What's Happening on Potrero at the I-80 Overpass?

If you're wondering about the road crews working on Potrero Avenue near Interstate 80 — a hot spot for traffic accidents — you may be glad to know that a number of safety improvements are under way.

The construction activities now taking place are meant to address hazards in the 500-foot stretch of Potrero that includes four intersections – S. 56th Street, S. 55th Street, a freeway on-ramp and a freeway off-ramp.

"This area has a disproportionately high collision rate," says a City of El Cerrito webpage about the project.

"The project is expected to result in the reduction of the predominant collision patterns along this roadway segment, for motorists and bicyclists," the city says. "The project will bring all elements of the intersection to the latest requirements of ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and make accommodations for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit vehicles."

The city lists the following components of the project:

• Extend the left-turn lane at the I-80 Westbound On-Ramp westward to S. 55th Street, and modify the centerline west of S. 55th Street. Presently drivers on eastbound Potrero Avenue are confused seeing cars moving in opposite directions and signaling a left turn. They have trouble assessing if the cars are turning onto I-80 Westbound on-ramp or onto 55th Street.

• Remove the right-turn island at the I-80 Eastbound Off-Ramp. Eliminating the free (“uncontrolled”) right-turn movement is expected to address safety concerns created by the limited sight distance and short merging distance between the I-80 Off-Ramp and S. 56th Street, as well as, improve pedestrian safety.

• Modify and upgrade the traffic signals at this intersection to provide protected left-turn phasing for the I-80 Eastbound Off-Ramp, Eastshore Boulevard and Potrero Avenue approaches. The new left-turn phasing will assign right of way as well as address sight distance problems created by the existing roadway alignment

• Modify the median at S. 56th Street and prohibit parking at the very end of northbound 56th Street. The current shape of the median obstructs northbound left turns from S. 56th Street to westbound Potrero Avenue. The three existing parking spaces along the east curb of E. 56th Street obstruct and delay northbound drivers turning right to eastbound Potrero Avenue. This delay causes drivers to become frustrated and accept less than optimum gaps in traffic. Prohibiting on-street parking from 3 to 6 p.m. on weekdays and striping a right-turn lane is expected to facilitate the left turns as well.

• Add a crosswalk on the west leg of Potrero Avenue, where none exists now.

• Modify the median on Eastshore Avenue.

• Add bicycle detection and pavement markings.

A federal Highway Safety Improvement Program grant of $584,910 is providing 90 percent of the funding, with a local match of $64,990 from Measure J and Proposition 1B, according to the city.

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