A Calmer Day in Oakland is Possible! And We Can Make it Happen...
TVRR is back with a new pathway to reducing traffic violence in Oakland. To little fanfare last July, OakDOT launched the Community-Led Traffic Safety pilot program (with a lot of help from outside advocates!). This is meant to allow neighborhoods to install their own traffic calming on their local streets. For the first six months, it saw only a single application. Not anymore.
In conjunction with our friends at Walk Oakland Bike Oakland, TVRR members have been working with neighbors in both east and west Oakland on developing applications for permits to allow these installations. The OakDOT permit team has been slow to process these, but we have received the very first permit granted under this program, and a few more since, and more every week now. As Maurice Sendak might say, "Let The Ruckus Begin!"
Tl;dr -
If you want to be part of our upcoming installations, fill in this simple FORM, and we'll be in contact in advance of each project day. To get the down low, read on...
Is it really happening?
Our first approved permit is for a traffic circle at East 16th St and Miller Avenue. This is where Hector Jose Ortega, 63 years old, was killed while riding his bicycle last September. Neighbors decided to move forward with this installation even while the permit process was underway. Now, not only has the traffic circle been approved, OakDOT will be converting this 2-way stop to a 4-way with two additional stop signs, as well as adding speed bumps on the adjacent blocks. All told, this intersection will now be much safer! Hurray for neighborhood action!
Our newest permit approval is not yet installed, and includes adjacent intersections on Hampel at both La Cresta and Linwood. In this case, due to the specifics of the site, OakDOT declined a traffic circle but approved "curb extensions", sometimes known as bulb-outs, at three corners at La Cresta and on two locations at Linwood. We will be working towards installations in the coming weeks. If you want to volunteer on the installation, please sign up HERE.
More applications are in the works in the Melrose district, in Hoover-Foster in west Oakland, deep East Oakland, and elsewhere. These locations have been identified by neighbors who saw WOBO's social media posts soliciting submissions. Maybe you have one (or more!) intersections in your neighborhood that could benefit? You can submit your idea HERE. If it qualifies, folks can work together on getting it done, just as we will have opportunities for you to help other people install theirs.
What Qualifies?
Basically, the GUIDELINES say that qualifying intersections are of two "local" streets (not arterials or "collectors" (see this MAP where green lines intersect.) Second, there are three interventions allowed: daylighting, curb extensions, and traffic circles, sometimes in combination. Traffic circles require a four-way stop.
Third, there needs to be neighborhood support, especially when adjacent to a school, church or other institution. That support should include neighborhood volunteers for installation and maintenance, and letters from the adjacent institutions, if any.
Lastly, once the permit is approved, there is a fee of roughly $1100. Yes, you read that right. We should lobby OakDOT to reduce this cost as soon as possible, but for now that's the bar. If you are in a community for whom this fee is a deal-breaker, we may be able to find funds elsewhere, so don't give up hope on that.
And while the guidelines say these permits are for 90 days, with a potential renewal for another 90 days, we suspect that as long as it works and is well-maintained, OakDOT will have better uses of their time than to chase us on these.
So How Do I Get Involved?
Yay! Thank you for wanting to help! It's a low bar to get started helping other folks with their installations. Just fill out this FORM (same as above). If you want to get more deeply involved, by making your own application, or helping groups through their design and application process, let us know.