Antioch Amtrak station and train. Herald file photos.
Will present City’s plan to SJJPA Board of Directors during Friday morning meeting in Martinez
SJJPA staff says “discussion…does not alter the SJJPA board decision” to decommission station
By Allen D. Payton
As previously reported, last year, the Board of Directors of the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority which oversees the operation of the Amtrak line that runs to and through Antioch voted to decommission the station. Last week, Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe posted an announcement on his campaign website that he had found a “Path Forward to Keep Antioch Amtrak Station Open” following a September 9th meeting with the chair and member of the board. However, SJJPA spokesman David Lippari said the “discussion…does not alter the SJJPA board decision” last year to decommission the station.
The announcement reads, “After a great meeting with the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA) and the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC), I’m happy to announce that the Authority and Commission have assured me that we are now on a path to keeping the Antioch Amtrak station open.
Although I am optimistic, we must continue to support keeping the station open. I want to thank SJJPA Chair Pat Hume and SJRRC Chair Nancy Young for visiting the Antioch station yesterday and meeting with city staff and me regarding this important matter.
My office and city staff will develop a plan that I will present to the SJJPA on September 20, 2024, and to the City Council in early October.”
Questions for Mayor, Acting City Manager and SJJPA Staff
Questions were sent to both the mayor and Acting City Manager Kwame Reed about the meeting and for details of the proposed plan asking. They were asked which city staff members were in the meeting and what assurances were given by Directors Hume and Young.
Neither the mayor nor Reed responded prior to publication time.
SJJPA staff were also asked to verify what the mayor shared and for the details of the assurances provided by the board members.
SJJPA Says No Change to Station Closure Plans
In response, Lipari, the SJJPA’s Director of Passenger Experience and Communications, provided the following “statement related to ongoing discussions with the city of Antioch: The SJJPA and the City of Antioch had a recent discussion regarding the future of the Antioch Station. The discussion, which included some members of the SJJPA board leadership and executive team, does not alter the SJJPA board decision but was focused on topics of safety at and around the station. An information item regarding the Antioch Station has been agendized for the SJJPA board meeting on September 20, 2024.”
The agenda item is number 5, listed as Information and entitled, “Antioch Station History and Update”, which will be provided by SJJPA Executive Director Stacey Mortensen.
That information was provided to the mayor and Reed in a further effort asking them to provide what assurances they were given about keeping the station open during last week’s meeting.
Making Transit Work for the Region — Now and In The Future
September is Transit Month
Join MTC and SPUR online and attend a webinar to learn about progress on two regional initiatives — Transit 2050+ and Transit Priority Improvements.
Tuesday, September 3, 2024 – 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Transit 2050+ is the region’s first connected network plan for Bay Area Transit and is also a key component of Plan Bay Area, the region’s sustainable community strategy and regional transportation plan. Unlike prior versions of the Regional Transportation Plan, Transit 2050+ focuses on the overall transit network of the Bay Area and prioritizes near term improvements to transit service, speed and reliability.
MTC is working with transit agencies and with Caltrans, cities and counties to plan and implement Transit Priority Improvements, infrastructure that increases the speed and reliability of Bay Area buses and light rail trains.
Staff from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) will provide an update on Transit 2050+’s progress and will also talk about the plan’s relationship to ongoing work expanding and accelerating transit priority projects across the region.
About SPUR
SPUR — the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association — is a nonprofit public policy organization. We bring people together from across the political spectrum to develop solutions to the big problems cities face. Based in San Francisco, San José, and Oakland, we are recognized as a leading civic planning organization and respected for our independent and holistic approach to urban issues.
About MTC
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission was created by the California Legislature in 1970 to plan, finance and coordinate the Bay Area’s transportation system. The Commission’s scope over the years has expanded to address other regional issues, including housing and development.
MTC provides planning, funding, coordination and technical assistance to the Bay Area’s 101 cities and nine counties, plus, transit agencies and other partners to bring the region together — to make life better for residents and make the Bay Area’s transportation system more resilient to future challenges.
