Facilities & Transportation Committee Meeting - August 24, 2026

The Facilities & Transportation Committee of the City of San Leandro convened on August 24, 2026, to receive an update on the long-delayed MacArthur Boulevard Roundabout project. Staff presented the project history, current design, cost increases, and remaining obstacles including utility conflicts, Caltrans permitting, and an encroachment agreement with the City of Oakland. The meeting also included public comments on the Monarch Bay Golf Course.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Joel Stewart addressed the committee regarding the Monarch Bay Golf Course. He cited a recent 130-page consultant report paid for by the city (over $100,000) that documented poor course conditions, a failing irrigation system, and revenue challenges. He stated that only 16% of users are residents, and food/beverage and driving range revenues are below national benchmarks. He urged the city to issue an RFP to gauge interest in a public-private partnership to restore the course and return net revenue to the city, noting that the city's net revenue had declined from approximately $2 million per year to $960,000 last year.

Discussion Items

• MacArthur Boulevard Roundabout Update (Item 26-330): Engineering Manager Irwin Jing presented a comprehensive update on the roundabout project at the intersection of MacArthur Boulevard, Foothill Boulevard, and Superior Avenue. The project began with a feasibility study in 2005, where 16 collisions were recorded between 2000-2004 (more than three times the statewide average). The intersection was rated Level of Service F. The city pursued a roundabout design, evolving through concept designs A, B, and C, the latter adding a bypass lane to address queuing from the I-580 off-ramp but requiring land acquisition from Caltrans and encroaching into Oakland jurisdiction. Since July 2025, staff completed 100% plans submitted to Caltrans in March 2026, PG&E relocated utilities, and Comcast moved its facilities. However, significant challenges remain:
  • Caltrans Fiber Utility Complication: Caltrans mistakenly installed a fiber optic cable on the parcel recently transferred to the city, conflicting with a proposed retaining wall and Comcast's planned relocation.
  • Caltrans Encroachment Permit: Caltrans now requires a right-of-way certification typically associated with federally funded projects; staff is negotiating this requirement.
  • City of Oakland Maintenance Agreement: The city needs a signed maintenance and acquisition agreement with Oakland before an encroachment permit can be issued. The agreement was sent to Oakland in April 2026 but the Oakland city attorney recently requested amendments. Staff is exploring delaying the agreement's execution until after construction to avoid a roadblock.
  • EBMUD Utility Relocation: Water meters and laterals need to be relocated due to the new configuration; review and approval are expected by end of year.
• Interim Safety Measures: Engineering Technician Jim Bent Slate described recently installed interim measures to reduce speeding and dangerous U-turns at the intersection, including delineators, optical bar markings, and wayfinding signs to redirect southbound Foothill traffic away from the intersection.
• Cost Increase: The estimated construction cost has risen from $4.3 million (July 2025) to $7.52 million, partly due to omitted bid and construction contingencies (25% of engineer's estimate) and increased construction management costs for the complex phased construction. Total project cost is now $7.52 million, with funding from local CIP funds, capital reserves, and reallocation of a $1.8 million federal HIP grant to the Llewellyn project because it could not meet federal right-of-way deadlines. Staff plans to bid early (February 2027) to obtain lower bids. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2027 and complete by early 2028.
• Councilmember Questions and Concerns: Councilmembers asked detailed questions about collision data, wait times, AC Transit coordination, the history of interim measures, the rationale for the bypass lane versus a traffic signal, parking impacts, and the potential for using a "nuclear option" to pressure Comcast. Councilmember Bolt expressed frustration over the project's timeline and cost escalation, emphasizing the need to move faster to prevent further accidents and cost increases. Councilmember Gonzalez questioned the decision to design a separated bike lane (Design B/C) versus a simpler design without one (Design A), and inquired about the retaining wall necessitated by the bypass lane. The acting city manager and city engineer provided clarifications on the maintenance agreement timeline and the complexity of multi-jurisdictional permits.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes or decisions were taken; the meeting was informational. However, directions and next steps were established:
  • Staff will continue to work with Caltrans to resolve the fiber conflict and the encroachment permit requirements, with a meeting scheduled in the next couple of weeks.
  • Staff will pursue negotiations with Comcast under the franchise agreement and consider more forceful measures if necessary.
  • Staff will continue discussions with Oakland regarding the maintenance agreement, aiming to either finalize it soon or postpone its execution to avoid delaying construction permits.
  • The project bidding is planned for February 2027, with construction start in spring 2027 and completion by early 2028.
  • Councilmembers expressed strong desire to expedite the project and avoid further delays.