Local Circulation

Goal M-4: Enhance and maintain local access and circulation, while protecting neighborhoods from through traffic.

The existing streets and highways serve many different functions as presented in the hierarchy of street classifications. The average daily traffic (ADT) volume roadways provide an indication of the key corridors serving both regional through traffic and local access. The City defines its streets by functional classifications, creating a hierarchy of streets and highways that range from regional-serving, limited access freeways, such Interstate 880, to local streets that primarily provide access to abutting properties. Local access and circulation effects not only vehicular travel, but also walking, biking, and transit. Local access and circulation for all modes include managing the roadway system to improve traffic flow, while protecting the neighborhoods from through traffic.

Policies in this section support maintaining necessary quality of service to meet the local access and circulation needs of existing and future residents and businesses. The vehicle level of service (LOS) standard allows for planned growth in downtown and multimodal districts, 

The City shall strive to address traffic operations, including traffic congestion, intersection delays, and travel speeds, while balancing neighborhood safety concerns.

City Services and Operations (CSO)

The City shall develop a roadway network that categorizes streets according to function and type as shown on the Circulation Diagram and considering surrounding land use context.

City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)

The City shall maintain a minimum vehicle Level of Service E at signalized intersections during the peak commute periods except when a LOS F may be acceptable due to costs of mitigation or when there would be other unacceptable impacts, such as right-of-way acquisition or degradation of the pedestrian environment due to increased crossing distances or unacceptable crossing delays.

City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)

The City shall encourage alternatives to road construction and expansion (e.g., adaptive signals and coordinated signals) as necessary for improving traffic flows.

Regulation and Development Review (RDR)City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)

The City shall develop a roadway system that is redundant (i.e., includes multiple alternative routes) to the extent feasible to ensure mobility in the event of emergencies.

City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)

The City shall consider improvements, on arterials with transit service to preserve bus operating speeds.

City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)Inter-governmental Coordination (IGC)

The City shall continue to evaluate circulation patterns and implement appropriate traffic-calming measures to prevent speeding in neighborhoods.

City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)City Services and Operations (CSO)

The City shall improve access to and circulation within the Downtown City Center, Cannery Transit Neighborhood, South Hayward BART Mixed-Use Corridor and Urban Neighborhood, and Mission Boulevard Mixed-Use Corridor Priority Development Areas, consistent with adopted plans.

City Master Plans, Strategies, and Programs (MPSP)