At the February 4th, 2021 BPAC Infrastructure Committee meeting, Hank Phan, OakDOT transportation planner, presented an update on the Grand Avenue Mobility Project. This is the presentation he gave to a focus group meeting with bus riders. View the project website and the survey with an interactive map.

Notes from the presentation and discussion are below.

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Presentation

• Currently in Phase 1 of engagement (of 3). Phase 2 will involve actual design concepts.
• About 2.5 miles of Grand Ave being considered via this project, Mandela Parkway to MacArthur Blvd.
• Phase 1 of engagement was supposed to wrap up in February, but was impacted by shelter-in-place and extended through the rest of 2021 (though likely won’t take that long)
• Three segments: West Oakland, Downtown, Adams Point
  • West Oakland segment has some of the lowest level of infrastructure, like number of crosswalks. Driver yield rates to pedestrians were measured at each intersection. West Oakland was lowest. – Missing sidewalk segments were also identified.
• West Grand in West Oakland will be getting buffered bike lanes soon with the upcoming paving, but more substantial interventions are needed.
• The interactive engagement map and survey is still open.
• Community partners:
  • West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project
  • EBALDC (East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation, affordable housing developer) – placing chalkboards streetside with questions for people to write in responses
  • Black Film Guild – providing scholarships and working with students to create films about the neighborhood
  • New stakeholders and focus groups: Trucking groups, multi-generational families

Discussion

• Have councilmembers been engaged?
  • Yes, project is mostly in District 3, previously Councilmember McElhaney’s office. Lots of contacts—200 person list.
• Where are the chalkboards?
  • Grand/Brush, Grand/Adeline, Grand/Mandela
• Are outcomes of outreach going to be used for any other future city projects, opportunities?
  • It wasn’t intended from the start, but staff are learning a lot. Maybe not with smaller projects but yes for the longer term.
• Has school district been involved?
  • A few community partners associated with McClymonds High School but school coordination has been complicated this year. We’ve been reaching the youth population largely through other groups.
• Any major constraints affecting this project?
  • Railroad tracks in West Oakland
  • Major trucking route in West Oakland
  • Changes in corridor from area to area make a cohesive approach throughout difficult—land use changes between areas (residential, commercial, etc.)