"Stop Stalling Traffic on the Sunol Grade," Says EDF

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today released a plan for faster congestion relief and increased service on the Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) train in the Bay Area’s most congested travel corridor, the I-680 Sunol Grade. EDF’s plan uses a movable barrier lane, known as a “flexible lane”, to add a southbound lane much earlier than Caltrans’ proposal and can be operated to generate funds for ACE. EDF will be calling on the Sunol Grade Policy Advisory Committee, the group that oversees the addition of a new lane in the traffic-choked corridor, on Friday, March 26, to redirect the Caltrans approach to the Sunol Grade.

“EDF’s report demonstrates that implementation of a ‘flexible lane’ instead of Caltrans’ plan to pour more pavement, will deliver a southbound lane on I-680 sooner by borrowing a lane from the northbound side during the morning commute hours, ” said EDF senior economist analyst, Daniel Kirshner. “The ‘flexible lane’ can also be operated to generate funds for increased ACE rail service in the corridor to give commuters more transportation choices. ”

“Caltrans will take years to do things their way and there will be little relief when Caltrans’ equipment is finally out of the way,” said Michael Cameron, EDF transportation manager. “Why go slow, when with flexible lanes you could be traveling the Sunol Grade faster, sooner and with more transportation choices?”

“Flexible lanes are a smart choice for the Sunol Grade because these lanes provides three added travel options for commuters : use of a southbound HOV lane created by movable lane barriers, Express Lanes, and funds for more frequent ACE service,” said Renee Henry, co-author of the EDF report.

Read the report: Stop Stalling on Sunol