Caltrans to Revisit Niles Canyon Widening

Officials are pressing "reset" on that would widen the busy, winding two-lane roadway.

According to the Fremont Argus, Caltrans officials — who scrapped the original $80 million plan in December after a lawsuit filed by the Alameda Creek Alliance — unveiled its new proposal at a presentation held last week.

The new and improved plan will ensure that the connector between Fremont and Interstate 680 is as safe as possible, the Argus reports.

"Niles Canyon still does have safety issues and they need to be addressed," Caltrans spokeswoman Traci Ruth said during a meeting. "However, Caltrans has heard the public's concerns and we are committed to working with them."

Analysts from multiple agencies, including Caltrans, the Federal Highway Administration and CHP also gave presentations detailing the safety measures that will be taken (the presentation can be viewed online here).

The project is subject to change pending public feedback, according to the Argus. A final report on the project will be completed within the next two months after the public has had an opportunity to see the plans.

But the crowd of 200 at the meeting wasn’t lulled to rest by Caltrans’ announcements, the newspaper reported.

Among the main concerns from residents were traffic congestion and preserving the natural wildlife and vegetation along the scenic route, which includes a portion of the Alameda Creek, rare animals and hulking trees. Others also asked for more pedestrian and bicycle access. Some even called into question Caltrans’ practices, the Argus reports.

"Last time, they cooked the books," a Fremont resident told reporters, referring to accident data submitted by Caltrans when the original proposal was submitted.

"We do know there is a lot of concern for what we had previously planned to do," Ruth said. "But we're committed to transparency and to finding win-win solutions. We're inviting the public to come along with us.”

Read the full Argus report here.