10 - Laserfiche WebLink

BACKGROUND In conjunction with the Cities of Pleasanton, Livermore, and Dublin, Caltrans activated all remaining tri- valley 1 -580 eastbound ramp meters in January 2008 to improve eastbound congestion during the PM commute. Ramp metering resulted in 32% improved average travel times and a 7% volume increase along the corridor. City staff saw corresponding traffic volume decreases on popular Pleasanton cut - through routes during this same time period. Caltrans activated all tri- valley 1 -580 westbound ramp meters in September 2008 to improve westbound congestion during the morning commute. Ramp metering resulted in 17% improved average travel times and a 7% volume increase along the corridor. City staff saw corresponding decreases in traffic volumes on popular Pleasanton cut - through routes during this same time period. Caltrans is planning to activate a southbouncl 1 -680 ramp metering program as part of their Southbound Express Lane Project. The project includes ramp meters from Stoneridge Drive in Pleasanton to Route 237 in Milpitas and includes interchanges in the Cities of Pleasanton, Fremont, Milpitas and unincorporated Alameda County including State Route 84. The project goal is to maximize the efficiency of 1 -680, encourage the use of buses and carpools, and reduce congestion along southbound 1- 680 during the morning peak hours. DISCUSSION Caltrans personnel recently collected data along the corridor and at all freeway onramps. This data was input in Caltrans' freeway traffic simulation model to quantify ramp metering impacts and improvements along the 1 -680 corridor. Two locations were determined to create the greatest congestion points. These locations are the on ramps at Sunol Boulevard and State Route 84. The goal of the ramp metering project is to stabilize the freeway flow at these locations by limiting and /or smoothing the rate at which vehicles enter the freeway. City staff has worked with Caltrans to develop ramp metering timing plans that maintain or reduce regional cut - through traffic, minimize delays at southbound 1 -680 onramps in Pleasanton, and improve congestion on southbound 1 -680. Caltrans anticipates the ability to activate the westbound ramp meters in May 2011. While some initial delay is expected at the Sunol on ramp (2 -3 minutes at the peak hour), the overall travel time along the corridor is expected to improve for the vehicles that enter at Sunol Boulevard as well as for all the other vehicles on the system (5 -6 minute reduction in travel time for all vehicles on the 680 southbound network). City staff will work with Caltrans to adjust the metering rates at the Pleasanton ramps as well as the State Route 84 ramp. This will ensure that rates will be set to encourage the use of State Route 84 and reduce the use of Pleasanton local streets for cut - through access to 1 -680. If staff or the Council finds that one or more of the metered ramps results in unacceptable increases in traffic delays or congestion, Caltrans will — at the City's request — operate the specified onramp metering lights in constant green mode or at the Page 2 of 3