Projects

TVRR is actively fighting to address severe deficiencies in roadway design through staging commemorative protests (as highlighted in this newspiece) as well as advocating policy changes in the way Oakland approaches roadway design and prioritizes of traffic modes. A few key projects are listed below.

International Blvd. Pedestrian Safety

The International BRT lanes have been unsafe and, frankly, incomplete in their design. They have made this the most dangerous road in the City several years running.

Our latest report, published in June 2023, analyzed over 7 million vehicle traces along the International AC Transit TEMPO BRT corridor to identify the road reconfiguration’s impact on general traffic speeds.

A prior analysis, published here, catalogued the most dangerous patterns of driving and identified focus areas for intervention.

As of September 2024, Oakland had deployed quick-build pedestrian safety interventions along much of Oakland’s deadliest road, consisting of plastic post 'delineators' to discourage private vehicles from entering the bus lane. This has proven reasonably effective in reducing abuse of the bus lane, and reducing collisions, injuries, and deaths.

Currently, a trial is being run in one block of International to test the installation of speed cushions that allow buses and emergency response, but limit private vehicle speeds. These have proven effective elsewhere, and we urge Oakland to push forward with this treatment across all of International Blvd.

Grand Avenue Pedestrian Safety

Grand Avenue is on the City's "High Injury Network", meaning that it is one of the 8% of streets on which most collisions, injuries and fatalities occur, especially in the segments in West Oakland and along Lake Merritt. OakDOT planners have released 2 options for a re-design of Grand Avenue between Broadway and Mandana, including all of the length along Lake Merritt. While Option 1 is an improvement over the current dangerous conditions on Grand, TVRR advocates the adoption of Option 2, which reduces vehicles lanes from 5 to 3: one each way, and a center turn lane.

The clear benefits of the plan are many, without significant drawbacks. The City's own traffic study shows that congestion would not create significant impacts to traffic, even in the commute hours. And very little parking would need to be removed, while improving the experience for transit, and for people walking and biking. It's a win-win, for the neighborhood, for people visiting the park or the farmer's market, and for the city as a whole. Look to our Posts page for actions to take on Grand.

Oakland Fire Code

Oakland city council is currently reviewing the 2022 California Fire Code, and has a chance to change the fire code to make Oakland safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. Read our policy brief, as well as this Oaklandside article, for more details.