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Agenda Item
7 23-0872 Subject: Community Traffic Safety Program
From: Councilmember Fife
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution Declaring The City Council's Intent And Desire To Establish A 3-Year Pilot For A Short-Term Encroachment Permit Program That Allows Schools, Businesses, And Community Centers That Serve Vulnerable Populations To Apply For Temporary Encroachment Permits To Install Removable Traffic Safety Treatments And Create Traffic Calming Zones In The City's Streets And Directing The City Administrator To Hold At Least Two (2) Community Meetings In Areas Of The City Within Oakland Department Of Transportation's Identified High Injury Network To Solicit Feedback From Residents And Community Based Organizations And Assess Their Interest And Ability To Participate In The Pilot Program; And To Return To The Public Safety Committee Meeting On February 13, 2024 With A Report And Recommendations, Including The Following:
(1) Information On Cities In California Or The United States That Have Successfully Implemented Similar Programs To Reduce The Number Of Traffic Accidents And Fatalities And Increase Safety For All Who Travel On Public Streets;
(2) Recommendations To Council About Legislative Or Administrative Changes Needed In Order To Implement A Similar Program In Oakland;
(3) Information Gathered From Residents And Community Based Organizations At Two Community 2 Meetings Assessing Their Interest And Ability To Participate In The Pilot Program;
(4) An Analysis Of Staffing And Budget Needs In Order To Begin And Sustain The Pilot Program; And
(5) A Report Exploring The Feasibility And Developing A Plan And Timeline For The City Of Oakland To Become A "Vision Zero Network" Member City
I'm a District 2 resident who lives on a heavily trafficked road that is treated by many like a fast lane, despite the presence of stop signs and even a nearby school. I am in full support of initiating crowdsourcing efforts to improve traffic safety in areas of high pedestrian risk, especially for historically underserved and over-policed neighborhoods in Oakland. If the Department of Transportation is not doing the work to keep us safe, then let the people of Oakland keep ourselves safe. Please pass this resolution.
I'm a D1 resident and I think this resolution provides communities suffering from unsafe streets with an actionable tool to address dangerous driving. The city's DOT has pointed to staffing challenges as the major bottleneck to implementing more traffic calming projects, and this program would help crowdsource the coalition building and initial design phases. Please pass this resolution.
I am a D4 resident who probably will not benefit directly from this pilot program, but I support its implementation nonetheless. We really need fast ways to slow traffic and save lives in Oakland. Please pass this
I am a Bay Area resident and support this resolution. Passing this resolution would make Oakland a national leader in innovative, community-led approaches to traffic safety. This pilot program will improve our road infrastructure and environmental design -- thereby helping to reduce traffic accidents, make streets safer for all users (including cyclists and pedestrians), and lessen reliance on police for traffic enforcement. I strongly encourage all members of the City Council to put their weight behind this.
I am a graduate student living in Oakland, and I support the resolution to explore a 3-year pilot Short-Term Encroachment Permit Program and move the city towards enhanced road safety measures. This initiative will create safer streets in Oakland by allowing schools, businesses, and community centers serving vulnerable populations to enhance traffic safety. The pilot program is a refreshing prospect for Oakland residents residing in high-injury network corridors, empowering community-based organizations to play a pivotal role in fostering safer streets, especially for our vulnerable BIPOC and low-income populations.
I am a high school student in Oakland and safer streets are necessary. Last year a student at my school was hit by a car while crossing the street at lunch break. We cannot wait for someone else to get hurt before we make changes. A street safety pilot is essential for the safety of students and the community.
Oakland is nowhere close to it's vision zero targets; anything that helps us reduce traffic violence... especially if it's at low cost should be prioritized. And this measure seems to do it!!
Very much in favor of anything that will help stem the epidemic of dangerous and reckless driving, and the resulting carnage. This proposal doesn't go far enough, but it's better than nothing. I support it.
As a dedicated small business owner in Uptown, I've witnessed a concerning surge in unlawful driving exhibitions that pose a significant threat to our community. I wholeheartedly support the urgent need for calmer streets, especially around Oakland's schools and vital establishments.
The definition of "essential places" may vary, but in my perspective, Downtown and Uptown Oakland should unquestionably be safe havens for pedestrians and cyclists alike. The prevalent wide, one-way streets have inadvertently facilitated reckless stunt driving, dangerous driving practices, and illegal street racing, endangering our residents and visitors.
Drawing inspiration from the City of Atlanta's visionary program, I advocate for a transition to narrowed two-way streets featuring parking-protected bike lanes and pedestrian walking lanes throughout Downtown and Uptown Oakland. Such a transformation aligns with my firm belief that this approach would enhance safety and elevate our quality of life, foster a sense of community ownership and engagement, and substantially boost economic benefits for all our local businesses.
The Old Oakland Farmers' Market stands as a shining example of the vibrant and inviting community space that Downtown and Uptown Oakland could become with these changes. I am convinced that embracing this forward-thinking urban design will not only address our immediate safety concerns but also pave the way for a thriving, sustainable, and united community.
Our business is on Webster at 17th street. Webster is three lanes of one way traffic. The volume of traffic is low and as a result people speed regularly. The parklet across the street has been hit by a car and Wise Sons around the corner has been hit twice. Luckily no one has been killed - yet.
I would like to see a quick build in more locations than just schools. On Webster, a quick build of a bike lane would be great, especially if it eliminated one lane of traffic. The current bike lane is used of illegal double parking, forcing bicyclists into the fast moving traffic. Removing a lane would slow drivers and make it safer for our clients to cross the street when coming to our studio.
