Caltrans' Plan For The Sunol Grade: Obsolete From Day One

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today released a report demonstrating that Caltrans’ plan to reduce traffic on the Bay Area’s most congested highway, the Sunol Grade, will be obsolete from day one. EDF’s report, Express Solutions on Sunol, shows that Caltrans’ plan is a detour to gridlock, while Express Lanes would cut congestion on the Sunol Grade by two-thirds. An Express Lane is a three-person carpool lane that other cars can access for a fee.

“Caltrans’ plan for the Sunol Grade will fail almost immediately,” said EDF senior economist Daniel Kirshner. “Caltrans’ plans to add a southbound lane, which would be limited to two-person carpools in rush hours. Our analysis shows that both the existing lanes and the new carpool lane on the Sunol Grade will be virtually gridlocked.”

An Express Lane on the Sunol Grade, however, would keep traffic running without delay. Overall, Express Lanes would reduce total delays on the Sunol Grade by two-thirds. Express Lanes would also generate new revenue to increase Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) train service and fund other travel choices in the corridor.

“Traffic is a problem that’s only going to get worse on the Sunol Grade unless we effectively move more cars and people with Express Lanes,” said Meg Krehbiel, EDF policy analyst.

EDF’s proposal to operate the new carpool lane as an Express Lane would provide four added travel options to commuters at a fraction of the cost of Caltrans’ plan. Commuters would have the choice of using: a southbound carpool lane, a northbound carpool lane (by reserving the new lane with barriers), Express Lanes, and more frequent ACE service.