The Hub
Background:
A $350,000 grant was awarded by the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) for the Town to undertake a planning study to provide an alternatives analysis of potential congestion relief and multimodal solutions, which include but are not limited to, additional lanes, grade separation between specific movements, and rerouting specific movements.
The Hub is a major crossroads in Ross Valley, connecting Sir Francis Drake Blvd. and Miracle Mile/Center Boulevard, and is the most congested intersection in Marin County – over 65,000 cars per day.
The Hub is often overcapacity and operates at level of service “F”. Motorists regularly experience a delay of 20 minutes or more. The Hub is not pedestrian or bicycle friendly and it is functionally disconnected from the Town’s commercial and civic centers.
This funding allows the Town to study alternatives and consider traffic, safety, and right-of-way. An outcome of the study could be a recommended design to improve the intersection that would alleviate recurring traffic congestion for vehicular trips, improve access to the Hub transit center, and improve pedestrian and bicycle conditions by providing safer crossings.
Study Awarded to Parisi Transportation Consulting:
In November 2020, Parisi Transportation Consulting (Parisi) was approved by Town Council for the consulting contract to study these issues. The study team, led by Parisi, considered short, medium and long-term solutions and their impacts on traffic, safety, and right-of-way. The study was carried out using an iterative approach that reviewed baseline conditions, developed multi-modal improvement concepts based on project goals, and incorporated community and stakeholder input (including two community workshops, a site meeting held with active transportation advocates, and three meetings with local transit organizations) culminating in short and long-term recommendations.
Study Presentations:
The Hub Transportation Study was presented to the San Anselmo Planning Commission on March 6, 2023 and Town Council on March 14, 2023. At that meeting, Council gave direction to staff to pursue several alternatives.
Next Steps:
Staff will return to Council for approval of next steps for each potential alternative. Parisi will also present their findings to the TAM Board (who funded the study) and seek further funding for the next phases.