Presented by the CA Office of Traffic Safety, CA Department of Transportation & iHeart Media
Entry deadline: Aug. 29
WHAT: The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) are teaming up with iHeartMedia to announce a statewide contest for a chance to win up to $500 in cash gift cards and prizes. To enter, participants will share with us how they are a traffic safety champion and make a commitment to safe road behaviors. This contest is only open to individuals who are legal U.S. residents of the State of California. Any participants ages 14 and up can enter the contest. For participants under the age of 18 years old, a parent/guardian must sign the registration form.
WHY: Twelve people are killed on California roads every day. The roads are shared by drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians, electric scooters, and other mobility assistance devices such as wheelchairs. When we’re on the road, every action we take gets us to a safer place. Safe roads depend on all of us. The objective is to encourage others to share how they watch out for one another as we start a movement for safer roads together.
WHEN: Contest and submission period: Now through 11:59 p.m. PDT on August 29, 2024.
Winner notification: September 2024/Public Winner Announcement: September 2024.
Construction work to widen Buchanan Road between Somersville Road in Antioch and Meadows Avenue in Pittsburg to serve the Tivoli development is expected to be completed this fall. Photos by Allen D. Payton
Plus, other required mitigationsfor traffic impacts all paid for by developer, expected to be completed this fall
By Allen D. Payton
For those who live or work in East County and haven’t driven on Buchanan Road west of Somersville Road in Antioch, lately, you might not be aware the road is being widened to accommodate a new home development. Seeno Homes’ Tivoli at Tuscany Meadows in Pittsburg will include 917 single family homes and 365 multi-family units on 135.6 acres surrounding the Chevron property. The development was approved in 2015 and 2016 and has some residents concerned about traffic impacts. City of Pittsburg staff say all the mitigations that were proposed in the plans are being implemented. They include widening Buchanan Road to four lanes plus, turn lanes between Somersville Road in Antioch and Meadows Avenue in Pittsburg, as well as nearby affected roads and intersections.
The project will also include an internal collector street, labeled Sequoia Drive, which will connect and provide the new residents access to Somersville Road in Antioch. But the main street in the new development, labeled Tuscany Meadows Drive, will not connect to James Donlon Blvd. using Metcalf Street in Antioch until the long-planned James Donlon Blvd. extension to Kirker Pass Road in Pittsburg is completed. But that project is currently on hold, according to city staff.
City staff also shared, all the mitigations for traffic impacts are being paid for by the developer.
The eastbound view of the Buchanan Road widening project near the Tuscany Meadows Drive entrance to the Tivoli new home development on Thursday, August 15, 2024.
According to the Project Description in the Draft Environmental Impact Report, “Historically the project site was used as an above-ground crude oil tank farm owned by Chevron USA, Inc. However, the tanks and associated piping were removed from the site in 1981.”
According to the City of Pittsburg staff report for the project, the Tuscany Meadows Residential Subdivision consists of 917 single family homes and 365 multi-family residential units on an approximately 170-acre vacant site. The site consists of two parcels bounded on the north by Buchanan Road, to the east by the Contra Costa Canal and Somersville Road, to the south by the Black Diamond Estates residential development (in Antioch), and the west by the Highlands Ranch residential development (in Pittsburg). The project site is located in what was an unincorporated area of Contra Costa County, California between the City of Antioch and the City of Pittsburg limits. In 2011, the City of Pittsburg Urban Limit Line and General Plan were amended, via voter initiative, to reflect and accommodate the proposed project area in anticipation of future annexation and development.
The land was later annexed into the Pittsburg city limits.
The Tuscany Meadows Project Location map showing internal streets and connections. Source: Traffic Impact Analysis
Traffic Impacts
According to the Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) for the project, dated July 30, 2014, the new homes “would contribute to LOS (level of service) operations exceeding the established standards at the following seven intersections: Railroad Avenue at Leland Road (Intersection #3) Buchanan Road at Harbor Street (Intersection #7) Buchanan Road at Loveridge Road (Intersection #12) Buchanan Road at Ventura Drive (Intersection #13) Buchanan Road at Tuscany Meadows Drive (Intersection #15) Buchanan Road at the Tuscany Meadows Apartments (Intersection #17) Buchanan Road at Somersville Road (Intersection #22).”
As shown in Table 5 of the TIA, entitled, “Trip Generation Calculations”, the new home development will produce almost 10,500 Average Daily Trips with most of them from the single-family homes.
