Project

In 2021 and 2022, the City of Alameda painted red curbs at intersections along nine Tier 1 and 2 High Injury Corridors to improve visibility for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.The City is now exploring expanding this project to address Tier 3 High Injury Corridors in 2023. High Injury Corridors are the stretches of road with the highest density of crashes, weighted by severity, based on 10 years of crash data.

Alameda's Vision Zero Action Plan aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2035. The Public Works Department's Policy for Improvements to Visibility (Daylighting), which was created following City Council direction, helps fulfill this goal. It calls for for sufficient visibility at intersections, which enables drivers to see motor vehicle and bicycle traffic in the cross street, as well as pedestrians entering the crosswalk. The figure below illustrates how parked vehicles can narrow visibility, making it impossible for drivers to see people stepping into the crosswalk.

The Daylighting Policy allows for parking to be prohibited within 20 feet of corners to increase visibility and increase safety at any intersection. It also requires visibility enhancements on busier streets, stating that “no parking shall be permitted within 20 feet of intersections along collector and arterial streets” as defined by the Mobility Element of the General Plan. Pursuant of Alameda Municipal Codes 8-7.1 and 8-8.5, the Public Works Director is authorized to remove or change parking to achieve the goals of the Vision Zero Policy as well as the Alameda General Plan Safety Element Policy SN-5, which requires Vision Zero safety measures.  The decision to remove parking in order to improve visibility is not appealable.

The nine (9) corridors completed for this project are Alameda's Tier 1 & 2 High Injury Corridors, with the exceptions for streets with the following:

• Already had sufficient parking prohibitions at the intersection corners.
• Had upcoming projects incorporating daylighting