Curbing Your Enthusiasm

Some government money must have broken loose somewhere, because there's a rash of sidewalk ramp installations going on around Castro Valley.

Your Boulevardier noticed the pylons and diggers on Redwood Road north of Castro Valley Boulevard last week. Today, he found several demolitions on The Boulevard. The two photos below were taken at Stanton and Strobridge respectively.

Certainly when the projects are complete the sidewalks and curb cuts will be better for pedestrians -- particularly those in wheelchairs or parents pushing strollers. But for the time being, the work makes getting around quite difficult. The construction at Stanton is particularly disruptive to pedestrians because there is a) no warning that the work is coming; and b) no way around it except to walk in traffic. This at an intersection where motorists rarely bother to look for pedestrians in the first place.


The demolition at Strobridge is curious because the crews have removed only the middle part of an already-existing ramp. Your Boulevardier assumes this is to put down the sort of bumpy rubber surface that many such ramps have.

The strangest ramp installations in Castro Valley occur where there are no sidewalks. (Longtime readers may recall postings in which Your Boulevardier griped about the mysterious pride some Castro Valleyans have in their lack of sidewalks; to some, it's a contributor to our "rural feel." To Yours Truly, lack of sidewalks only contributes to muddy shoes in the winter and impolite, pedestrian-hostile parking year-round.) Your Boulevardier knows he has seen some of these unattached ramps, but has not cataloged them for publication here. Perhaps he will do so in the near future.

Sadness on the Strip

On his walk this morning Your Boulevardier came upon a small group of people gathered around a dead dog in the gutter on Castro Valley Boulevard near Worley's. The animal, which looked to be a Chihuahua mix, black with brown and white markings, was not recently killed; perhaps it had been hit by a car overnight.

The people were debating what to do about the dog. They had removed its collar and (based on a small bit of eavesdropping) it's presumed they were planning to call a number on the tag. All Your Boulevardier heard was one young woman saying to another, "So put the collar back on it."

It's heartbreaking when a pet is killed, and it's anguishing to see an animal dead in the roadway. The easiest thing to do when one comes upon such a situation is to wince and move along. Your Boulevardier respectfully tips his beret to these people who chose not to just turn their heads and walk on by.

Ramp to Somewhere

Your Boulevardier noticed this recent addition to the onramp to eastbound I-580.



A couple of things strike one as odd about this. First, what's it for? Your Boulevardier's best guess is that it's for Highway Patrol or other emergency vehicles to sit in before they enter the freeway.

Second: the drainage from it. Note, if you can in the photo, the contours of the ramp and the wall behind it. The wall drains into the grate (currently surrounded by sandbags) while the pullout itself drains onto the sidewalk, or maybe into the adjacent gutter.

Thirdly: the tiny fence atop the small retaining wall. What is its purpose? A person can walk twenty feet to get around it, so it can't be to keep someone from what's on the other side. If it's to keep people from above from falling onto the ramp, another question arises: what are they doing up there in the first place?

None of this is earth-shattering news, or even the least bit important. It's just curious. If any readers know about civil engineering, an explanation would be most welcome.

Ramping Up

Progress continues on the Highway 580 / Redwood Road interchange. For a long time the work seemed largely confined to the south side of the freeway, but in the last few weeks crews have taken out trees, built a retaining wall, and carved off a portion of the Spencer Mortuary parking lot for the westbound offramp. (Click the photo for a larger view.)



The pace of the project is to be commended -- especially when compared with the interchange modifications at Strobridge Avenue. Your Boulevardier commented on the problems with this project way back in January; only recently has the vacant lot been cleaned up, but the trash along the fence under the freeway remains, and lanes -- both on Strobridge and on the eastbound onramp -- continue to be inexplicably blocked off. (Your Boulevardier does not refer to the closing of Strobridge at Gary Drive, which he approves of in spite of the fact that it makes access to his own neighborhood more difficult.)

Back to the Redwood Road interchange, a number of questions remain in Your Boulevardier's mind, regarding both the roads and the sidewalks. He will post these questions in the near future. Meanwhile, as a pedestrian, he hopes the walk/don't walk signs and buttons will be connected soon.

