9 22-0171 Subject: Traffic Safety And Pedestrian Safety Improvements
From: Vice Mayor Kaplan
Recommendation: Receive An Informational Report And Recommendations For Improving And Expediting Traffic Calming Installations Throughout Needed Locations In Oakland, Including Completion Of Installation Of Approved Speed Bumps, And Recommended Budget Adjustments To Provide For Ongoing Capacity To Ensure Traffic Safety And Pedestrian Safety Improvements Are Completed Timely Throughout Oakland
This item should be continued again until, at a minimum:
(1) OakDOT demonstrates meaningful progress in filling vacancies in the Great Streets Maintenance Division (18 of 67 positions currently vacant),
(2) the Dept provides a plan for implementing "quick build" safety installations on the high-injury network and high-speed corridors (using primarily bollards, delineators, and other rapidly deployed materials), and
(3) OakDOT provides a plan for reforming the process for residents to apply for traffic calming installations on residential streets, including the installation of bollards, delineators, intersection bulb-outs, safety signage, & speed bumps (to remove the requirement that 2/3 of local residents agree to apply).
The updated report provides little assurance that the vacancy problem has actually been resolved. The issue has been ongoing for years and many reasons have been given for difficulties hiring qualified staff. The city administrator needs to prioritize hiring of street maintenance staff above all other roles until the backlog is filled and needs to contract more "quick build" safety work.
High speeds, recklessness, street racing, red-light violations, aggressive turns, & other dangerous behaviors have increased in recent years. It makes the city actually less safe, especially for those walking or biking, as evidenced by the many fatalities & severe injury collisions just this year and feel less safe. Everyone needs to treat this like the emergency it is.
Let's implement ASAP
This item should be continued again until, at a minimum:
(1) OakDOT demonstrates meaningful progress in filling vacancies in the Great Streets Maintenance Division (18 of 67 positions currently vacant),
(2) the Dept provides a plan for implementing "quick build" safety installations on the high-injury network and high-speed corridors (using primarily bollards, delineators, and other rapidly deployed materials), and
(3) OakDOT provides a plan for reforming the process for residents to apply for traffic calming installations on residential streets, including the installation of bollards, delineators, intersection bulb-outs, safety signage, & speed bumps (to remove the requirement that 2/3 of local residents agree to apply).
The updated report provides little assurance that the vacancy problem has actually been resolved. The issue has been ongoing for years and many reasons have been given for difficulties hiring qualified staff. The city administrator needs to prioritize hiring of street maintenance staff above all other roles until the backlog is filled and needs to contract more "quick build" safety work.
High speeds, recklessness, street racing, red-light violations, aggressive turns, & other dangerous behaviors have increased in recent years. It makes the city actually less safe, especially for those walking or biking, as evidenced by the many fatalities & severe injury collisions just this year and feel less safe. Everyone needs to treat this like the emergency it is.