Oakland and San Leandro, CA
Tempo Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
Client: Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit)
Our Role: Program Management
The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) wanted to enhance public transit connectivity, reduce congestion, and provide residents and visitors with fast, reliable, and cost-effective public transportation for linking vibrant, diverse communities to jobs, schools, and retail centers in California’s East Bay region.
The Tempo Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service runs along a 9.5-mile-long corridor from downtown Oakland to the San Leandro Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station. The BRT corridor extends from International Boulevard to East 14th Street, carrying an estimated 25,000 daily riders.
BRT systems provide fast, convenient, and efficient bus service, with vehicles operating in dedicated lanes.
GFT served as the program manager for the successful project, overseeing all design efforts from 35% design to 100% design, and leading nine separate disciplines, including:
- Land acquisition.
- Public outreach.
- Environmental studies.
- Vehicle procurement.
- Utility coordination.
- FTA Small Starts Grant Agreement (SSGA) reporting and applications.
The multi-year assignment leading up to revenue service in Aug. 2020 involved a close working relationship with AC Transit, the project sponsor, on-site personnel, and a team of more than 100 professionals addressing a full range of project design and program management issues. GFT also successfully led all stakeholder coordination, including with AC Transit, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and the cities of Oakland and San Leandro.
Key Features
- Nearly 10 miles of bus-only lanes on streets in Oakland and San Leandro.
- Forty-six curbside and center median stations with level-boarding platforms, safety and security, off-board fare vending, and communication systems.
- Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) for real-time information and transit signal priority.
- Enhanced station lighting for improved safety.
- Low-floor, low-emission, 60-foot articulated buses with doors on both sides for center and side platform boarding.
Outcomes
- Makes complex scientific concepts accessible to diverse audiences.
- Dependable, cost-effective urban transit mobility akin to light rail transit.
- Dedicated bus lanes reduce traffic congestion and improve transit frequency.
- Off-board fare vending accelerates the boarding process.
- Level-boarding platforms enhance passenger accessibility.
- Center median stations reduce street crossing distance.
- More than 450 high-visibility crosswalks increase pedestrian safety.
- Traffic signal prioritization technology helps reduce delays.
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