Albany transportation commissioners back Marin Avenue phase 2 plans with added lighting, signal upgrades

Albany’s Transportation Commission on Dec. 19 voted to recommend City Council approve plans for phase 2 of the Marin Avenue pavement and curb rehabilitation project, which staff said includes intersection safety lighting, upgrades to the Peralta Avenue traffic signal and a set of curb‑ramp and striping revisions.

The recommendation follows a staff presentation that described designs altered by shallow bedrock and subgrade instability, the need to add intersection lighting identified in a city lighting evaluation, and the decision to raise some sidewalks and corners rather than lower the roadway where construction would be difficult.

The update came from James Cirelli, associate engineer with the Public Works Department, who told the commission he and project staff revised the 2022 design after East Bay Municipal Utility District identified a need to replace water lines and crews discovered very shallow bedrock at several intersections. “We…