8th Street Corridor Improvements

Project TypeTransportation
Project StatusDesign phase is progressing to 65%. Engagement will resume in Summer 2026.

Creating a safe, accessible, and vibrant 8th Street.

Latest Updates

Check out the latest 8th Street Engagement Summary! The project team has published a summary of engagement conducted from Fall 2025 to Spring 2026.

8th Street Engagement Summary (English)(PDF, 13MB)

8th Street Engagement Summary (Chinese)(PDF, 24MB)

Check back here for upcoming events or sign up for email updates.

Project Scope

This project will improve safety, accessibility, and connectivity on 8th Street between Fallon Street and MLK Jr. Way. The proposed improvements include:

Pedestrian safety improvements

Road diet (removing one vehicle lane between Washington St and Oak St)
New pedestrian scramble at 8th St and Harrison St
Pedestrian lighting and sidewalk furniture
Curb ramp and sidewalk upgrades
Concrete bulb-outs at Washington St, Harrison St, Alice St, and Jackson St
Upgraded paint and post treatment at Madison St, including a protected intersection
Flexible space next to the sidewalk along two blocks
Permanent sidewalk expansion along one block
Daylighting intersections and driveways to improve sight lines

Improvements for people driving

More short-term parking and loading spaces
More ADA parking and loading
Angled parking to increase parking spaces
Fresh pavement (no more potholes)

Bus stop improvements

Bus shelters, seating, and trash cans
Red pavement at bus stops
Bus-only lane from Harrison Street to Broadway
Dedicated paratransit stop
Bus boarding island between Madison St and Oak St

Bicycle safety improvements

Upgrading the bike lane on 8th St between MLK Jr. Way and Broadway, in Old Oakland.
Bike racks
Bike wayfinding signs

Additional Information

Background

For years, the Chinatown community has called for street and sidewalk improvements. In 2025, OakDOT completed the Chinatown Complete Streets Plan. This plan showed that community members prioritized 8th Street for improvements.

OakDOT also conducted a Racial Equity Impact Analysis and a Crash Analysis for 8th Street. More crashes happen on 8th Street than most streets in Oakland. Victims of severe and fatal crashes on this street are more likely to be Asian, Black, and/or over 65 years of age.

Click here to read the 8th Street Racial Equity Impact Analysis(PDF, 5MB)

Click here to read the 8th Street Crash Analysis(PDF, 3MB)

Click here for Oakland's 2024 High Injury Network

Past Engagement

Several prior planning efforts have called for improvements on 8th Street. These include:

The Chinatown Complete Streets Plan team conducted community engagement in 2023 and 2024 to inform the development of the plan. Community members identified 8th Street as a priority for transportation improvements.

The project team conducted engagement to guide the initial project concepts and to ensure that the scope is aligned with community priorities. This engagement was conducted between December 2023 to October 2024. There were some joint engagement activities with the Chinatown Complete Streets Plan team. During this time, the project team focused on talking to people who live, work, and/or shop on or near the 8th Street project corridor. They also talked to organizations that service Chinatown residents and businesses. They received the highest number of comments related to curb management, bike facilities, maintenance, personal safety, and intersection safety.

The project team conducted additional engagement to guide the early designs of the project. This engagement was conducted between Fall 2025 to Spring 2026. Check out the engagement summary, available in English and Chinese.

8th Street Engagement Summary (English)(PDF, 13MB)

8th Street Engagement Summary (Chinese)(PDF, 24MB)

Additional engagement will be conducted between Summer and Fall 2026. Stay tuned for more information, and please sign up for email updates.

Funding

The design and engagement for this project are funded by the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA). The project team is seeking grant funding for construction.