City addresses Oakland Alameda Access Project, Alameda Sings! Artistic Director opening, and “Safe Parking Sites”
The City Speaks Out on the OAAP
To the Editor:
It is misleading to suggest that from now until 2029 there will be full and partial closures of the tubes. We believe that when the project starts later this year, the two-lane Webster Tube will be reduced to one lane for six months. When that construction is complete, the two-lane Posey Tube will be reduced to one lane for 12 months. At no time will both tubes be closed. We also anticipate a few overnight and weekend closures, one tube at a time, similar to the regular nighttime maintenance closures we help Caltrans promote. The City of Alameda has been instrumental in advocating on behalf of its residents and businesses when it comes to advising on closure dates.
The Oakland Alameda Access Project is not a City of Alameda construction project, and while the City has been involved in the planning for many years, staff was only informed last year about the possibility of single-lane closures during construction. At that time, the City enlisted its team of engineers and transportation planners to work with the project partners to mitigate delays. These efforts have reduced the duration of single-lane closures by at least one year. The City has long advocated for informing our residents, businesses, and stakeholders about potential impacts and is responsible for influencing the decision to bring two educational open houses to Alameda last month. Information about the opportunity to learn more through these open houses was amplified by the City, sent out to over 1,800 recipients, shared via a large number of community partners, and advertised via paid media. An additional virtual Open House will be hosted next week to inform community members who were not able to attend an event in person.
The lead agencies for this project, Alameda County Transportation Commission and Caltrans, are responsible for identifying alternate routes in close consultation with the City of Alameda and other partners. Alternative routes have been proposed and shared with the public. These lead agencies have regular meetings with local businesses to share updates and the City has been working to expand the water shuttle and ferry service, increase options to BART, coordinate with AC Transit to minimize delays, build a web page dedicated to business supports, and work with Caltrans and other partners to ensure safety.
The City began its coordinated outreach campaign in September 2024 when we shared information about the project along with an October meeting that was open to the public. In November, the City shared another project update with information about a December meeting. On April 10, the City shared information about community meetings in Oakland and Alameda being planned by the lead agencies. On April 11, the City shared an update on social media that reached more than 56,000 people and sent an update by email to more than 57,000 individuals, which was opened by more than half of all recipients. Finally, the City shared information about Alameda open house events on April 24 and April 28 and will share information about the virtual town hall later this week.
Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions regarding the OAAP.
Sarah Henry
Communications & Legislative Affairs Officer, City of Alameda
Alameda Sings! is Searching for an Artistic Director
To the Editor,
Alameda Sings! is looking for an Artistic Director to start the new year for us in 2026.
Our community chorus is a nonprofit organization in partnership with Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD). We are a non-audition SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass) chorus of about 40 to 45 singers.
Our mission is to engage the community in advancing the love of choral music through education, performance, and collaboration. All singers in our choir register through and pay tuition to ARPD. Rehearsals are on Monday nights, 7-9 p.m., at Mastick Senior Center, 1155 Santa Clara Avenue.
We hold two concerts a year, Winter and Spring, at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium, 2003 Central Avenue.
Candidates for the Artistic Director position should have experience leading larger choral groups with blended voices and be capable of conducting a variety of styles of music.
Additional duties include serving in an advisory position to the Board of Directors; communicating with ARPD about season dates, rehearsal, and performance spaces; and working with the accompanist on teaching songs throughout the season.
The candidate who is chosen for the position will be required to submit a director proposal to ARPD by September.
Interested parties should contact Board President Jo Lowe at 415-302-9802, [email protected], or Board Member Laurie Harper at 510-219-6862, [email protected].
Thank you,
Kassie Demopoulos
Marketing Director, Alameda Sings! Community Chorus
Safe Parking Sites – Necessary, But Must Come with Equity
To the Editor:
“A single adult needs to make $147,430 to live comfortably there, according to a study from SmartAsset, while a family of four must earn a whopping $371,571 (Pawlowska, 2025). Living in the Bay Area is expensive, as the numbers above prove. Many cities, including Alameda, where I live, have begun creating “Safe Parking Sites.” While I understand the need for unhoused individuals to have a safe place to park, it has created unintended consequences for residents, particularly when those who park do not follow the rules. They park their recreational vehicles and converted buses on the street, leaving no space for visitors.
There is also considerable ongoing construction near the Safe Parking Site near my residence. Fencing has been erected just outside my back door, creating an unintended dog run. Individuals from the safe parking site use it to let their pets exercise and relieve themselves without cleaning up. Some nights, I have returned home alone, finding users of the safe parking site loitering on the complex property, leaving me feeling unsafe.
Before the location was turned into a Safe Parking Site, there was no outreach to the community, no opportunity for dialogue, and no contact information available in case any issues arose concerning the safe parking site. The challenge for underserved communities is that they receive the fewest services when they need them the most. While the concept of this site is well-intentioned, it does not appear to be monitored. These sites are meant to protect the broader community, but those who fail to abide by the rules of order risk public health and the safety of everyone.
Everyone deserves dignity and decency, and homelessness is an out-of-control issue in this country. I understand that these Safe Parking Sites are a step toward stability. However, communities with low to moderate incomes that are already struggling should not bear the burden of carrying the crisis on their backs any longer.
Anna Jackson
Alameda resident
Editorials and Letters to the Editor
All opinions expressed on this page are the author's alone and do not reflect those of the Alameda Post, nor does our organization endorse any views the author may present. Our objective as an independent news source is to fully reflect our community's varied opinions without giving preference to a particular viewpoint.
If you disagree with an opinion that we have published, please submit a rebuttal or differing opinion in a letter to the Editor for publication. Review our policies page for more information.
