7th Street Connection Project
- Project TypeTransportation
- Project StatusIn Process
Reconnecting West Oakland and Downtown for people walking, biking, and taking the bus
About
Update: The project is now at the 95% design milestone. Construction is expected to begin in late 2027.
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Project Background
In the early 1900s, 7th Street was the center of Black jazz and blues culture in the Bay Area - lined with supper clubs and bisected by a streetcar line leading to the Oakland freight and ferry terminal. Since then, 7th Street has seen decades of upheaval by large infrastructure projects, namely the overhead BART trackway, the Oakland Main Post Office, and the Cypress Freeway. Today, 7th Street has wide lanes and high-speed traffic, rail tracks and uneven pavement, and sidewalks overgrown by weeds.
Project Scope
The 7th Street Connection Project is an effort to improve 7th Street to better serve those who travel on it. This project will make improvements recommended by the "Let's Bike Oakland" 2019 Bike Plan, the West Oakland Community Action Plan, and the West Oakland Specific Plan.
The project aims to reconnect West Oakland and Downtown, create safer and more comfortable ways to travel for those walking, rolling, and taking the bus, improve air quality, and reflect the rich history of 7th Street. Improvements may include:
- Providing an all-ages bicycling connection to Downtown that is fully separated from vehicle traffic
- Constructing bus boarding islands to improve transit access and reliability
- Installing fiber cable connectivity to improve signal coordination and expand OAK WiFi, a program that provides free internet to Oaklanders to help close the digital divide.
- Shortening pedestrian crossings and installing other crosswalk improvements to improve safety
- Upgrading traffic signals and potentially installing new signals to enhance safety and reduce truck idling and emissions
- Installing improved pedestrian lighting for increased visibility
- Planting maximum carbon and particulate matter-capturing street trees and landscaping in an effort to address air quality disparities
- Sidewalk upgrades to increase pedestrian comfort and capacity
- Working with the community to provide artistic, cultural, and place-making elements that highlight 7th Street's history
The City of Oakland was successful in winning $14.1 million in Active Transportation Program (ATP) funds to complete design and construction of the 7th Street Connection Project. The Oakland Department of Transportation has secured consultant support for design and community engagement activities, which began in mid-2023.
The City of Oakland Department of Transportation is excited to speak with the community about the opportunity to re-imagine 7th Street as both a great street for getting around and as a place for reflecting on the history of West Oakland.
For questions, please email us at mpd@oaklandca.gov
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