Representatives Lee and Swalwell celebrate $30 million in funding for the East Bay Greenway Multimodal Project
Oakland, CA – Today, Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-12) and Eric Swalwell (CA-14) celebrated $30 million in federal funding from the United States Department of Transportation for the East Bay Greenway Multimodal Project, which will span from Lake Merritt to Bayfair. Reps. Lee and Swalwell submitted a letter of support for the project and advocated for its inclusion in the 2021 Surface Transportation funding bill.
The project will construct approximately 10 miles of complete street improvements along the project corridor, in the cities of Oakland and San Leandro, California. The project will improve safety and connectivity between both communities by constructing:
- protected bikeways
- pedestrian crossing safety and accessibility improvements
- bus stop enhancements to improve speed and passenger comfort
- placemaking features such as benches, pedestrian scale lighting, and landscaping
“I’m excited to announce this grant funding for a critical multimodal project in our district that not only promotes multimodal improvements, but improves pedestrian safety and fights the climate crisis,” said Rep. Barbara Lee. “I was proud to have advocated for this grant back in 2021, and I thank the Department of Transportation for investing in transit improvements in the East Bay. We must continue making meaningful investments into our public transit systems, multimodal infrastructure, and transit-oriented development. Our constituents deserve safe, viable alternatives to single occupancy vehicles.”
“I’m proud to have voted in support of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that continues to improve communities in the East Bay. In 2021, I along with my colleagues, submitted letters of support for grants to invest in our districts, and we are now seeing the positive impacts. This $30 million award will provide Californians with access to safer trails and will improve facilities for commuters, bicyclists, and pedestrians,” said Rep. Eric Swalwell. “I’m thrilled we are moving forward to achieve our climate goals by providing upgraded transportation systems that will better the lives of the people we serve.”
"This project will provide significant benefits to the communities that it traverses between the Lake Merritt BART station and the Bay Fair BART station, where significant housing and economic development efforts are underway, while helping to meet local, state, and national goals to improve transportation safety, economic competitiveness, climate resilience, and community connectivity,” noted Alameda CTC Commissioner and San Leandro Mayor Juan González III.
“Alameda CTC’s priorities for improving safety and advancing equitable transportation for all can advance even further with this grant award. Reconnecting communities that have been underinvested in will increase safety, access and result in more equitable opportunities for people who live and work in this corridor. This grant will provide a high-quality bike and pedestrian path that people can feel safe to use every day to travel for work, school and recreation. This project also means more affordable and healthier transportation options while providing a cleaner transportation choice that advances our agency’s climate goals,” remarked Alameda CTC Chair, Emeryville Councilmember John J. Bauters. “We thank the Biden-Harris Administration, the Department of Transportation, and our Congressional delegation for making this critical funding available.”
The primary project arterials include East 10th/8th/12th Street, San Leandro Street, San Leandro Boulevard, and East 14th Street (State Route 185), urban arterial roadways that are parallel to the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) system tracks between Lake Merritt BART station in Oakland and the Bayfair district in San Leandro.