Anita Bit of Sunshine

Your Boulevardier sallied forth in the late morning to take advantage of the dry weather. Insects were swarming, but creeks had dropped. No major destruction was found, but the walk was admittedly short. The new bocce courts on San Miguel Avenue seem to have drained well -- better, in fact, than the walkways around them.



Three bits of action went on near the intersection of Castro Valley Boulevard and Anita Avenue. A car had hit one of the stoplights, and a one-person crew (perhaps that's a nonsense phrase) from Alameda County was dealing with the damage. A few minutes later, an ambulance, fire truck, and two CHP cruisers were summoned to the Boulevard entrance to the Blockbuster/Wells Fargo parking lot; it appeared to Your Boulevardier, but cannot be confirmed, as if, perhaps, heaven forbid, a pedestrian had been struck by a motorist. (No, Your Boulevardier does not get paid by the comma.) A few minutes after that, a large group of well-dressed folks emerged from the Chabot Cinema; they had attended a sales meeting for their company. "We got free popcorn," one friendly attendee told Your Boulevardier.

Sunday Buzz

Your Boulevardier and the Subcompact Loaner walked to Valley Java this morning. We have three observations:

1) The construction of the 238-Strobridge interchange seems to have stopped at about 90 percent of completion. Though the ramps themselves are finished, cones (or whatever one calls those upright orange pylons with the black bases that are glued to the pavement) and striping are all that, to this layman's eyes, remain to be completed. Along with regular trash removal, of course.

2) The congregants of the Neighborhood Church may be fine people, but they really don't seem to care much about pedestrians and small dogs who are trying to cross Castro Valley Boulevard. A little more observation and courtesy would be appreciated. Please, friends: at least pretend to stop at the limit line -- that's the first line of the crosswalk -- before turning right onto John Drive.

3) The activity level at Valley Java was, at least at this visit, considerably lower than it used to be. Maybe Peet's has siphoned off some of the business, or perhaps the decamping of Judge Peggy Hora to parts east has caused her klatsch to find another place to gather.

On Four-Day Workweeks

On this first day of a four-day workweek, it seems an appropriate time to call attention to a small typewritten sign spotted recently by Your Boulevardier on the door of Merle Norman Cosmetics on Castro Valley Boulevard. It reads:

ATTENTION .... PLEASE !!!!!

WE TRY TO CONSERVE ENERGY BY:
(1) KEEPING THE LIGHTS TURNED DOWN
(2) BEING CLOSED ONE EXTRA DAY

IF EVERYONE THAT COULD WORK A FOUR DAY WEEK
WOULD SAVE MILLIONS $$$$$$$

ONE LESS CAR ON THE ROAD JUST ONE DAY A WEEK
AGAIN MILLIONS $$$$$ WOULD BE SAVED ....
LESS FOSSIL FUEL BEING BURNED ... MUCH BETTER
FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT ......

ALL WE ASK IS THAT YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR CHOICES
TO MAKE THIS A BETTER WORLD-------INSTEAD OF
COMPLAINING THAT IT'S NOT CONVENIENT!

SEE YOU ON WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY OR SATURDAY

To which Your Boulevardier can only respond: "Amen."

Traffic Gets One's Goat

Your Boulevardier was driving home from Oakland last evening around 9:45 p.m., but when he reached the mouth of Castro Valley -- just past the 164th Avenue offramp, and before 238 splits into downtown Hayward and west to San Lorenzo -- traffic came to a halt. Not just a slowdown, mind you; it was a shut-off-the-car-get-out-and-chat-with-other-motorists dead stop. After about 15 minutes it cleared, just as quickly as it had occurred. (We were allowed to continue east on 580, but vehicles were prevented from going on 238 in either direction.)

A traffic report on the radio a few minutes later announced the culprit: a herd of goats had gotten loose on the freeway! However, Your Boulevardier has not been able to find any other confirming media reports of this event. If readers hear anything, please post details in the comments.

CV To Lose M Transbay Bus?

Your Boulevardier occasionally takes the M bus across the San Mateo Bridge to visit Mon Petit Chou. The bus is clean and comfortable, even if the schedule is far from ideal. One works with it.

