Newark staff seeks to reinstate Old Town streetscape, railroad quiet zones and Thornton overlays

City staff asked council to reinstate previously approved street and streetscape projects and to move forward with planned pavement overlays on Thornton Avenue during an Oct. 31 CIP workshop.

The presentation showed conceptual renderings for an Old Town (Thornton Avenue) streetscape improvement that would narrow vehicle lanes from four to two, add buffered bike lanes, widen sidewalks, install high-visibility crosswalks, add landscaping and bioretention and provide gateway/art elements. Sabota characterized the streetscape as an economic-development project rather than a routine street rehab and said slide figures show a substantially higher cost than a typical overlay (presentation slide referenced roughly $17.1 million for the streetscape package).

Staff also discussed railroad quiet-zone work to install safety improvements at multiple crossings and to pursue federal and state approvals so trains would not be required to sound horns in designated quiet zones. Sabota emphasized quiet zones are a two-step process: safety improvements first, then a multi-agency approval and paperwork process that can take substantial time.

On routine street maintenance, staff described two Thornton Avenue overlay phases. Phase 1 (Interstate 880 to Olive Street) covers about one mile with an estimated cost of $4,070,000; Phase 2 was discussed as Ash to Spruce with a separate cost estimate in the presentation. Staff said they coordinate work with the Alameda County Water District to avoid repeated street excavations and noted that if heavy truck traffic can be routed away from the corridor, overlay lifespans could be substantially longer.

Councilmembers urged prioritizing crossings near residential areas for quiet-zone work and recommended reviewing continuity of surfacing work to extend overlays to adjacent segments where feasible. Staff said funding for these projects would come from a mix of regional, state and local grants and street-maintenance funds and that designs for several projects are already in progress.