Month: February 2021

BPAC 2021 Legislative Committee Recommendations

.Reading time 2 minutes.

At the February 18, 2021 BPAC meeting, BPAC Legislative Committee Lead Commissioner Gardner led the commission in a discussion about the Legislative Committee’s recommendations of priorities.

Proposed BPAC Safety Priorities (Local Legislative)

  1. Street Safety Legislation
    • Flexibility to implement traffic calming measures as determined necessary
    • Standardize/Expedite neighborhood traffic calming installations and/or permits
  2. Quick Fix Traffic Calming Budget Request – Tactical temporary installations
    • Bollards (i.e. Flex Posts)
    • Paint for crosswalks
    • A-Frames
    • Other: Speed Feedback Signs, informal (i.e. planters)
  3. Speed Limit Reductions
    • Authority to Reduce Downward Around Schools, (and Parks, and other essential services)
    • Consider a Citywide 30mph Speed Limit Maximum
  4. Equitable Enforcement Strategies
    • Proposal to shift minor traffic enforcement to OakDOT
    • Red light camera pilot project (with privacy and equitable distribution provisions)

The full presentation is below.

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Annual Update of Major Development Projects

.Reading time 3 minutes.

At the February 18, 2021 BPAC meeting, Catherine Payne and Audrey Harris, key members of the major projects review team, reported on current development applications under consideration (and recently approved), and shared how to participate in the application review process. The presentation is below, which highlights the four major projects in development:

  • 98th & San Leandro PUD (planned unit development): Multiple phase project, including new streets, 399 residential units, 9 work/live units, 2,500 sf ground floor retail. Market rate (no affordable units). Status: PUD and infrastructure FDP approved, 12/20
  • Lake Merritt BART TOD (transit-oriented development), ENA awarded 2018: 517 du (44% affordable), 500,000 sf commercial. Status: Application review underway.
  • Oakland Waterfront Ballpark District (aka Howard Terminal): Up to: 35,000 seat capacity sports stadium, 3,500 seat capacity entertainment venue, 2.27 million sf commercial development, hotel facilities, 18 acres open space, 3,000 dwelling units, 8,900 parking spaces (max). Status: Draft EIR publication anticipated in Q1, 2021.
  • West Oakland BART TOD: 762 dwelling units (20% affordable) in 3 buildings, 440,000 sf commercial (PUD approved 2/6/19). Status: FDPs for 2 buildings (including affordable housing) and infrastructure approved November 2020.
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February 2021 BPAC Announcements

.Reading time 7 minutes.

Below are the announcements that were included in the February 18, 2021 BPAC meeting agenda packet.

OakDOT projects are recommended for Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 5 statewide funding

  • 7th St Connection Project
  • East Oakland Neighborhood Bike Routes

OakDOT Bicycle Facilities Map updated

OakDOT submits grant applications for county Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funding

  • East Bay Greenway
  • 14th Street Project
  • West Oakland Transit Improvements
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Neighborhood Bike Route Implementation Guide – Revised Draft

.Reading time 24 minutes.

At the February 4th, 2021 BPAC Infrastructure Committee meeting, Jennifer Stanley, OakDOT staff from the Bicycle & Pedestrian Section, presented the revised draft of the Neighborhood Bike Routes Implementation Guide. The previous draft is here.

Notes from the presentation and discussion are below.

Neighborhood Bike Route Implementation Guide
REVISED DRAFT, last updated January 26, 2021
Map and Figures (numbering to be updated)

This Guide provides direction on implementing the City of Oakland’s bike plan: Let’s Bike Oakland! (2019) recommendations for “neighborhood bike routes” (NBRs) also known as “bicycle boulevards.” The bike plan proposes over 75 centerline miles of NBRs defined on page 22 as:

  • Calm local streets where bicyclists have priority but share roadway space with automobiles.
  • Include shared roadway bicycle markings on pavement and additional traffic calming measures like speed humps or traffic diverters to keep streets comfortable for bicyclists
  • Comfortable for bicyclists with wider range of comfort levels

This Guide does not apply to proposed NBRs that are infeasible (e.g. on high-volume bus routes or on arterial streets). See [name of document] for the feasibility of individual NBRs and the criteria by which feasibility was determined.

The bike plan outlines four actions for streets to be designated as NBRs: Improving Major Street Crossings; Reducing or Preventing Speeding; Preventing High Car Volumes; and Increasing Pavement Quality. This Guide describes implementation in five subject areas: Scoping & Monitoring, Route Establishment, Traffic Calming, Traffic Control, and Public Notification & Comment.

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Traffic Calming on 8th St in West Oakland

.Reading time 3 minutes.

At the February 4th, 2021 BPAC Infrastructure Committee meeting, Tim Courtney of Neighbors United For A Safe 8th Street presented the Safe 8th Street project that he submitted as a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) project request. Streetsblog also covered the safety campaign in a Dec. 14, 2020 article.

OakDOT will be paving 8th Street from Market Street to Pine Street in late 2021. The Neighbors would like traffic calming treatments included as part of the paving project, and low-cost quick-build traffic calming treatments in the immediate near-term.

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MacArthur Blvd safety improvements in the Laurel District

.Reading time 28 minutes.

Daniel Swafford, Executive Director of the Laurel District Association submitted the below project narrative to OakDOT as a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) project request. Daniel will be presenting this at the February 4th, 2021 BPAC Infrastructure Committee meeting for discussion.

A capital improvement project—S.L.O.W. Laurel [Safe Livable Open Welcoming Laurel]—is a lane reduction, “road diet” proposal, which reduces four traffic lanes to two, builds out open-air dining, and incorporates bike lanes on the section of MacArthur Blvd. located in The Laurel District of Oakland, California. The section of road is a mixed-use area located between 35th Ave and High Street.

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February 2021 Infrastructure Committee Meeting

.Reading time 3 minutes.

Thursday, February 4th, 2021, 3:30-5:30pm online and by phone.
Agenda topics include:

  • Grand Ave Mobility Project Update
  • MacArthur Blvd safety improvements in the Laurel District
  • Neighborhood Bike Route Implementation Guide
  • Traffic Calming on 8th St in West Oakland
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