However, it appears that, because of budget cuts, the schedule will get even worse for Castro Valley residents. If Your Boulevardier reads AC Transit's current staff recommendation correctly, the bus will terminate in the East Bay at the Hayward BART station, rather than Castro Valley. The relevant section can be found on page 12:

Line M: Hayward BART to Oracle via Winton, Hesperian, Hwy 92, Chess Dr., Metro Center, Hillsdale Blvd. Hillsdale Caltrain, Oracle HQ. The Line M will no longer provide service to the Dumbarton Bridge corridor and consequently the Ardenwood Park and Ride facility.

Granted, the major cut in service has been made on the west end of the line, not on the east. Still, Your Boulevardier will miss the chance to catch the M at the Castro Valley BART station.

Independent Coffee on Center Street

In line at Trader Joe's the other day, Your Boulevardier spotted a woman wearing a sweatshirt reading "Coffee Cup Cafe, Castro Valley, California." Having never heard of the establishment, he inquired and learned that it is an independent coffee place at the corner of Center Street and Heyer Avenue. Last Friday he decided to check it out.

It's a cozy, friendly place with an amiable, chatty staff. The coffee is from Peerless -- perhaps not a gourmet roaster, but perfectly acceptable to Your Boulevardier. (He partakes only of brewed coffee, so he cannot comment on the quality of more complicated coffee drinks.) Most of the baked goods are prepared on site each morning; Your Boulevardier had a small, delicate chocolate croissant. The place also has a light lunch menu.

The comings and goings were observed for an hour or so. An ebbing stream of what appeared to be regulars mostly purchased beverages for takeout, though a few folks settled in at the dozen or so small tables. (A few outdoor tables were also available for warmer days.) A TV tuned to a morning news program played in one corner; promptly at 9:00 a.m. the television was switched off and soft jazz music was played. A batch of toys in another corner attracted youngsters, and a few shelves of books -- for borrowing and reading, it is assumed -- sat by the register.

The site is close to three schools -- Creekside and Canyon Middle Schools and Vannoy Elementary -- so the neighborhood traffic in the area is considerable. The proprietor of the shop said she had experienced some problems with school kids and now limits them in the shop to three at a time. The proprietor also shared that the shop had been in business for four years, but had lost some momentum when the exterior of the building was remodeled. Both interior and exterior are quite charming now.

Your Boulevardier will be sure to stop in again when his walks take him to this corner of town.

On The Button

It would appear that crosswalk buttons around town are being replaced. This past weekend Your Boulevardier walked on the west side of town, north of Castro Valley Boulevard, and noticed a new-style button in place. This one was photographed at Lake Chabot Road and Somerset Avenue.


As you can see in the photo, the new buttons fit into the existing fixtures. They have a red light-emitting diode (LED) in the center, and emit a sharp beep sound when pressed.

Your Boulevardier believes that the new buttons are accompanied by crosswalk signals that count down as the time to cross the street runs out.

Build It Up, Tear It Down

Your Boulevardier walked around the neighborhood just east of the BART station yesterday afternoon. This area is choked with trucks and workers right now because of two big projects.

First is the new Castro Valley Library. The building is crawling with workers who are attaching bright yellow gypsum board exterior siding to its metal skeleton. It looks like roofing panels are stacked on the building's top, but are not yet attached. It still remains very difficult for Your Boulevardier to envision the finished building based upon the construction to date and compared with the artist's rendering that appears on the billboard on Norbridge Avenue. Perhaps it's just a matter of where the front of the building is.

Speaking of the library, Your Boulevardier notes that Don Jose's Restaurant in Castro Village will donate ten percent of its sales during the week of April 13-19 to the library. (It's not clear from the flyer posted on Don Jose's door whether the funds will go toward library construction or to the Friends organization.)

The second project that is clogging the neighborhood just east of the BART station is the reworking of the I-580 interchange with Redwood Road. When completed, there will be a full set of on- and off-ramps here, eastbound and westbound. Yesterday, workers were breaking down the soundwall and ripping out trees along the highway's north side. This is the neighborhood along Juniper Street, behind the Jess C. Spencer Mortuary. (Where, it is noted, Madame Boulevardier was cremated.) Several homes have been demolished, but a few remain defiantly standing -- though it's not sure if they're occupied. It's assumed that Spencer's will lose a good portion of its parking lot to the project as well. Progress is visible on the other side of the freeway as well, with the former professional building having been demolished a few weeks ago. A fairly clear aerial representation of the project can be found here.

It seems the hangup in government budgets has not put either of these projects on hold, which is a good thing because they seem like they would be quite disruptive to the residents of the neighborhood.

