Central Avenue Construction: Signal Work at Three Intersections
The $15 million Central Avenue project is in its final stretch. Expect flaggers at Webster, Eighth, and Sherman through the end of summer.
By The Alameda Pulse
If you drive, bike, or bus down Central Avenue, give yourself a few extra minutes. Crews are rebuilding the traffic signals at three intersections as the Central Avenue Safety Improvement Project moves into its final stretch.
Where the work is happening
Signal work is underway at Central and Webster Street, Central and Eighth Street, and Central at Sherman Street and Encinal Avenue.
These intersections already have signals. What's happening is an upgrade, not a brand new light going up where there wasn't one.
While a signal is being rebuilt, the intersection runs on flashing red or stop-sign control with flaggers directing traffic. Treat it like a four-way stop and watch for the crew. The city expects the signal work wrapped up by the end of summer.
The bigger project
This is the tail end of something much larger. The Central Avenue Safety Improvement Project rebuilds a 1.7 mile stretch of road, with construction costs around $15.3 million according to the city's project bid documents. It spent more than a decade in planning before construction started in January 2025.
The full scope covers a lot:
- A road diet, dropping Central to two travel lanes with a center turn lane
- Protected bikeways along the corridor
- Three roundabouts, at Main/Pacific/Central, Third/Taylor/Central, and Fourth/Ballena/Central
- Resurfacing, improved bus stops, better pedestrian crossings, street trees, and raingardens
Why roundabouts instead of lights
The roundabouts are the piece people ask about most, and the reasoning is straightforward. Federal Highway Administration data shows that converting a signalized intersection to a roundabout cuts fatal and injury crashes by 78 percent.
The logic isn't complicated. A roundabout forces everyone to slow down and removes the head-on and T-bone angles that turn a fender bender into a hospital trip. Cars keep moving, just slower and at safer angles.
Paying for it
The project runs on local transportation dollars from Measure BB plus state and federal grants, rather than the city's general fund.
Central Avenue is one of the main routes across the west end, and it feeds the island's growing bike network. If you're tracking that side of things, the Cross Alameda Trail connection to the Fruitvale Bridge opened early in July.
Planning a trip down Central for an event? Our Alameda events calendar has what's coming up.
