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Agenda Item

22-0088 2) An Ordinance Amending Sections 10.52.060 And 10.52.120 Of The Oakland Municipal Code To Update Truck Prohibited Streets And Designate New Truck Routes, Respectively; And Adopting Appropriate California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Findings

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    Elliot Walters over 2 years ago

    I & many of the W Oakland community OPPOSE item 9.2: Frontage Road should be removed from the Truck Management report (meeting item 9.2) so that it can be properly evaluated. The Frontage Road traffic study needs to be re-evaluated with the following added:

    1) Health equity data need to be included! Despite the California Air Resources Board, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and WOEIP assessments on truck pollution in West Oakland, none were included. It would reflect very poorly on the city & council should the health implications continue to be ignored. Ignoring the health data is especially egregious given that West Oakland is a largely minority community that has been historically underserved and ignored.
    2) The traffic study failed to consider population density. How many residents will be impacted by pollution in the different scenarios? West Oakland is one of the fastest growing residential neighborhoods in Oakland with more housing on the way
    3) The traffic study needs to review Maritime Street as an option
    4) Separate item 9.2 from Item 9.1 and voting on them separately

    Consider the legacy of W Oakland - the history of socioeconomic disparities & environmental racism. Don't make that legacy our future. For minority homeowners like myself with a young child, these policies actively affect our community in lasting ways. Don’t put people in a position that they have to leave the area due to poor health policy strategy.

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    Joseph Richardson over 2 years ago

    I oppose Frontage road being designated a truck route, when Maritime is a viable alternative that is away from residences. The documented environmental and safety impacts others have listed should be adequate to reevaluate making Frontage a truck route.

    West Oakland has added many residential units in recent years with plans to add many more. We urge you to take into consideration the environmental impact on our health and vote no on this plan.

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    Yatin Shastri over 2 years ago

    I oppose Frontage Road being designated a truck route, and ask that it be removed from the Truck Management report so that it can be properly evaluated. The Frontage Road traffic study that was conducted has several serious deficiencies which need to be addressed, including the following:

    First, health equity data was purposefully omitted. Although the state’s California Air Resources Board, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and WOEIP have conducted a number of assessments on localized truck pollution in West Oakland neighborhoods, none were considered as part of this study. In fact, Alicia Parker from Oakland Planning explained in a May 21, 2021 email why such health equity data was purposefully omitted: “I think the Port was weary about adding the health data because it would set precedence and document the incompatibility of truck routes where people live.” The city’s response in Staff Agenda Report dated March 3, 2022 does not address these concerns, but instead discusses other (non-health) equity data it considered.

    Second, the traffic study failed to consider population density. In other words, how many residents will be impacted by pollution in the different scenarios?

    Third, the traffic study failed to conduct an assessment of Maritime Street.

    I ask that the Frontage Road study be redone so that health equity and other crucial data can be considered before a decision impacting the community’s health is made.

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    Daniel Bean over 2 years ago

    Imagine a City Council that approves 1,000 units of new residential housing and then designates a truck route just feet away from all of those collective developments *before they've even broken ground*. This is what's apparently on the table with Frontage Road and our Prescott neighborhood. So I'm writing to urge you NOT to be that City Council.

    Like the overwhelming majority of the folks in this comment thread, I oppose Frontage Road being designated as a truck route because of the obvious environmental and traffic safety concerns that will come with an increase of truck traffic -- or, frankly, even a continuation of the truck traffic that we're already seeing. I hope the Council will vote in favor of the growing membership of our already underserved community.

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    Tim Courtney over 2 years ago

    I oppose Frontage road being designated a truck route, when Maritime is a viable alternative that is away from residences. The documented environmental and safety impacts others have outlined should be sufficient to restrict truck traffic from Frontage.

    In addition, Frontage is far wider than need be. It could be reduced to one lane in each direction for access to businesses and Grand Ave, reclaiming three lanes of width for trees, landscaping, and a wide walking and cycling path that would benefit nearby residents and provide safe access for people to walk and bike along the corridor.

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    Mai Hong over 2 years ago

    I oppose Frontage Road being designated a truck route, and ask that it be removed from the proposed ordinance so it can be properly evaluated. New study should include:
    (1) include health equity data
    (2) use a proper framework to truthfully assess Martime Street's capacity
    (3) use a more current population density data (there are MANY more residents currently along Frontage and exponentially more projected in the near future)
    (4) change stakeholders and/or have Frontage Road resident(s) as part of the Steering Committee for the new study (this was originally requested on Feb 16, 2021 to Andrea Gardner + Alicia Parker). Current stakeholders = conflict of interest

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    Anuj Patel over 2 years ago

    I oppose frontage as a truck route. My thoughts and concerns mirror those of my peers written here.