The TIA included multiple measures to mitigate the traffic impact on Buchanan Road and other nearby roads and intersections.
The report reads, “The improvements listed below are not currently included in the City’s Transportation Impact Fee Program. Prior to construction of the identified improvements the project would mitigate the above-identified impacts by either constructing the required improvements as outlined below or paying a proportionate share of the construction costs, subject to City approval. The intersection mitigations required for the project to meet the established LOS standards include the following:
Railroad Avenue at E. Leland Road – Construction of an additional southbound left-turn lane and associated widening.
Buchanan Road at Harbor Street – Widening of Buchanan Road at the intersection to allow for the construction of two through lanes on the westbound approach as well as two receiving lanes on the west side of the intersection.
Buchanan Road at Loveridge Road – Widening of Buchanan Road at the intersection to allow for the construction of two through lanes on the westbound approach as well as two receiving lanes on the west side of the intersection.
Buchanan Road at Ventura Drive – Widening of Buchanan Road at the intersection to allow for the construction of two through lanes on the eastbound approach as well as two receiving lanes on the east side of the intersection. Alternative Mitigation: Implementation of PM peak hour metering of southbound Kirker Pass Road at Pheasant Drive (the project has a significant impact in the PM peak hour only).
Buchanan Road at Tuscany Meadows Drive – Widening of Buchanan Road at the intersection to allow for the construction of two through lanes on the eastbound approach as well as two receiving lanes on the east side of the intersection. Alternative Mitigation: Relocation of control point metering to this location and implementation of PM peak hour metering of southbound Kirker Pass Road at Pheasant Drive.
Buchanan Road at the Tuscany Meadows Apartments Entrance – Widening of Buchanan Road at the intersection to allow for the construction of two through lanes on the eastbound approach as well as two receiving lanes on the east side of the intersection. Alternative Mitigation: Implementation of PM peak hour metering of southbound Kirker Pass Road at Pheasant Drive (the project has a significant impact in the PM peak hour only).
Buchanan Road at Somersville Road – Construct an additional eastbound left turn lane to allow for a dual left turn movement onto northbound Somersville Road and an additional northbound lane to allow for a dual left turn movement onto westbound Buchanan Road. Alternative Mitigation: Implementation of PM peak hour metering of southbound Kirker Pass Road at Pheasant Drive.
Beyond these intersections, the analysis indicates the project would not cause any other significant impacts to traffic operations in the area. Please note that mitigations are only proposed to address PM peak hour conditions at the signalized intersection of Buchanan Road with Tuscany Meadows Drive. No mitigations are required to address AM conditions at this intersection because, as discussed in Section 5.5, AM peak hour traffic operations on Buchanan Road are covered by a traffic management plan (TMP) which was adopted as part of the East County Action Plan.
According to the 2017 East CountyAction Plan for Routes of Regional Significance, Buchanan Road is included in the list, “Between Somersville Road and Railroad Avenue. This route serves as a conduit for traffic from East County communities to get to Kirker Pass Road and from there to Central County. Note that Buchanan Road will no longer be designated as a Route of Regional Significance once the James Donlon Boulevard extension is constructed.”
Westbound view of Buchanan Road widening at the southbound entrance to Tuscany Meadows Drive the main road serving the development where the model homes have already been built.
Pittsburg Public Works Director Provides Additional Details
Questions were sent to Pittsburg Community & Economic Development Director Jordan Davis, Assistant Director John Funderburg and Planning Division Senior Planner Hector Rojas, who is the lead agency contact for the project. They were asked when the widening construction is expected to be completed, how it’s being paid for, if either from the per home developer fee imposed by the East Contra Costa Regional Fee and Financing Authority (ECCRFFA) or the county’s half-cent sales tax revenue from Measure J, and which traffic mitigations were included in the approval for the project.
Finally, they were asked where things stand in the process for extending James Donlon Blvd. through the Sky Ranch II development and connecting it to Kirker Pass Road. The adjacent 163-acre, 415 home development, planned for the land south of the Tivoli at Tuscany Meadows project and west of the existing homes in Antioch, was approved in 2004 but has yet to begin construction.
Pittsburg Public Works Director John Samuelson provided the answers. He responded, “The widening of Buchanan Road is scheduled to be completed this Fall. These improvements were a condition of approval on the development and is fully funded by the developer. No ECCRFFA or Measure J funds are being used.
