On August 16th, the City of Emeryville marked a significant milestone with the ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the Quiet Zone Safety Improvement project – a first of its kind through this heavily trafficked rail corridor, which serves as the mainline for the Port of Oakland and Amtrak Cross Country lines. The project aimed to enhance safety and quality of life for residents and businesses in the immediate vicinity of the railroad tracks.
The project, funded by the California Transportation Commission (CTC), Alameda County Transportation Commission, and City of Emeryville, included closing one rail crossing at 66th and Shellmound Street while upgrading two others by installing quad gates, pedestrian gates, and pre-signals at 65th and 67th Streets along with Shellmound Street. These safety improvements now allow trains to pass through without sounding their horns due to the enhanced safety for pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Additional improvements within the project area included, a class IV protected bike lane along Shellmound Street, mill and fill of Shellmound, 65th, 66th, and 67th Streets as well as construction of a new signaled intersection at 67th and Hollis Street.
“The City and Contractor were great partners in the delivery of these much-needed safety improvements. With so many moving parts, this project could have gone sideways. Ultimately, the strength of the team was instrumental to this project’s success and I believe it will serve as a prime example of effective management for future Quiet Zones, setting a benchmark for more improvements in safety and benefits for residents and businesses along the corridor,” said Humza Mansoor, Resident Engineer at MNS.