Now is the Fight for Traffic Safety

Call to Action:

See below for how to take action. Tell City leaders you want to see Measure U bonds sold, and for the DOT to be properly funded ($100M), this year!

Show Us the Money!

Everyone knows that Oakland is facing a crunch in the general fund budget. Luckily, OakDOT gets most of its funding from dedicated bond measures. Yet the city’s Finance Department opposes selling bonds because we won’t get a good interest rate. But what about the downsides of not selling? Let’s look at OakDOT’s own report to City Administrator Jestin Johnson from February 3rd (lightly edited for clarity; emphasis added):

“OakDOT uses infrastructure bonds to deliver the Five-Year Paving Plan and to match grants for complex street reconstruction projects. The department has spent and encumbered more than 95% of the $350 million available under Measure KK. Measure U (2022), KK’s successor, includes $290 million for transportation, but OakDOT has not received any Measure U funds to date. As of now, until a new bond sale of Measure U is completed, OakDOT cannot initiate new contract paving projects and is in danger of delaying grant-funded, shovel-ready streetscape projects.”

“There are existing impacts to OakDOT’s paving, curb ramps, and sidewalks capital programs associated with the delay of the Fall 2024 bond sale. Extending the delay through 2025 would result in deeper impacts to OakDOT’s overall capital delivery program:

• Continued freeze on contract paving construction
• Continued freeze on contract curb ramp and sidewalk construction
• FY26 paving mileage estimated to be 8 miles, rather than 40-50 miles
• Cut or delay capital projects, including delaying the Lakeside Drive/Lake Merritt Complete Streets Project and 42nd/High Street Improvements Project
• 33% reduction in funding for (the already badly underfunded) Bike/Ped Plan Implementation, Traffic Signals, and Safe Routes to School/Neighborhood Traffic Calming

Pending the City’s fiscal capacity, OakDOT estimates a need for up to $112.7M of infrastructure bonds in FY26, with additional bond funding required in FY27.”

If you want to read the memo for yourself, CLICK HERE. Tl;dr, all the administrative flurry to rearrange the deck chairs on this particular Titanic has been used up.

This is very bad

The outrageous underfunding of street safety by the City must end. Without this funding streets will not be repaved. Planned safety improvements will not go forward. Sidewalks will continue to crumble. This work will get more expensive. Voters will be less willing to vote for paving and safety upgrades in the future if they don’t see the results they voted for. Not to mention all the lives upended by traffic violence, and the cost of compensating families for their losses.

Projects across all seven council districts -- Hegenberger (San Leandro St to 880), Bancroft Avenue Greenway, Grand Avenue by the Lake, MLK, Jr. Way, to name just a few -- are under threat of years-long delay or of not happening at all if Measure U bonds are not sold.

The few fire stations that were closed have now been funded, despite the fact that traffic deaths far outstrip fire deaths every year. The City Administrator, the Mayor, and the City Council need to hear from us that this is unacceptable. And then they need to hear it again. And again. Traffic safety IS public safety!

Speak up for Safer Streets

Call/email Mayor Kevin Jenkins, the City Administrator (Jestin Johnson), and your councilmember (see below for a list) and tell them you want to see Measure U bonds sold, and for the DOT to receive $100M in funds this year!

Attend a meeting Public Works and Transportation, Tuesday March 25, 11:30 AM. Sign up now to speak on item 4, Measure U. If you can show up in person, that's great. If not, you'll be able to speak virtually, but only if you register at least 24 hours in advance.

Full Council, Monday April 14, Agenda and sign-up/ecomment link not yet published. Watch HERE for updates.

Sample script:

Dear ___:

In 2022, Oakland voters overwhelmingly approved Measure U, which is the primary funding source for OakDOT’s street paving and safety improvements. We know Oakland’s budget is under strain but waiting is not the answer.

This delay is disastrous. Without this funding:

Streets will not be repaved.

Planned safety improvements will not go forward.

Sidewalks will continue to crumble.

The work will get more expensive.

Voters will be less willing to vote for paving and safety upgrades in the future as they won’t see the results they voted for.

Lives will be upended by traffic violence and Oakland will pay millions in cash settlements to compensate families for their losses.

Measure U bonds must be sold, and the DOT to be properly funded ($100M), this year.

We voted yes on Measure U to support $290M for repaving and street safety improvements. We demand that they happen, now -- as required by the law passed by 75% of Oakland voters!

• Noel Gallo, Council President, District 5: ngallo@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7005
• Zac Unger, District 1: zunger@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7001
• Rebecca Kaplan, interim D2: district2@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7002
• Carroll Fife, District 3: cfife@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7003
• Janani Ramachandran, District 4: jramachandran@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7004
• Ken Houston, District 7: khouston@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7007
• Rowena Brown, at-large: atlarge@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7008
• Jestin Johnson, City Administrator: cityadministratorsoffice@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-3301
• Kevin Jenkins, interim Mayor: kjenkins@oaklandca.gov (510) 238-7006, officeofthemaytor@oaklandca.gov, also District 6 Council Member

Stay Tuned for more Updates and Actions!

Also, just a reminder: Traffic Violence Rapid Response is simply a voluntary group of Oakland residents who want the city to be safer for people walking or rolling on our streets. If you want to be more involved generally, fill in a short form HERE.