Mark Monroe: What’s going on with all the changes on I-580?

Has anyone investigated the freeway widening on Interstate 580 between Pleasanton and the Altamont Pass? Over the last several months, construction crews have been tearing down the new concrete median-barriers that were put up earlier this year. I cannot tell why they are tearing it up, but they appear to be placing light poles in some places along the highway in Pleasanton.

Any information you can dig up or report on would be helpful to me and all of my 580 commuter friends. It looks like whatever mistake they made will set the project back significantly. Apparent huge waste of re-bar, concrete, time and money. There is a huge population of people who commute over the Altamont from Modesto

Editor’s note: According to an official at Alameda County, the original barriers were installed for safety reasons as the first of three construction projects began. Portions of the barriers have been modified, removed or replaced to facilitate implementation of the next phases, which will convert car-pool lanes into express lanes to help manage traffic flow and install additional lighting for improved safety. The project will be complete by fall, 2015.

This story was originally published January 13, 2015 at 6:17 PM with the headline "Mark Monroe: What’s going on with all the changes on I-580?."