Oakland completes Safe Routes to Schools project in Chinatown
Published on February 25, 2026
Project delivers traffic upgrades to promote biking and walking to school
Oakland, CA — February 25, 2026 — The City of Oakland celebrated today the completion of traffic safety and paving improvements on 10th St. in Chinatown, enhancing safety for students and families traveling to and from Lincoln Elementary.
The project repaved 10th St. between Madison St. and Webster St., delivering significant traffic calming and pedestrian safety upgrades. The improvements were coordinated in partnership with the Alameda County Transportation Commission Safe Routes to School program, which identifies and funds traffic safety improvements that support students and families who walk and bike to school.
“Through this project, we’re delivering lasting improvements that calm traffic to protect students so that they can get to school safely,” said Josh Rowan, Director of the Oakland Department of Transportation. “These improvements also benefit the broader Chinatown community, especially right now as more people travel through the area for Lunar New Year activities.”
The project calms traffic along 10th St. through several key design features including:
These improvements are designed to reduce vehicle speeds, increase visibility at crossings and create safer, more predictable travel patterns for students, parents, guardians and community members.
"Traffic safety is public safety. Every street surrounding this campus and rec center is on Oakland's High Injury Network. Everyone deserves public safety, and it's no accident that this center, where 79 percent of students qualify for free and reduced lunch, have been denied the safe routes to school they deserve," said Oakland District 2 Councilmember Charlene Wang. "Today’s completion of the Safe Routes to School improvements is about correcting that injustice, and I’m grateful to OakDOT for being strong partners in delivering these changes.”
“As an Oakland Councilmember at Large and a member of the ACTC, I know that our streets are the heart of our neighborhoods. Chinatown is one of Oakland’s most vibrant cultural hubs, and during this Lunar New Year season, it is clearer than ever why pedestrian safety is our top priority. By pairing Alameda County’s ‘Safe Routes to School’ funding with OakDOT’s innovative design, we aren’t just paving a road—we are creating a sanctuary for our students and a corridor that honors the pace of our community,” said Rowena Brown, Oakland Council Member At-Large. “From the first-of-its-kind protected bike lanes to safer crosswalks, we are ensuring the journey to Lincoln Elementary is as safe and predictable as the classroom itself. As a resident of this neighborhood, I am proud to see these improvements deliver a Chinatown where our elders and our children can walk with confidence and joy.”
Safe Routes to School projects prioritize the safety of children and families by addressing traffic conditions near schools. By pairing paving work with safety upgrades, OakDOT is able to deliver cost-effective, long-lasting improvements that support Oakland’s broader goals of reducing traffic injuries and promoting safe, sustainable transportation.