12 18-1950 Subject: Repairing Telegraph In Temescal
From: Transportation Department
Recommendation: Receive An Informational Report On The Final Design Of Telegraph Avenue In The Temescal Neighborhood From 42nd Street To 52nd Street After Final Consultation With Stakeholders And Merchants
It appears that The City of Oakland doesn't care to really listen to its residents, property owners and business owners, because we have consistently been met with silence and have been dismissed. The DOT claims it has full support of the locals, which is false and damaging. There were vague online polls with no real communication to how all of us would truly be affected. It was even said that if the current business' don't survive the separated lanes, then more appropriate business' would be put in place. Is this how you treat the Oakland natives who have lived, worked and invested years of their life to this city before it became desirable? This is systematic erasure. Has nothing been gleamed from the mess that KONO has become? It is our hope that you listen and work alongside the people who have been here pouring their hearts into this city year after year.
True listening involves a respectful sharing of ideas, and the opportunity to hear one another. Often good ideas are generated because thoughtful listening is a creative process. This process has been flawed from the start. The meetings were designed to silence citizens as no one was allowed to express themselves (put your concern on a sticky note). One "meeting" had lots of fancy maps and drawings, yet no where to sit, take notes, no agenda, and no opportunity to express concerns aloud or ask questions (you had to give feedback one-on-one to a paid City/TTBID/DOT staff).
There is actually very little support for this design. You can go to the businesses who will be directly affected and just ask them and you will get a more accurate picture. Please repave the street and give us the bike share lanes as in most of the city.
City Council directed OakDOT to consult with merchants and residents on a number of their serious concerns as a condition of the approval of this project. Out of thin air, OakDOT designated "curbside management" as the only item for public input. This negated both the letter and spirit of the Council directive. The DOT report is incomplete and unacceptable.
The chairman of Public Works endlessly repeats that the decision on this project is final. It is a sign of maturity and wisdom to revisit ill-informed decisions. Even aircraft carriers on a set course will make course corrections as conditions require.
A broad consensus of merchants and residents believe that the parking-separated bike lanes are the wrong design for this stretch of Telegraph.
Re-design a street that works for all of us.
It appears that The City of Oakland doesn't care to really listen to its residents, property owners and business owners, because we have consistently been met with silence and have been dismissed. The DOT claims it has full support of the locals, which is false and damaging. There were vague online polls with no real communication to how all of us would truly be affected. It was even said that if the current business' don't survive the separated lanes, then more appropriate business' would be put in place. Is this how you treat the Oakland natives who have lived, worked and invested years of their life to this city before it became desirable? This is systematic erasure. Has nothing been gleamed from the mess that KONO has become? It is our hope that you listen and work alongside the people who have been here pouring their hearts into this city year after year.
True listening involves a respectful sharing of ideas, and the opportunity to hear one another. Often good ideas are generated because thoughtful listening is a creative process. This process has been flawed from the start. The meetings were designed to silence citizens as no one was allowed to express themselves (put your concern on a sticky note). One "meeting" had lots of fancy maps and drawings, yet no where to sit, take notes, no agenda, and no opportunity to express concerns aloud or ask questions (you had to give feedback one-on-one to a paid City/TTBID/DOT staff).
There is actually very little support for this design. You can go to the businesses who will be directly affected and just ask them and you will get a more accurate picture. Please repave the street and give us the bike share lanes as in most of the city.
City Council directed OakDOT to consult with merchants and residents on a number of their serious concerns as a condition of the approval of this project. Out of thin air, OakDOT designated "curbside management" as the only item for public input. This negated both the letter and spirit of the Council directive. The DOT report is incomplete and unacceptable.
The chairman of Public Works endlessly repeats that the decision on this project is final. It is a sign of maturity and wisdom to revisit ill-informed decisions. Even aircraft carriers on a set course will make course corrections as conditions require.
A broad consensus of merchants and residents believe that the parking-separated bike lanes are the wrong design for this stretch of Telegraph.
Re-design a street that works for all of us.