All mitigations identified in the traffic study were used as conditions of approval for this development project.”
The planned James Donlon Blvd. Extension is shown on the map from the 2017 East County Action Plan for Routes of Regional Significance. It also shows another long-planned road connecting to both Buchanan Road and Delta Fair Blvd. in Antioch next to Los Medanos College, labeled Standard Oil Drive.
James Donlon Blvd. Extension from Antioch to Kirker Pass Road on Hold
Samuelson also shared, “The James Donlon Extension Project has been put on hold. There have been some challenges with this project which has caused the City of Pittsburg to change priorities. This is still an important project for this region, and we hope to make progress once development occurs in this area.”
Bike East Bay wants action in response to death of cyclist Linda Woolridge. Photo source: GoFundMe
Identifies victim, asks Antioch council to take action, says they were warned of dangers; police ID suspect; 4 councilmembers, city staff offer no responses to organization, questions
By Allen D. Payton
Following the death of an Antioch cyclist in a collision caused by a drunk driver on Lone Tree Way on Saturday, July 27, 2024, Bike East Bay Bicycle, on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, called it “preventable” and announced a statement sent in a letter to the city council asking for action to “mitigate the ongoing dangers”. The letter also identified the victim as “a 29-year-old mother of 2 named Linda Woolridge.”
As previously reported, according to Antioch Police, the 38-year-old male driver from Antioch, “was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing serious bodily injury or death.” The six-foot tall, 205-pound Hispanic suspect is identified as Alexander Mayorga, born June 29, 1986.
According to Antioch Police Lt. Desmond Bittner, he was arrested and then released pending the results of the toxicology report. Then once we get those back the case will be submitted to the DA’s Office who will determine if charges will be filed against him.”
Asked how long it will take for report to be received Bittner said, “I’m told it’s four to six weeks for the toxicology report. But it depends on the case. For a felony DUI case they could possibly get it expedited.” The case # is 24-006570.
Bike East Bay Facebook post on Aug. 1, 2024.
A post on the group’s Facebook page asks the public to join them in their effort writing, “This week Linda Woolridge was struck and killed by a drunk driver while she was biking on Lone Tree Way in Antioch. Linda was a mother of 2, and the 11th person killed on this corridor since it was increased from 4 to 6 lanes in 2018. We are devastated by all of these preventable tragedies. Please join us in writing Antioch City Council at cityclerk@antiochca.gov ahead of their August 13 meeting, to ask that they coordinate with Bike East Bay on near-term safety mitigations for the corridor.
Read our full statement at the link in our bio.”
The statement signed by Robert Prinz, the organization’s Advocacy Director, says widening Lone Tree Way from four lanes to six lanes in 2018 “was a mistake”, although the road was designed and built to accommodate the additional lanes. They also reminded the council that they and city staff were warned by their members and an Antioch resident about the dangers of eliminating the bicycle only lanes for shared lanes with vehicles before the lanes were added.
However, the organization’s statement acknowledges the “response provided by the city traffic engineer…was as follows: ‘Much thought has been given to the decision to follow the general plan and stripe three lanes along Lone Tree Way (in each direction). This project has been in the works for many years with the Mokelumne Trail being the preferred bike route adjacent to this roadway. Shared bike lanes are also being provided in accordance with the California Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices to provide riders options to use the roadway.’”
The coalition wants the council “to request that staff coordinate with Bike East Bay and the Antioch Parks & Recreation Commission, which currently serves as Antioch’s bike/walk committee, to develop a rapid response, near term safety project for Lone Tree Way and mitigate the ongoing dangers on that corridor.
This project should be informed by countermeasures from the Local Road Safety Plan, as well as Caltrans’ 2024 Complete Streets Contextual Design Guidance.
We also request that you initiate an Antioch bike/walk planning effort, the city’s first and separate from the Contra Costa Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. City Council should form a dedicated bike/walk commission to help provide community oversight on plan development and implementation.”
City council and staff members were asked if they had responded to the organization and, if so, to provide a copy. They were also asked if the council or city staff have any plans to take any action, or if they are already doing something to address Bike East Bay’s concerns.
