West Grand Avenue Corridor Improvements

Project TypeTransportation
Project StatusEarly Design

Improving bus reliability, pedestrian safety, and accessibility.

Latest Updates

We want to hear from you! Where do you travel to along West Grand Avenue? What transportation improvements are needed along West Grand Avenue? How would it impact your daily life?

Let us know by filling out a short, anonymous survey by June 15, 2026.
Take the survey

OakDOT is currently pursuing external grant funds from the Caltrans Active Transportation Program (ATP) and the Regional Measure 3 (RM 3), two programs that aim to encourage, promote and increase active modes of transportation, and "contribute to community impact reductions related to freight and create opportunities for transportation efficiency and safety upgrades in and around the Oakland seaport...”

Project Scope

This project will make West Grand Avenue safer and easier to travel on. It's based on ideas from people in the community through engagement on the City’s Bike Plan, the West Oakland Specific Plan, and the Grand Avenue Mobility Plan. Everyone who uses the street--people walking, biking, riding buses, and driving cars--will benefit. The project area is between Mandela Parkway and Broadway. Key improvements will include:

Separation from cars by a physical barrier to keep people on bikes safer along the corridor
Narrower roadway to encourage drivers to drive slower and make the street calmer for everyone
Improved traffic lights, wider curbs, and safer crossings that are shorter to walk across at intersections
Crosswalks painted with bold, thick white stripes so that it is easier for drivers to see people walking and rolling by
Added pedestrian-level lighting to increase visibility for people walking and rolling along the corridor
Removing some gaps in the road divider to reduce uncontrolled crossings where unsafe driving behavior has been observed
New bus shelters to improve waiting areas for bus riders
Bus boarding islands which help people get on and off the bus safely and buses move faster
Safer walking, biking, and rolling paths that will connect to other large improvement projects in the region like the West Oakland Link and San Pablo Avenue Bus Rapid Transit and Bike Lanes Project

Additional Information

Background

West Grand Avenue is an important street that connects West Oakland to Downtown Oakland, but it's also one of the most dangerous streets in the city. Between 2019 and 2023, there were 152 reported car crashes on this street. Many of the people hurt or killed in these crashes were Black or African American. Because the street is so dangerous, people are scared to walk, bike, or ride there.

This project is about more than just safety. It's about fairness. The neighborhoods around West Grand Avenue have not received enough investment in the past. Better streets can help change that. Trees, plants, and a calmer street will make people feel welcome. These improvements can help local businesses and brings the community together.

West Grand Avenue also has large trucks that go to and from the Port of Oakland. These trucks need to use the street to deliver goods. The improvements will keep people safe from trucks while maintaining the corridor as a City designated truck route. Making it easier and safer for people to walk, bike, and roll in these areas will also decrease air pollution.

People in the neighborhood have asked for these changes for many years. Fixing this street is an investment in the health, safety, and fairness for the community.

Past Engagement

Other plans in the past called for improvements on West Grand Avenue. People in the community helped with these plans by attending meetings, workshops, surveys, and more. These plans include:

Funding

Design
MTC Regional Measure 3 is funding the design of improvements on West Grand Avenue from Mandela Parkway to Broadway.

Construction
Seeking Caltrans Active Transportation Program funding for improvements to West Grand Avenue from Mandela Parkway to San Pablo Avenue.

*OakDOT will pursue construction funding for the segment of West Grand Avenue from San Pablo Avenue to Broadway later in the design phase when the City learns more about physical constraints of this part of the corridor that is narrower than the first part of the corridor.

Page last updated June 3, 2026.