BERKELEY — The Gilman Street interchange project had been in development for several years prior to its groundbreaking in May 2021. After four years of construction, which caused temporary closures and detours, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held Monday to mark the official opening of the new interchange that gives motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians access to a safer, less chaotic intersection at Gilman Street at the Eastshore Freeway in Berkeley near the Albany border. The project includes two roundabouts, bicycle and pedestrian paths and road improvements, opening up a clear and safe passage to the Bay Trail and waterfront.
The $100 million effort was a collaboration between Caltrans, the Alameda County Transportation Commission, and the cities of Berkeley and Albany, according to a press release. Funding for the project came from the State Transportation Improvement Program, voter-approved Measure BB funds and local and regional partners such as the city of Berkeley, East Bay MUD and the Bay Area Air District.
A drone view of the Gilman Street interchange along Interstate 80 in Berkeley, Calif., on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. The recently-completed $100 million project was funded through a combination of local, state and federal sources. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Bicyclists use a bike path near the Gilman Street interchange along Interstate 80 in Berkeley, Calif., on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. The recently-completed $100 million project was funded through a combination of local, state and federal sources. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
A drone view of the Gilman Street interchange along Interstate 80 in Berkeley, Calif., on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. The recently-completed $100 million project was funded through a combination of local, state and federal sources. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
A jogger crosses the road near the Gilman Street interchange along Interstate 80 in Berkeley, Calif., on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. The recently-completed $100 million project was funded through a combination of local, state and federal sources. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
A drone view of the Gilman Street interchange near the former Golden Gate Fields horse race track along Interstate 80 in Berkeley, Calif., on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. The recently-completed $100 million project was funded through a combination of local, state and federal sources. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
A bicyclist uses a bike path near the Gilman Street interchange along Interstate 80 in Berkeley, Calif., on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. The recently-completed $100 million project was funded through a combination of local, state and federal sources. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)