Council Greenlights Bay Area's First Coordinated Ramp Metering Pilot on I-680

Walnut Creek's City Council unanimously approved a multi-agency agreement to bring the Bay Area's first coordinated adaptive ramp metering system to northbound I-680, a corridor ranked among the region's most congested. The meeting also surfaced a 20% office vacancy rate in a new economic development plan, renewed the city's hotel tourism district, and ended with Mayor Pro Tem Matt Francois announcing he won't seek reelection after nearly two decades of city service.

• Bay Area's first coordinated ramp metering pilot approved for I-680, with construction slated for 2028 and full operations by early 2029
• Draft economic development plan reveals 20% office vacancy citywide — above the state average — while retail remains a bright spot
• Mayor Pro Tem Matt Francois announces he will not run for reelection, opening a council seat after eight years on council and 11 on the planning commission
• Hotel tourism assessment renewed as occupancy outperforms national average; international cycling race booked for 2027
• Council questions whether city should run tennis courts in-house after pulling the Lifetime Activities contract from consent

The basics: Northbound I-680 through Walnut Creek is one of the Bay Area's top 10 most congested freeway segments. Rather than adding lanes, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, Caltrans, and the city are betting on technology — a Coordinated Adaptive Ramp Metering system, or CARM, that lets all ramp meters communicate in real time, adjusting release rates corridor-wide to smooth traffic flow.