Strobridge Interchange Questions

The new interchange from Eastbound I-580 to Strobridge Avenue appears to be nearing completion. Most barricades have been removed, and crews appear to be in cleanup mode. Still, four questions remain in Your Boulevardier's mind about the project. They are, in no particular order:

How will the odd patch of earth between the freeway and the onramp be maintained? One finds it hard to believe that a crew will get way up there regularly with a lawnmower to tend the narrow strip. Your Boulevardier is no fan of pavement, but it would make sense in this case to not make the area a haven for unwanted vegation.

Will CalTrans remove the fences that run along both sides of Strobridge Avenue under the freeway? It can't be argued that the fence on the west side keeps anyone out, since it stops abruptly on the south side of the underpass with no gate or structure to close the end. For now, all the fence does is collect trash, and it's very rarely cleaned out.

What will happen to the CalTrans corporation yard on the north side of the underpass? Like the aforementioned fence, the yard is an unmaintained haven for trash. Illegal dumping occurs regularly, and many piles of construction materials and debris remain there as well.

What is the purpose of the metal box at the top of the onramp? Will it be relocated, and if so will the temporary barricades and sand barrels around it be removed?

Maintenance of this offramp has long been neglected by CalTrans. Indeed, one of Your Boulevardier's neighbors left the Baywood District because (among other things) he felt the area gave a slumlike first impression, what with the litter and ill-kept homes along Strobridge Avenue. (And, perhaps ironically, this person drove a garbage truck.)

The Trusty BoulevarDog is Back!

The Trusty BoulevarDog, accompanied by Your Boulevardier, walked all the way to Castro Valley Boulevard and back today, a distance of about 2 miles. A stop at the Post Office was made, and a social call was paid to the Boulevard Pet Hospital. She did pause for a breather in the sun at Starbucks while Your Boulevardier checked email on the wireless Internet connection.

Those who were out today know that we are in a spate of unusual weather. By the appearance of things, today should have been cold: the sun was low, the skies were blue and clear, and the trees were barren. But, in fact, a warm wind gusted from the east, making the air quite temperate. Your Boulevardier began the walk wearing a light jacket and long-sleeved shirt, and shed a layer by the stroll's end. A blue-grey Volkswagen Beetle cruised the Boulevard with its convertible top down. Roofers working on the Citibank building took advantage of the dryness. And perhaps most emblematic of the day, a couple was encountered on the walk: she wearing a light-blue parka, he a t-shirt and short pants.

Lady in Green

Your Boulevardier chatted ever so briefly with a charming young woman in front of Liberty Tax Service on Castro Valley Boulevard yesterday afternoon. She's a tax preparer by trade but had been drafted by her employer to don Lady Liberty's green robes and headdress and wave at passing vehicles. In lieu of a flaming torch, she held a festive red cup from Starbucks.

Wearing a big smile, she told Your Boulevardier: "I didn't expect so many people to smile and honk!"

A photo was surreptitiously snapped later on the walk, from the far side of the street. Kindly forgive the poor quality of the image.

Digging Castro Valley

Two holes in the ground were noted on today's walk.

Behind JD's, the parking lot is full of earth and a deep trench can be seen next to the Chabot Cinema. Your Boulevardier suspects that the retaining wall is being rebuilt to a higher standard, but can anyone confirm? The parking lot is closed and so parking at JD's is even tougher than usual.

By the Post Office, work continues on the sewer replacement behind Castro Village. Where the new line attaches to the main, in the middle of Santa Maria Street, workers have been digging and working for a week or so, with flag persons attempting to keep traffic flowing. The crew is fortunate that school is not in session at Castro Valley High.

Your Boulevardier noted both of these earthmoving escapades while pursuing his pastime, walking in Castro Valley. He notes (though his evidence is anecdotal) that more people are joining him on foot in the City of Lite, and suspects that the move is related to gasoline prices. Castro Valley is a surprisingly walkable town for many of us who live in or near downtown -- all manner of services, from a top-notch hardware store to a handful of fine coffee shops to a yoga studio to a few ice cream parlors all await within a few-block area.

And Speaking Of Things On The Move

Here's a startling bit of video of the aftermath of a car crashing into a dentist's office on Redwood Road. Video is from the Castro Valley Forum.