Updated: 12/13/2023
About
The goal of the Calm East Oakland Streets Project is to create slow, calm, and inviting streets for people to walk or bike to neighborhood destinations such as schools, libraries, Recreation centers, parks, and corner stores. The Project will fix broken streets and sidewalks and improve safety on residential streets by slowing vehicle speeds and decreasing cut-through traffic. This project will calm traffic and curb aggessive driving while simultaneously increasing access to pleasant walking & bicycling on four (4) key street corridors in East Oakland:
- Hamilton St - Rudsdale St - D St - Royal Ann St between 69th Ave to 105th Ave
- Foothill Blvd - Arthur St - Plymouth St between 64th Ave to 79th Ave
- 81st Ave between San Leandro St to Bancroft Ave
- 85th Ave between San Leandro St to Bancroft Ave
What kind of improvements create a Slow and Calm Street?
To keep streets safer and more comfortable for people walking and biking, Calm East Oakland Street improvements may include:
- Crossing improvements to help people cross major streets like Bancroft Ave and international Blvd.
- Repaving streets, fixing sidewalks, installing curb ramps, and fixing drainage problems to provide safe, clean spaces in East Oakland neighborhoods
- Special signage and roadway paint to alert people driving to expect bicyclists and to direct people biking along the routes
- Speed bumps, traffic circles, and bulb-outs to slow down motorists and provide a safer environment for East Oaklanders
- limited vehicle access zones to reduce speeding and cut-through traffic on residential streets
Background
On 2/8/21, the California Transportation Commission recommended Calm East Oakland Streets (formerly East Oakland Neighborhood Bike Routes) for $17.3M in Active Transportation Program (ATP) funds.
The Calm East Oakland Streets project is a direct outgrowth of the 2019 Citywide Bike Plan Update. These four corridors were identified as short-term priority projects. These are projects that provide the greatest benefit to Oaklanders and align with City goals, including crash reduction projects, destination connectivity projects, gap closure projects and cost-savings projects.
During the 2019 Citywide Bike Plan Update planning process, we held over 60 community meetings and engaged over 3,600 people in person and collected over 2,300 comments online. We heard that one of the top issues for residents in East Oakland is the lack of bicycle facilities and that new investment is needed and welcome if it fits with the community’s desires. In East Oakland, we heard that people ride for fun and to access local destinations, not only to get to work. We heard that new infrastructure is needed to connect to local neighborhood destinations such as libraries, parks, recreation centers, and schools. Specifically, we heard that we should make improvements to neighborhood streets near major streets that would make bicycling and walking more comfortable and connect to local destinations.
Outreach
OakDOT is getting started with reaching out to the community about this project as we enter the design phase! The outreach will be focused on the corridor level to ensure we hear from residents and community members who live work and play along each street to ensure improvements reflect and responds to their specific community needs.
OakDOT will be out in the community in late 2023 to hand out project information, introduce people to the project, and encourage community members to sign up for our email list to receive project updates. In early 2024, OakDOT will be following up with community members, residents of these corridors, and local stakeholder to gather feedback on concept designs for street improvements.
Outreach/Tabling Events (Fall 2023):
Tabling Event/Pass Out Flyers
- Date: Oct 23, 2023
- Location: Pride Elementary (1761 81st Ave, Oakland, CA 94621)
- Time: 2:00 – 3:30 PM
Door to Door Outreach/Pass Out Door-Hangars and Flyers
- Date: Oct 24, 2023
- Location: lower 81st St (San Leandro Blvd to International Blvd)
- Time: 1:00 – 3:30 PM
Tabling Event/Pass Out Flyers
- Date: Oct 25, 2023
- Location: 81st Street Library (1021 81st Ave, Oakland, CA 94621)
- Time: 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Door to Door Outreach/Pass Out Door-Hangars and Flyers
- Date: Nov 21, 2023
- Location: 85th St (San Leandro Blvd to Plymouth St)
- Time: 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Tabling Event/Pass Out Flyers
- Date: Nov 29, 2023
- Location: Highland Academy (8521 A St, Oakland, CA 94621)
- Time: 1;00 – 2:00 PM
Door to Door Outreach/Pass Out Door-Hangars and Flyers
- Date: Dec 9, 2023
- Location: Martin Luther Jr Branch Library (6833 International Blvd, CA 94621)
- Time: 2:00 – 4:00 PM
Tabling Event/Pass Out Flyers/Pass out Door-Hangers
- Date: Dec 15, 2023
- Location: Frick United Academy (2845 64th St, Oakland, CA 94605)
- Time: 1:00 – 4:00 PM
*More dates will be added as they are planned
Upcoming Engagement - Opportunities for Community Review of Street Plans (Spring 2024)
Check back here or sign up for updates (green button at top of this page), to learn more about opportunities in early 2024 to go over our plans for these East Oakland corridors and provide your feedback!