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    Patti White over 2 years ago

    I OPPOSE the amended ordinance as written and request "Frontage Road Truck Route Designation" be removed from the language because the data used for the staff report is insufficient, outdated and inaccurate. It would be a horrific disservice to the hundreds of families who currently live alongside the Frontage Road corridor and those who will join the community in the years to come.

    Key points:
    1) Health equity data was excluded. Although there are many studies conducted by state and local environmental orgs that show much higher pollution along Frontage Road vs other West Oakland streets, they were not considered in the study. When asked to explain to council why health equity data wasn't considered, the city responded only with other (non-health) equity data.
    2) The traffic study didn't include an assessment of Maritime Street, yet it concluded (without evidence) that prohibiting trucks on Frontage would pose "significant congestion and operation delays" to other streets.
    3) Population density wasn't considered at all -- as someone immediately impacted along with nearly a thousand other community members (at present with more on the way.......), it's insulting.

    Making a decision to move this ordinance forward with such blatant shortcomings in the research that supposedly supports it would be a CRIME.

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    John Sander, Wood Street Community Action Group - Lead over 2 years ago

    I DO NOT SUPPORT this amended ordinance language as written and ask to REMOVE: “Frontage Road Truck Route Designation” from the language. I recommend de-coupling item 9.2 from Item 9.1 and voting on these items separately.

    More study and work needs to be done! The data used for the staff report is out of date and inaccurate.
    Health Equity not taken into account.
    Staff and Port ignored/did not include the air quality data from the Oct 2019 WOCAG Air Quality Report.
    Truck counts in study do not reflect all truck usage which is closer to 2500/day per the Jacobs Study, July 2020
    Density of current housing along Frontage Road is not accurately reflected - outdated census data.
    Approved new housing in the pipeline - over 760 new affordable and market rate units to be built in the near term

    Truck Route Designation cannot be granted to Frontage Road without calming measures and a re-design put in place!
    Frontage Road is dangerous and incompatible to the adjacent residential community.
    Traffic moves at 50-70 mph with much of that traffic being trucks
    Center median lane and shoulder lanes are regularly used as truck parking or staging of Port trucks
    Multiple traffic deaths, several of them from cars running into parked trucks in the center median.

    City and Port agreement for Frontage Road redesign is a good start, BUT, we need:
    Clear accountability plan with the Port
    Clear timeline to a date of completion of construction
    Community must have a seat at the table in design process

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    Jim Gonzales over 2 years ago

    We don't want trucks on Frontage. This is a residential area that will greatly impact people's lives.

    I'm against it!

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    Steven Zupan over 2 years ago

    I oppose Frontage Road being designated a truck route, and ask that it be removed from the Truck Management report so that it can be properly evaluated. The Frontage Road traffic study that was conducted has several serious deficiencies which need to be addressed, including the following:

    1: health equity data was purposefully omitted from the traffic study. Although the state and local environmental organizations have conducted a number of assessments on localized truck pollution in West Oakland neighborhoods (which show much higher pollution along Frontage Road than other streets in West Oakland), none were considered as part of this study. I have a 2 year old son and am afraid to open the windows. Our back patio is constantly covered in a thick black sooty dust from the diesel exhaust.

    2: Second, the traffic study failed to conduct an assessment of Maritime Street, and instead concluded (without any evidence) that prohibiting trucks on Frontage Road would pose "significant congestion and operation delays" to other streets. Maritime Street is in the Port area. Frontage street has high density residential units along it. Trucks should stay near the related infrastructure, not people's homes.

    I ask that the Frontage Road study be redone so that health equity and other crucial data can be considered before a decision impacting the community’s health is made.

    Steven Zupan, 1515 Pullman Way

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    Jay Patel over 2 years ago

    No trucks on Frontage! I OPPOSE Frontage Road being designated a truck route for the same reasons as noted by others below.

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    Anu K Joshi over 2 years ago

    Do NOT make Frontage road a truck route. As a clinician who treats this community, making Frontage into a truck lane would be a huge disservice to this underserved minority population with an over serving of health problems. Environmental racism is real. This community needs Frontage to be a bike lane, not a truck lane!

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    Xavier Quan over 2 years ago

    No Trucks on Frontage Road (item 9.2)

    I strongly oppose Frontage Road as a truck route. The Frontage Road study has not addressed the number of households, let alone the number of people in the direct vicinity of the proposed truck route. New housing being built is now 3x denser than a typical single family housing parcel, meaning that within 700 ft of Frontage and between two city blocks, we find over 600 homes that are subject to higher levels of Black Carbon, Nitrous Oxide & Nitrogen Dioxide, more than almost any other part of West Oakland (Environmental Defense Fund - Pollution Map). That's not to mention the additional 700+ units that are about to start building, which include market, affordable and supportive housing within feet of Frontage Road. Furthermore, we have all the other residents living in single family homes along the same corridor that are also subject to this pollution. We should conduct an in depth analysis of the health data at the street level (not West Oakland as a whole), and not rush on this piece of legislation. These types of decisions can make or break communities and will have long lasting effects down the road.