As a D3 resident I support this program for traffic calming. With all the development that has occurred two way stops need to turn into four-way stops. Also needs to be more traffic calming such a speed bumps around city parks.
As a resident of the Prescott neighborhood in D3, I strongly advocate for prioritizing calm streets, especially around parks and playgrounds. I support the resolution to explore a 3-year pilot Short-Term Encroachment Permit Program and move the city towards enhanced road safety measures. It’s a step towards reducing accidents and fatalities.
I'm fully in support of Councilmember Fife's recommendation. Please implement this and make the pilot program permanent. Every year delay is more lives lost.
I'm a District 2 resident who lives on a heavily trafficked road that is treated by many like a fast lane, despite the presence of stop signs and even a nearby school. I am in full support of initiating crowdsourcing efforts to improve traffic safety in areas of high pedestrian risk, especially for historically underserved and over-policed neighborhoods in Oakland. If the Department of Transportation is not doing the work to keep us safe, then let the people of Oakland keep ourselves safe. Please pass this resolution.
I'm a D1 resident and I think this resolution provides communities suffering from unsafe streets with an actionable tool to address dangerous driving. The city's DOT has pointed to staffing challenges as the major bottleneck to implementing more traffic calming projects, and this program would help crowdsource the coalition building and initial design phases. Please pass this resolution.
I am a D4 resident who probably will not benefit directly from this pilot program, but I support its implementation nonetheless. We really need fast ways to slow traffic and save lives in Oakland. Please pass this
I am a Bay Area resident and support this resolution. Passing this resolution would make Oakland a national leader in innovative, community-led approaches to traffic safety. This pilot program will improve our road infrastructure and environmental design -- thereby helping to reduce traffic accidents, make streets safer for all users (including cyclists and pedestrians), and lessen reliance on police for traffic enforcement. I strongly encourage all members of the City Council to put their weight behind this.
I am a graduate student living in Oakland, and I support the resolution to explore a 3-year pilot Short-Term Encroachment Permit Program and move the city towards enhanced road safety measures. This initiative will create safer streets in Oakland by allowing schools, businesses, and community centers serving vulnerable populations to enhance traffic safety. The pilot program is a refreshing prospect for Oakland residents residing in high-injury network corridors, empowering community-based organizations to play a pivotal role in fostering safer streets, especially for our vulnerable BIPOC and low-income populations.
As a student in Oakland Unified School District and as someone who bikes to school, I support this measure.
I am a student from Oakland Technical High School and I support this resolution.
I am a high school student in Oakland and safer streets are necessary. Last year a student at my school was hit by a car while crossing the street at lunch break. We cannot wait for someone else to get hurt before we make changes. A street safety pilot is essential for the safety of students and the community.
I'm a D3 resident and we desperately need this! School zones need to be safer for kids and teachers
I am a D3 Oakland resident and support this pilot program
Oakland is nowhere close to it's vision zero targets; anything that helps us reduce traffic violence... especially if it's at low cost should be prioritized. And this measure seems to do it!!
Very much in favor of anything that will help stem the epidemic of dangerous and reckless driving, and the resulting carnage. This proposal doesn't go far enough, but it's better than nothing. I support it.
As a dedicated small business owner in Uptown, I've witnessed a concerning surge in unlawful driving exhibitions that pose a significant threat to our community. I wholeheartedly support the urgent need for calmer streets, especially around Oakland's schools and vital establishments.
The definition of "essential places" may vary, but in my perspective, Downtown and Uptown Oakland should unquestionably be safe havens for pedestrians and cyclists alike. The prevalent wide, one-way streets have inadvertently facilitated reckless stunt driving, dangerous driving practices, and illegal street racing, endangering our residents and visitors.
Drawing inspiration from the City of Atlanta's visionary program, I advocate for a transition to narrowed two-way streets featuring parking-protected bike lanes and pedestrian walking lanes throughout Downtown and Uptown Oakland. Such a transformation aligns with my firm belief that this approach would enhance safety and elevate our quality of life, foster a sense of community ownership and engagement, and substantially boost economic benefits for all our local businesses.
The Old Oakland Farmers' Market stands as a shining example of the vibrant and inviting community space that Downtown and Uptown Oakland could become with these changes. I am convinced that embracing this forward-thinking urban design will not only address our immediate safety concerns but also pave the way for a thriving, sustainable, and united community.
Our business is on Webster at 17th street. Webster is three lanes of one way traffic. The volume of traffic is low and as a result people speed regularly. The parklet across the street has been hit by a car and Wise Sons around the corner has been hit twice. Luckily no one has been killed - yet.
I would like to see a quick build in more locations than just schools. On Webster, a quick build of a bike lane would be great, especially if it eliminated one lane of traffic. The current bike lane is used of illegal double parking, forcing bicyclists into the fast moving traffic. Removing a lane would slow drivers and make it safer for our clients to cross the street when coming to our studio.
I am a D5 resident and am in support for this resolution.
As a D3 resident I support this program for traffic calming. With all the development that has occurred two way stops need to turn into four-way stops. Also needs to be more traffic calming such a speed bumps around city parks.
As a resident of the Prescott neighborhood in D3, I strongly advocate for prioritizing calm streets, especially around parks and playgrounds. I support the resolution to explore a 3-year pilot Short-Term Encroachment Permit Program and move the city towards enhanced road safety measures. It’s a step towards reducing accidents and fatalities.
I'm fully in support of Councilmember Fife's recommendation. Please implement this and make the pilot program permanent. Every year delay is more lives lost.