Only District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock responded writing, “I have not reached out to them. I know I questioned how the cyclist would be able to ride on the roadway and cannot for the life of me remember how I voted. I know I was concerned about the safety.”
That’s because there was no specific vote on the restriping of Lone Tree Way to six lanes. The comment made by a resident mentioned in the coalition’s statement was made during general Public Comments at the council meeting on Nov. 27, 2018, which was shown incorrectly as Nov. 26.
Statement Author Says “This is a Broader Safety Issue”
“It was never agendized,” Prinz stated when asked about the date of the council vote and correct meeting date the comment was made. “It was part of a larger paving project in either 2017 or 2018.”
“It’s not just a bike safety issue. This is a broader safety issue,” he added, which mirrors the list of incidents mentioned in his letter.
“Since then, 11 people have been killed in crashes on Lone Tree Way, many of them related to speeding,” Prinze wrote. “These people included Elijah Holland, an 11-year-old Antioch resident who was crossing the street on foot when he was hit and killed by a driver in 2020 and 20-year-old Angela Fierro, a pregnant mother who was killed while riding in the passenger seat of a vehicle involved in a high-speed crash with another driver.”
“Another 21 individuals have been seriously injured in crashes since the 6-lane configuration was installed, many of whose lives are forever altered via pain and disability,” he added to support his point.
“As to plans, it would have to be part of the next council meeting, which I will reach out to Kwame to see if we can add,” the councilwoman wrote.
Additional attempts to reach Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, Acting City Manager Kwame Reed and Acting Assistant City Manager and Recreation Director Brad Helfenberger for a response were unsuccessful prior to publication time.
A GoFundMe account was set up for Woolridge, but it can no longer be found on the site.
Please check back later for any updates to this report.
Pass2Class offers free bus passes to Contra Costa students at the beginning of the school year to encourage the use of bus transportation to and from school. Pass2Class reduces traffic congestion and air pollution by reducing the number of cars being driven to school.
The 2024 program offers free County Connection, Tri Delta Transit, WestCAT, or AC Transit bus passes for up to two (2) students per household for up to two months. Learn more at https://511contracosta.org/schools/pass2class-program/
Contra Costa County Library is once again offering free Clipper cards for use with Discover & Go reservations from August 1 while supplies last. The offer is good for select Discover & Go attractions. County residents, who are 18 or older, can submit a request for Clipper cards by clicking on the banner ad on their Discover & Go pass starting August 1.
To sign-up for Clipper cards, view your August – December 2024 reservation on your Discover & Go account:
Click the “Print/Download” button
Click on the “Free transit passes” banner on your Discover & Go pass to request your Clipper cards. The banner will look like this:
Clipper cards will be mailed to cardholders’ homes approximately five business days prior to their museum visit. The offer is limited to one request per household (for up to two $20 Clipper cards) and is available while supplies last. This promotion is a partnership between 511 Contra Costa and the Library and is intended to encourage the use of public transportation to visit museums.
“There is no better way to enjoy cultural venues, museums and fun attractions around the Bay Area than Discover & Go,” said County Librarian Alison McKee. “Thanks to 511 Contra Costa you can use public transportation to get there.”
Since its inception in 2011, Discover & Go has met Contra Costa County Library’s goal of providing access to culture inside and outside the library by partnering with over 100 California cultural destinations, and making over 1,000,000 visits possible for library cardholders.
511 Contra Costa is a comprehensive Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program that promotes transportation alternatives to the single occupant vehicle and encourages “green commutes”. For more information, visit 511contracosta.org.
The following attractions qualify as destinations for this Clipper card promotion.
Ardenwood Historic Farm Pacific Pinball Museum
Asian Art Museum Peralta Hacienda Museum
Bay Area Discovery Museum Richmond Museum of History
Beat Museum Ruth Bancroft Garden
Bedford Gallery San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco Symphony
Cartoon Art Museum San Jose Museum of Art
Contemporary Jewish Museum San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles
de Young Museum Shadelands Ranch
Exploratorium Smuin Modern Ballet (San Francisco)
Freight & Salvage (Berkeley) UC Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive
Legion of Honor UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens
Lindsay Wildlife Experience The Tech Interactive
Oakland Museum of California Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum
For additional information about this promotion, you can contactthe Contra Costa County Library at ccclib.org/contact-us.
