by the Alameda County Transportation Commission.
Construction meant to improve safety and ease traffic congestion at the Interstate 80/Gilman Street interchange in Northwest Berkeley is slated to begin by the end of the year, according to a fact sheet recently released by the Alameda County Transportation Commission.
featured article