East & West Dublin BART Corridor Enhancement Underway
The East and West Dublin BART Corridor Enhancement Project is underway with several of the aesthetic elements designed to improve the visual appeal of the Dublin Boulevard corridor and link neighborhoods through the transit-oriented area already installed. In 2005, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission granted the City of Dublin $3.4M of Federal Transportation Enhancement Activities fund for the approval of high-density housing near the East and West Dublin BART stations. Enhancements recommended in the Corridor Enhancement Project include median markers, wayfinding signs, city monument signs, and the gateway feature called the Eternal Ribbon at the southeastern corner of Dougherty Road and Dublin Boulevard.
Designed by the firm of Royston Hanamoto Alley & Abey, the Eternal Ribbon will be viewed daily by more than 60,000 motorists passing through the intersection. It is intended to announce arrival into the City and create a sense of place and excitement. The total cost of the project was approximately $3.7 million, with the balance coming from gas tax funds, not the City’s local property tax or sales tax revenue. This funding provides another example of why cities like Dublin have approved high-density and affordable housing projects. The State and Federal money is simply too hard to pass up.
Other improvements anticipated to be constructed include:
- New median landscaping along Dublin Boulevard across the frontage of the proposed Historic Park near Donlon Way
- Decorative median railings
- New Bus Shelters
- Sidewalk Widening
- Bike Trail Improvements
9:33 AM on June 17th, 2010
I really love all the signs and things being implemented through this– Would love to see some lighting on the signs when possible (from ground level). Too bad the nice one I pass everyday on Tassajara before Dublin BLVD (heading into Dublin) is semi-blocked by that median post and sign –
I was a big dissenter on the Eternal Ribbon as it seemed way too expensive and would’ve rather had more small improvements done (more weed removal and replacement with flowers/plants/irrigation in some areas). I’ll wait till the Eternal Ribbon is complete before I judge it though, maybe I’m being too harsh–
2:56 PM on June 17th, 2010
I still think the designer did come up with a good concept. Let’s wait to see how it is executed when the structure is complete.
http://www.rhaa.com/projects/popups/BARTdublin/BARTdublin.html
3:50 PM on June 17th, 2010
The Ribbon will look great in an open field – like a park, not between the freeway, a busy street and a dealership.
10:58 AM on June 17th, 2010
This pic of the Dublin sign crops out the yellow sign which warns motorists to not hit the median, and also crops out the BART parking or rideshare lot sign (you can see part of it in the pic, it’s up on the left side, the large green sign)..
Ideally, these gateway Dublin signs would be not amongst-other-signs, which would make it look nicer…Otherwise it’s too busy– I wonder if the following are options:
1) The BART/Rideshare sign– can’t it be moved to the entrance of that parking area (instead of in the median)?
2) The other sign, which is a median watch-out sign, is that required? It may not be, and if that’s the case, I think the new, large DUBLIN sign will be kinda obvious that yeah, you shouldn’t keep driving straight, ’cause you’ll run into this large Dublin rock sign!
John, any way to find out of these two signs are required by law?
11:15 AM on June 17th, 2010
We don’t need high-density housing nor the enhancements. People passing by the Eternal Ribbon are not coming to Dublin, they are heading home to San Ramon.
11:24 AM on June 17th, 2010
unfortunately too late– the high density housing has already been built (yeah, the guys in large white t-shirts with red baseball hats, and red bandana from back pocket, yep, most likely high density dwellers, likely Section 8… it’s funny, we invite them into our community so we can get some funds to beautify the city, but then many of these low lifes are probably going to tag or otherwise defile the beautification projects themselves.. doesn’t seem too smart–
Here’s something I’d like to know: How much money did the Feds give to Dublin for having BMR units and what is the percentage of new homes being built in Dublin that are BMR units? I am willing to bet this:
If we didn’t build any BMR units, and instead just built regularly priced units which are taxed on that full amount, I would bet that the difference in property tax would be BETTER for the city after a small number of years, than the one-time Federal money that was gained….
Can someone look into this?
2:04 PM on June 17th, 2010
I heard in the past that the BRM “affordable” housing is required by the State. I may be wrong but if you resist then there is some State penalty. Check my facts.
5:53 PM on June 17th, 2010
what dublin really needs is to time their stop lights. going alone dublin blvd or tassajara takes too long. a simple fix of just having the lights timed would make travel between east and west dublin so much better…
11:12 PM on June 17th, 2010
they should open up a street from gleason thru camp park to amador valley to get to the west side.
5:54 PM on June 17th, 2010
sorry typo. i meant…along dublin blvd…
7:59 AM on June 18th, 2010
John, do you know what percentage of the high density housing project near the BART station is designated as BMR “affordable” units? Thanks.
8:55 AM on June 18th, 2010
Hi Anonymous – I believe that we have some data on the affordability mix at the BART station. More to come.
Thx, John Z.
6:34 PM on June 18th, 2010
Hi Anonymous – I believe that the goal for the BART transit center is to have 15% affordable housing. Of that 15%, the goal is to have 30% for very low income residents, 20% for low income residents, and 50% for moderate income residents.