    New study should include:
    (1) include health equity data (how many people
    (2) use a proper framework to truthfully assess Maritime Street's capacity
    (3) use a more current population density data (New 2020 Census data available 3/17/22).
    (4) change stakeholders. Current stakeholders = conflict of interest

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    Matthew Schrap over 2 years ago

    Commenting here in support of the Truck Route designation of Frontage Road between 7th Street and West Grand Avenue.

    This roadway is a critical link to the goods movement system in West Oakland. Any redesignation prohibiting heavy-duty vehicle traffic will result in natural truck diversion into in high priority equity neighborhoods. This concern was shown in the “Frontage Road Study” performed by the City of Oakland, the Port of Oakland, and Kittleson & Associates.

    Additionally, prohibiting truck traffic on Frontage Road will result in significant congestion within the Port at key intersections, especially at 7th Street and Maritime Street as identified by city staff on pages 6 and 7 in the Agenda Report Dated January 24, 2022. The resulting congestion across each Port entrance will no doubt lead to delays and increased truck idling, subsequently ensuring higher emissions within the local area.

    Frontage Road is a vital goods movement artery that needs specific recognition as a Truck Route to secure much needed investments for roadway upgrades and to keep residents of West Oakland, Emeryville, and other local areas supplied with their day-to-day essentials in the most efficient, safe, and environmentally responsible way.

    Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

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    Fredy Liu over 2 years ago

    #bantrucksonFrontageRoad
    No Trucks on Frontage Road – March 15 City Council meeting (item 9.2)

    Let's face it the traffic study was/is completely biased and flawed. We as the residents along Frontage Road have identified these issues within the traffic study months ago (well in advance of this meeting).

    I oppose Frontage Road being designated a truck route, and ask that it be removed from the proposed ordinance so it can be properly evaluated. New study should include:
    (1) include health equity data
    (2) use a proper framework to truthfully assess Martime Street's capacity
    (3) use a more current population density data (there are MANY more residents currently along Frontage and exponentially more projected in the near future)
    (4) change stakeholders and/or have Frontage Road resident(s) as part of the Steering Committee for the new study (this was originally requested on Feb 16, 2021 to Andrea Gardner + Alicia Parker). Current stakeholders = conflict of interest

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    Tony Henderson over 2 years ago

    I oppose Frontage Road being designated a truck route, and ask that it be removed from the proposed ordinance so it can be properly evaluated.

    First, health equity data was purposefully omitted from the traffic study. Alicia Parker from Oakland Planning explained in a May 21, 2021 email why such a health equity study was purposefully omitted: “I think the Port was weary about adding the health data [prepared by the Environmental Defense Fund] because it would set precedence and document the incompatibility of truck routes where people live.” This referenced study was conducted by the Environmental Defense Fund in partnership with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project (see https://tinyurl.com/2p8caehz). The city was asked to explain to council why health equity data was not considered. The city’s response in Staff Agenda Report dated March 3, 2022 does not address these concerns at all, but instead discusses other (non-health) equity data it considered.

    Second, the traffic study failed to conduct an assessment of Maritime Street capacity (a preexisting truck route more suitable to increased truck usage), and instead concluded without any evidence that prohibiting trucks on Frontage Road would pose "significant congestion and operation delays" to other streets.

    Third, the traffic study failed to consider population density. It's not sufficient to only know the percentage increase or decrease of truck trips.

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    Paul Sousa over 2 years ago

    I oppose Frontage Road being designated a truck route, and ask that it be removed from the proposed ordinance so it can be properly evaluated.

    First, health equity data was purposefully omitted from the traffic study. Alicia Parker from Oakland Planning explained in a May 21, 2021 email why such a health equity study was purposefully omitted: “I think the Port was weary about adding the health data [prepared by the Environmental Defense Fund] because it would set precedence and document the incompatibility of truck routes where people live.” This referenced study was conducted by the Environmental Defense Fund in partnership with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project (see https://tinyurl.com/2p8caehz). The city was asked to explain to council why health equity data was not considered. The city’s response in Staff Agenda Report dated March 3, 2022 does not address these concerns at all, but instead discusses other (non-health) equity data it considered.

    Second, the traffic study failed to conduct an assessment of Maritime Street capacity (a preexisting truck route more suitable to increased truck usage), and instead concluded without any evidence that prohibiting trucks on Frontage Road would pose "significant congestion and operation delays" to other streets.

    Third, the traffic study failed to consider population density. It's not sufficient to only know the percentage increase or decrease of truck trips.