Leaders celebrate projects to improve transportation, goods movement at the Port of Oakland

The Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC), Port of Oakland, and City of Oakland today announced important milestones for two major transportation improvement projects at the Port of Oakland.

The two projects celebrated include:

A Ribbon Cutting for the Freight Intelligent Transportation Systems (FITS) Project: Installation of state of the art technology to more efficiently manage truck arrivals and goods movement, improve safety and incident response, and reduce vehicle wait times and emissions; and
The Groundbreaking for 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 today’s ADA and design standards and connect with the waterfront; and a project “green element” with of live plants on the pathway wall at the community’s request.
Leaders heralding the two milestones included: Alameda CTC Chair and Emeryville Mayor John J. Bauters; Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao; Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Commissioner, Alameda CTC Commissioner and Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley; Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners President Barbara Leslie; California Transportation Commission Chair and President/CEO of the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation Lee Ann Eager; and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 4 Director, Dina El-Tawansy representing the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA).
“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.

“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,” observed Chair Bauters. “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.”

The FITS project is deploying 15 advanced and innovative demonstration technologies to improve the efficiency, safety, operations, circulation and reliability of truck and rail access throughout the Port of Oakland and reduce the impact of cargo trucks on the West Oakland community. FITS technology innovations include the availability of real-time traveler information for truck drivers and other goods movement providers on their mobile devices, giving drivers predictability and the ability to better plan their Port visits.

“Through the hard work and dedication of civil servants at the local, regional, state, and federal levels, today, we are kicking off a long-overdue improvement to West Oakland that will not only strengthen the efficiency and economic competitiveness of our Port but also bring health, safety, and mobility benefits to our historically underserved West Oakland residents,” shared Mayor Thao. “This is a great example of the types of win-win-win solutions we can accomplish when we work together, and we are so thankful to have the support of so many regional, state, and federal partners.”

The 7SGSE project improvements include reconstructing the more than 90-year old underpass that serves as the primary gateway for forty percent of trucks entering the Port and that Union Pacific Railroad trains rely on to pass over 7th Street. These improvements will relieve truck and vehicle congestion, increase safety and provide flexibility for seaport cargo operations. The Project also includes a shared bicycle/pedestrian pathway for public access to the Middle Harbor Shoreline Park and will increase efficiency, foster sustainability and support the entire Northern California economy. Alameda CTC will manage construction of the project with engineering support from the Port of Oakland.

“We're thrilled to celebrate the groundbreaking of the 7th Street Grade Separation East project," said Barbara Leslie, president of the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners. "We are grateful to the Alameda County Transportation Commission and the Newsom and Biden Administrations, for investing in Oakland and the region. Along with the technology components of the Freight Intelligent Transportation System program, these initiatives will improve the safety and efficiency of Port operations while reducing emissions and creating better access to the shoreline for local residents."

The FITS project technology is anticipated to be fully live this fall. The 7SGSE project is now in the construction phase, with work anticipated to begin before this fall. Funding partners for the FITS and 7SGSE projects include: Alameda CTC, the California Transportation Commission, the California State Transportation Agency, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Port of Oakland, the Federal Highway Administration, and the Department of Homeland Security.