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The city of Livermore has kicked off the second phase of its ongoing East Avenue Corridor Study to enhance mobility and safety along the stretch between South Livermore Avenue and South Vasco Road.
Phase II — referred to as “Tactical East Avenue” — is a six-month pilot project that will explore elements of the design alternatives produced in Phase I of the East Avenue Corridor Study to arrive at a real-world tested solution for the corridor, according to a statement from the city.
The strategy is derived from Tactical Urbanism, a method of place-making that uses low-cost, temporary materials to offer the city of Livermore and the community the opportunity to experience potential changes to the street before permanent improvements are made.
As part of the project, tactical improvements to East Avenue could include curb extensions, bike lanes, lane re-configuration, and traffic calming interventions, city officials said.
On Wednesday, the city of Livermore and urban planning firm Street Plans were hosting an in-person public workshop to officially set Tactical East Avenue in motion and gave community members a chance to share what measures they’d like to see tested.
Phase I of the study was conducted between 2020 and 2021 and involved community outreach, analyzing existing conditions and preparing multiple design alternatives for the corridor, according to the project website.
Four design alternatives were developed based on input from the community in the first phase. Various elements of the four alternatives will be tested during Tactical East Avenue to help determine the safest and most feasible options.
Some of the changes identified in the alternative designs include, altering the number of travel lanes and size, changing bicycle lane width, and adding bulb-outs and refuge islands.
Safety concerns at the East Avenue Corridor have been raised over the course of several years and the area has been identified as a priority corridor in the Livermore Active Transportation Plan.
However, the urgency to improve the area was recently heightened after a 2019 incident in which 26-year-old Yaneli Morales was fatally struck by a vehicle while trying to cross East Avenue about 100 feet east of the Jensen Street intersection.
While Morales did not use a nearby crosswalk that illuminates when the pedestrian button is pushed, that particular stretch of East Avenue is known among residents for pedestrian safety issues.
At the time, supporters of Morales had launched an online petition calling for action to enhance public safety, including adding more lighting along the street, putting in speed bumps and better visibility of the speed limit signage, among other measures.
Following the city’s workshop this week, city officials said that all presentation materials will be posted on the project website where an online survey is also available to provide input on what should be tested in this phase. To learn more, visit eastavecorridorstudy.com.
