High Street On-Ramp to North 880 Closed This Weekend

Try Fruitvale or 66th Avenue if you're trying to access northbound I-880 from the East End of Alameda during daylight hours this weekend.

The High Street on-ramp to 880 North is slated for demolition Saturday, March 26, and Sunday, March 27, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

"We'll be taking out the old High Street on-ramp," said Caltrans spokesman Matt Robinson.

A new ramp, part of the Caltrans' High Street Seismic Retrofit Project, has already been constructed. "Basically we'll be bringing in a hydraulic jackhammer and demolishing the old ramp," said Robinson.

Originally, the demolition and debris removal was scheduled to be done at night, says Robinson, but after neighbors complained about the noise from the hydraulic jackhammer, the work was postponed.

"The noise was extremely inconvenient to the residents in the area, so out of respect for them we moved to doing it on the weekend," said Robinson. "It was inconceivable how they were going to get some sleep."

While Caltrans works to schedule road work so there is minimal disruption to drivers, they also need to accommodate local residents, said Robinson.

"It's a balancing act," he said. 

The upgrade of the on-ramp and High Street area is part of the larger I-880 Corridor Improvement Project, which involves widening and resurfacing of the roadway from Fifth Avenue in Oakland to south of High Street. 

"Basically, until about 2013, anyone who travels between High and Fifth Avenue on 880 will be experiencing a lot of change in the roadway," said Robinson.

Caltrans has already begun replacing the concrete slabs that form the surface of the road near the 23rd Avenue exit. "We're taking the worst slabs and replacing them with new ones," said Robinson. 

For more information on the I-880 Corridor Improvement Project, visit the Caltrans site about the project here, or follow them on Twitter.

NOTE: The weekend on-ramp closure could be cancelled if the rains and wind persist. "Basically, it’s up to our contractor," said Robinson. "If the weather is bad, I don’t think the contractors will be out there trying to stop debris from flying everywhere."