On 2/8/21, the California Transportation Commission recommended the East Oakland Neighborhood Bike Routes for $17.3M in Active Transportation Program (ATP) funds! Additional community engagement and design along the following four corridors will start once the funds are awarded in late 2021.
- 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
To keep streets safer and more comfortable for people walking and biking, Neighborhood Bike Route improvements may include:
- Crossing improvements to help people cross major streets like Bancroft Ave and San Leandro St
- Repaving streets to make bicycling safer and more comfortable
- Signage and striping 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
These improvements are envisioned to safely connect people biking in East Oakland to local destinations such as libraries, parks, recreation centers, and schools. Construction of these four projects will improve access for people of all ages and abilities, which is a central goal of the City Council-adopted 2019 Citywide Bike Plan Update, Let's Bike Oakland.
The East Oakland Neighborhood Bike Routes 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 more comfortable and connect to local destinations.
The upcoming ATP grant helps the City make good on this commitment to East Oaklanders, and we look forward to working together. To find out more about the East Oakland Neighborhood Bike Routes please contact Emily Ehlers at eehlers@oaklandca.gov.