At Avalon, there are 30 BMR units out of 305 total. Camelia Place has 112 units and all of them are BMRs. Elan has 565 units and the affordability range is somewhere between 12.5% and 15%.
Thx, John Z.
6:54 PM on June 18th, 2010
Elan does not have 565 unit. I think you may have included the proposed metropolitan development. Elan has only 264 unit which include two phases.I am an owner of Elan, so I know a little better.
9:57 AM on June 20th, 2010
Thank you for looking into this John. I wish there was an effective way to convince our City leadership that most Dublin residents do not favor ultra-high density, and an overabundance of affordable BMR units. If we want to improve the image of Dublin, one sure way to do that is to attract higher income groups to Dublin. The people I know in Pleasanton and San Ramon all tell me that some of the newer developments in East Dublin look nice now, but as will all high density projects, once they get older and don’t look as nice, and when the nice young upwardly-mobile middle class residents move out as their children get older, crime and blight will soon follow. Who knows how long it will take, perhaps not for another 10-15 years, but it would be great if Dublin could take a long-term planning approach and focus on larger lots and bigger homes. Perhaps then with time we will start to look a little more like our classier neighbors, and will hold our respectability and reputation high into the future.
7:14 PM on June 20th, 2010
Hi Anonymous – there’s no such thing as a free lunch. While Dublin may be getting “walking around money” now for our agreement to build affordable housing, the true cost will be in the intermediate to long-term future. Let’s enjoy all the pretty things that we have through the Federal grants now so that we can recall the memories in the future when the cost of affordable housing overwhelms the rest of the market.
Thx, John Z.
12:07 AM on June 22nd, 2010
Yeah good point in the earlier post, most of the City of Dublin signs on the median that are at the intersections are cover by that directional sign. If required by law, wondering if those signs could be lowered to the ground so that they do not block the entire City of Dublin signs? or replace it with reflectors on the curb instead. Another odd thing is the City of Dublin gateway sign on San Ramon Valley Road. It way in pass Dublin Blvd. before you see it. Most out of towners would have turned right already on Dubin Blvd. to go to the big box stores. The location of that sign is puzzling. And the same sign on Hacienda is covered by plants high enough to cover the of Dublin portion of the sign.
12:10 AM on June 22nd, 2010
I wish they would have spent less money on the ribbon and more on a complete re-landscape and re-irrigation of the Median along the entire Dublin Blvd. corridor. There sections after section that needs some serious help, some areas it looks like tumble weeds in the median. Simple grass like along Tassajara and Village or throughout most of Pleasanton looks just fine compared to what we have. Although grass may demand too much water and maintenance compared to tumble weeds.
2:24 PM on June 22nd, 2010
The Eternal Ribbon is an example of Corporate Art at it’s worst. I am not an artist by trade, but did graduate with with a BA in Fine Arts and I find the Ribbon to be devoid of anything that speaks of “art”. This hunk of metal would have been more appropriate in a office park than part of a city beautification project. Case in point, it was a project headed up by an engineering firm; last time I checked engineers are not hired for their artistic sensibilities but for their structural knowledge. Also, the location is terrible where it will get very little foot traffic from pedestrians; most people do not make an effort to walk to that section town, as it involves three gas stations and a car dealership. It is a shame that this sort of thing gets passed off as art and cities buy into it. A water feature would have been more appropriate for that location and would have been attractive as well. (Sigh)
6:01 PM on July 3rd, 2010
Hi, it’s funny but when I saw this being built I was sure that it was something to do with the car dealership! I would have never thought it was anything to do with a beautification project for the city….
10:15 PM on June 22nd, 2010
I agree with you, a fountain would have been more appropriate and likely would have been much less expensive. Although a fountain may have higher long term maintenance for electricity and cleaning. Regardless I would have rather see a fountain like those in San Ramon on Crow Canyon Road near Blackhawk. But anyways what is done is done. This ribbon in downtown near the BART station in a village square setting would have been more appropriate with future residential and office folks enjoying the site. Actually walk up to it.
3:57 PM on June 23rd, 2010
I agree. Like many people, I pass by that “Eternal Ribbon” often–and each time, I shake my head in disgust.
My spouse and I laughed everytime we see it. We think its location is a joke.
I just reviewed the artist’s rendering posted a few months ago, with the trees, rolling hillside, etc.
But I saw that the trees are no longer part of that plan. So I can now just imagine that the Eternal Ribbon will be actually an Eternal Frame for Dublin Honda.
And rolling hillsides? It looks more like an exaggerated pitcher’s mound.
Very disappointed. I would not mind as much if it was somewhere else instead.
I wonder if the city officials read this blog and the comments associated with it? If so, what has been their response? I haven’t seen too much positive speech associated with this “art” piece. If anything, I think one of the most positive things I’ve read was “we’ll wait and see what the final product is.” Not exactly promising in my opinion.
12:41 PM on August 16th, 2010
So glad the city of Dublin is wasting Federal transportation funds on things like an eternal ribbon monument.. somehow I don’t think that is what the funds are designed for.