A dedication ceremony to celebrate the conclusion of the project was held today at the foot of the flyover, a 1,600-foot-long bridge spanning U.S. 101 and the Caltrain tracks.

The project is a partnership of the City of South San Francisco and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority, which disperses Measure A half-cent sales tax funds for a wide range of transportation improvements.

“Besides providing the obvious improvement to transportation, the construction of this entire project is noteworthy,” said Mayor Ray Green. “The work required a complex design and ongoing construction coordination and scheduling. The South San Francisco Public Works Department should feel especially proud of their efforts as the lead agency and their partnership with the transportation authority.”

Planning for the complex project dates back to the 1980s when the city began to address the need for improved access to the Gateway Redevelopment Area, east of 101. The project is listed in the Transportation Authority’s first annual report, released in 1989, and received $14.5 million in TA funds that year, making it one of the authority’s first funding allocations.

The need for the project became more urgent as land formerly used for heavy industry was converted to space for offices, research and development and hotels. Since the project’s inception, more than two million square feet of commercial space has been built in South San Francisco and developer fees have helped to finance the improvements to the interchange.

One of the largest projects that the TA has helped fund, the entire Oyster Point project received more than $37.4 million in Measure A funds. The city contributed approximately half of the total $87.5 million costs.

“The Oyster Point Interchange is a great example of how partnerships can fulfill the needs of the community,” said Mark Church, chair of the TA. “A project of this size and scope could only be completed with the cooperation and support of local and regional agencies.”

The first phase of the Oyster Point project brought the city both enhanced safety and congestion-relief with the elimination of an at-grade railroad crossing, the construction of an overpass and a new southbound freeway on-ramp.

The flyover, which opened in 2004, provides a direct connection from southbound U.S. 101 to eastbound Oyster Point Boulevard, eliminating the need to stop at stoplights on Oyster Point Boulevard.

The third and final phase included the replacement of a southbound “scissors” ramp and a stop sign, with more efficient hook ramps that provide a new southbound connection to 101 from Bayshore Boulevard.

Enacted by the voters in 1988, Measure A is a 20-year half-cent sales tax that has funded nine grade separation projects in the county, major highway projects, and provided more than $138 million to cities in the county for local streets and roads. South San Francisco has received more than $10.5 million for local street improvements during the 16-year life of the measure. Voters overwhelmingly renewed the measure for an additional 25 years in 2004.