I just noticed that there is a meeting notice on the City’s website because all of the City Council will be touring Clement Avenue for a tour of the proposed roundabout on the East End. To be honest, I don’t know how bad this intersection is because it’s a part of Alameda I rarely go to because, there’s pretty much everything I need on the West End or, like, I have to go to San Leandro to hit up an Asian market or something.
So this is the general area:
And this is the proposed design:
There is a proposed dog park close to the shopping center in that unused space which would be good since I don’t think there is a dedicated dog park on the part of the island and — if memory serves — there were some complaints that there are no dog parks on the East side of Alameda at all.
Of course even with the added safety, again, I don’t know how bad this intersection gets, I’m assuming it’s not great but then when it comes to taking away people’s parking they get sort of upset about that and safety measures seem to be less important than on street parking. It looks like that weirdo triangle of Tilden, Broadway, and Taylor will be smoothed out a bit with Clement extending to Tilden rather than dead ending at Broadway. This will be important with the Clement extension because it will make Clement a fully functioning East to West arterial and take the load off of Buena Vista and other streets.
Anyway, given all of the proposed roundabouts in Alameda folks will start needing to get used to driving them rather than being opposed to the roundabouts.
Blogging Bayport Alameda 
“weirdo triangle of Tilden, Broadway, and Taylor”
Taylor?? Did you mean Clement?
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Living nearby, I use that intersection for all three modes: driving, biking, and walking (often with a wagonful of groceries). The pedestrian safety of that intersection was significantly improved several years ago by re-timing the lights. It can get a bit slow during a busy period but absent bridge closures it’s almost never a big deal.
Questions and comments in no particular order:
-Roundabouts are touted as improving traffic flow AND increasing pedestrian safety, two ideas which are in conflict. If traffic flows freely, that is a danger to pedestrians. When I walk that intersection now, the most dangerous part is crossing the quote-unquote “yield” lanes which allow driver to go right without stopping, much as they will in a roundabout. The straight crossings where traffic is stopped by lights are much safer.
-Do the models predict how many fender benders and car/pedestrian collisions there will be in the early going as drivers get used to an unfamiliar method?
-Further south and west are the Tilden/Broadway and Tilden/BV intersections which are currently far less pedestrian safe the one in reference. They need safety improvements more than Fernside/Tilden does. Has anything been considered for those more dangerous intersections?
Comment by dave — March 7, 2023 @ 6:52 am
Looks like the crosswalks will be placed farther back from the “intersection” for the roundabout which will lead to higher visibility for pedestrians but also will avoid the problematic people looking the opposite direction to take a right turn than where pedestrians are conflicts. The eastern crosswalk looks good but I wonder if the western one should be placed farther back so that drivers are already on a straight path where pedestrians will be crossing the street rather than just exiting the roundabout.
Comment by Lauren Do — March 7, 2023 @ 9:21 am
Or just save a few million and scotch a project that doesn’t improve pedestrian safety, then maybe spend a portion of that cash on intersections that really do lack safety now.
Comment by dave — March 7, 2023 @ 9:30 am
Roundabouts have fewer conflict points for pedestrians and studies have shown increase pedestrian safety. https://usa.streetsblog.org/2022/09/21/study-some-roundabout-designs-slash-crash-injuries-up-to-85/
Comment by Lauren Do — March 7, 2023 @ 9:35 am
Ah, a “study” by “experts”…..
There is no way in hell it’s safer for a pedestrian in a cross walk approached by cars accelerating out of a turn, than in a crosswalk traversed in front of cars stopped by a light. And before you say some drivers will run the red light, note that with a roundabout, ALL of them will be accelerating out of a turn with no stop signal.
On which do you stake your life?
And have you ever tried to cross Tilden at Broadway, or worse, Tilden at Buena Vista?
Comment by dave — March 7, 2023 @ 9:43 am
I saw a presentation about this plan, and I like it!
FYI, Clement would be one way (west bound) through the triangle, from Tilden to Broadway.
I am an infrequent driver & walker in the area. Actually probably more walking, but regardless I like the design and hope that people will resist the urge to ask how they can speed out of town with the roundabout in place. I think I can navigate a roundabout, at a safe speed and watch for pedestrians to give them a clear path.
I am not sure about addressing the other intersections nearby.
Comment by Ron Mooney — March 7, 2023 @ 7:23 am
“I think I can navigate a roundabout, at a safe speed and watch for pedestrians to give them a clear path.”
Everyone thinks they can, we all think we are excellent drivers. Facts say that we all aren’t….
“hope that people will resist the urge to ask how they can speed out of town with the roundabout in place”
Drivers turning right already can and do speed through, they will see no change. Drivers going straight and left will no longer have red lights, and will be able to “speed out of town” even faster. I see no pedestrian safety improvement here, what I do see is a solution in search of a problem.
Comment by dave — March 7, 2023 @ 7:46 am
I don’t like roundabouts. I think they make intersections more confusing and create more problems than solutions. I used to work in SF where they had a huge roundabout in the design district and when walking your placing your life in the hands of confused drivers. It is fine if you are used to it but if you are unsure it is a mess.
I like The Dog Park idea, but where are people going to park their cars. At the shopping center? because the parking is already horrible at that shopping center. My guess is 70-80% of people drive to the dog parks. There is a limited amount of people that live in that area who would walk there.
Comment by Gunter — March 7, 2023 @ 8:14 am
I looked at it again, maybe it will work as far as the roundabout.
I still have issues about where are the dog park people going to park? It may sound stupid but we drive to the dog park 2 times a day and so do a lot of people. Unless you are going to add dog parks in every neighborhood this will be a problem. The Alameda Dog Parks are some of the most used parks in Alameda.
Comment by Gunter — March 7, 2023 @ 8:27 am
Thanks for mentioning that this project includes a dog park for east Alameda. You can learn about all the efforts of the East End Dog Park group to get a dog park somewhere on the east end at our website., https://eastenddogpark.com/
Comment by Jeff Cambra & Mouf — March 7, 2023 @ 8:28 am
Hi Jeff! I just clicked on the link in your comment, and got the following message: “This site is going offline soon. If you enjoy the site, please let the site owner know their plan has expired. Maybe their contact information is on the site?”
Comment by trow125 — March 7, 2023 @ 11:39 am
Humm. Will check it out. Thanks.
Comment by Jeff Cambra — March 7, 2023 @ 12:18 pm
I wish Alameda were unique in the number of brilliant amateur traffic engineers we have. Traffic engineers with training and years of experience are suckers. Just get the neighbors together to crowdsource road design, save cash.
Comment by Like it's hard? — March 7, 2023 @ 9:59 am
Seems to me the “professional “ engineers have slowed down traffic, narrowed streets, restricted parking, engineered more dangerous intersections, and increased commute time-all while spending lots of taxpayer money.
So yes, we should listen to local residents like Dave, who are frequent users of the proposed traffic changes.
Comment by Really — March 7, 2023 @ 11:52 am
To be clear, I made no issue about slowed down traffic, parking etc. I spoke only of pedestrian safety, which this plan purports to improve but actually weakens vs existing streetscape.
Comment by dave — March 7, 2023 @ 12:39 pm
For all the talk and benefits of a roundabout, did the city and transportation planners miss the intersection of Sherman/Clement and Atlantic?
Comment by Wired intersection — March 7, 2023 @ 11:00 am