I-580 Eastbound Express Lanes Project

Rapid development in Alameda County and the Central Valley has resulted in increased interregional traffic in recent years. Traffic delays have steadily grown worse along the I-580 corridor over the past decade. Existing congestion is attributed to heavy commuter traffic during weekdays and heavy recreational traffic on weekends. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) travel projections show that commutes to and from the Bay Area will nearly double over the next 20 years.

The Alameda County Congestion Management Agency (ACCMA), in cooperation with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is currently sponsoring the construction of an eastbound HOV Lane along I-580 from Hacienda Drive to east of Greenville Road, which began in September 2008. The improvements are within the existing right-of-way.

The first segment of roadway construction, an HOV lane from Portola Road to Greenville Road, opened in October 2009. The second segment, from Airway Boulevard to Portola Road, opened in July 2010. Construction of the final segment, from Hacienda Road to Airway Boulevard Road, is scheduled to be completed in Fall 2010.

The ACCMA and Caltrans are also preparing an environmental document for conversion of the HOV lane to an Express Lane. That document is expected to be completed in 2010, and ACCMA is studying the feasibility of providing two Express Lanes eastbound. The entire eastbound HOV lane is expected to be converted to Express Lanes in 2011.

All drivers will need a FasTrak toll tag to use the Express Lane -- with solo drivers paying a toll electronically while carpools, transit users, motorcycles and other HOV vehicles can use the lanes for free. There will be no tollbooths, only electronic tolling using FasTrak toll tags. The eastbound I-580 improvements which include Express Lanes, auxiliary lanes and sound walls, are expected to be completed in 2011.

Pre-phases of this project began in late 2006 with the installation of traffic monitoring devices to help manage congestion associated with construction of the eastbound Express Lanes in the short term. After construction of the Express Lanes, the traffic monitoring elements will continue to give travelers traffic incident information to help minimize delays.

The I-580 Eastbound Express Lanes Project is the first phase of a multi-phase Tri-Valley Implementation Plan for I-580, Route 84, and I-680 corridors.

- Go to Printable Fact Sheet
- Go to Engineering Plan