MTC and Project Partners Break Ground on New Southbound I-680 Express Lane
MTC, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and Caltrans today celebrated the start of construction on a new southbound Express Lane on Interstate 680 that will stretch 11 miles from south of Marina Vista Avenue in Martinez to Rudgear Road in Walnut Creek.
Anticipated to open to traffic in 2021, the new lane will connect with MTC’s existing Express Lane between Walnut Creek and San Ramon – providing 24 miles of continuous Express Lane in Contra Costa County from Martinez to the Alameda County line. When completed, this will be the longest Express Lane in the Bay Area.
MTC Commissioner, Contra Costa County Supervisor and CCTA Board Chair Federal Glover said, “The voters of Contra Costa County have shown that they value better transportation options and congestion relief on the I-680 corridor and throughout Contra Costa County and the Bay Area. The new southbound express lane helps to fulfill a vision of improved mobility along this important backbone corridor in Central Contra Costa County.”
“October is Rideshare Month in California,” said MTC Commissioner and Orinda City Councilmember Amy Rein Worth. “I cannot think of a better way of celebrating Share Your Ride Month in the Bay Area than by breaking ground on an Express Lane along this critical corridor. Because carpools and vanpools equipped with FasTrak Flex tags can travel toll-free in Express Lanes throughout the Bay Area, we look forward to the new I-680 southbound Express Lane encouraging more carpooling and vanpooling through Contra Costa County.”
The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA), in cooperation with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is constructing a total of 11 new miles of express lane on southbound I-680 from south of Marina Vista Avenue in Martinez to Rudgear Road in Walnut Creek. This lane will connect to MTC’s express lane between Walnut Creek and San Ramon providing 24 miles of continuous express lane in Contra Costa County between Martinez and the Alameda County line. This project is part of MTC’s plan to install a 550-mile network of express lanes in the Bay Area by 2035.
October is Rideshare Month in California. Please join us in helping to fill the empty seats in your cars, on BART and on the busy or ferry to help ease congestion. For more information, please visit carpool.511.org