ten ideas for equitable transportation in oakland

JULY 2021

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Leveraging the next generation of

transportation investment to better

serve and connect Oakland

Ten Ideas for Equitable Transportation in Oakland

Authors:Ronak Davé Okoye, SPURHannah Schwartz, SPURLaura Tolkoff, SPURBenjamin Grant, SPURStephen Engblom, AECOMCristian Bevington, AECOMHugo Errazuriz, AECOM

Acknowledgements

This report is a component of the SPUR Regional Strategy,

a vision for the future of the San Francisco Bay Area

spur.org/regionalstrategy

This report was adopted by the SPUR Oakland Board on June 23, 2020.

Contributors:Joy Woo, AECOMRadhya Adityavarman, AECOM

Special thanks to:Bill Gilchrist, Dahlia Chazan, Duncan Watry, Edward Manasse, Ian Griffiths, Lydia Tan, Morten Jensen, Robert Ogilvie, Sadie Graham, Warren Logan

Contents

Introduction 4

OurVisionforOakland 5

TheInfrastructureLandscapeToday 7

10IdeastoEnsureOaklandBenefitsFrom 12

RegionalTransportationInvestments

CaseStudies 21

EQUITABLE TRANSPORTATION IN OAKLAND 4

IntroductionSPUR’sBiggerPictureseriesproposesideasforkeylocationsinSanFrancisco,SanJoséandOakland,the

BayArea’sthreelargestcities.Eachexplorationrepresentsanopportunitytotacklemajorregionalchallenges

throughlocalplanningprocesses.And,conversely,eachsuggestshowbiginvestmentsininfrastructurecan—if

plannedcarefully—bringaboutpositivetransformationfortheimmediateneighborhood.

ThisseriesispartoftheSPURRegionalStrategy,anaspirational50-yearvisionfortheBayAreaanda

roadmaptocreatinganequitable,sustainableandprosperousfuture.WepartneredwithAECOMtoidentify

andexplorelocationsthathaveimportantimplicationsforthefutureoftheregion.Thenwebroughttogether

communityorganizations,businessesandgovernmentleaderstoidentifyopportunitiesandgoalsforthese

locations.Weseethemasgreaturbanplacesthatcanupliftboththelocalcommunityandthegreaterregion—

ifdecisionmakerskeepthatbiggerpictureinmind.

ThisexplorationlooksathowkeyregionaltransportationinfrastructurecurrentlyintersectsinOakland—

andhowitmightdosodifferentlyinthefuture:Thenextgenerationoftransportationinvestmentsandpolicy

changescouldrectifypastplanninginjusticestofacilitateahealthy,climateresilientandequitableOakland.The

ideasherebuildonexistingplansandsuggestwaystoensurethattheyconnectwithandsupportoneanother.

Theresultisaholisticvisionthatwillrequireboldcollectiveaction.

EQUITABLETRANSPORTATIONINOAKLAND 5

Our Vision for OaklandIn 2070, Oakland is among the most transit-rich, interconnected parts of the region and has retained its distinct

racial, cultural and economic identity as it has grown and prospered. Major transportation investments have

restored public life, created a just city and repaired the natural environment and ecology by putting freeways

and trains underground, enabling communities that were once segregated by infrastructure to reconnect and

reclaim their neighborhoods. All Oaklanders are housed, supported in part by thousands of additional housing

units, across the affordability range, where freeways once stood.1 Significant new express bus and rail service

between Oakland and San Francisco facilitates increased ridership across the region. Passengers enjoy seamless

transfers between rail, bus and other travel modes at a landmark transit hub, which is a destination in and of itself.

The pollution, noise and speeding cars of the past are a fading memory, along with the environmental and health

disparities they once produced.

Complete streets, greenways and trails connect downtown, the surrounding neighborhoods and Lake Merritt

to one another and to the waterfront. Everyone feels safe traveling anywhere in Oakland by foot, bike, bus or

other sustainable modes of travel. Oakland’s waterfront serves as a resilient barrier to sea level rise, using nature-

based solutions to protect communities and infrastructure that are vulnerable to rising tides.

Transit investments have contributed to equitable and sustainable growth while providing more robust and

efficient options for residents to travel both within and beyond Oakland. Abundant, well-connected local and

regional services make public transit a fast and easy way for residents and visitors to get around. New transit

stations and their surrounding communities are hubs of activity, providing local shops and restaurants, housing

that everyone can afford, amenities for residents and visitors to enjoy, and welcoming public spaces that provide

a sense of belonging. Housing-stabilization policies enable long-time residents to stay in Oakland and benefit

from new transit access, public services and economic opportunities.

1 ThedraftDowntownOaklandSpecificPlan(August,2019)estimatesthatremovingtheI-980freewaywouldreleaselandthatcouldresultinmorethan5,000residentialunits

and1.5millionsquarefeetofcommercialspace.See:https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/FINAL_DOSP-Public-Review-Draft-Plan_082819_Compressed.pdf

PHOTOBYSERGIORUIZ

6

Oakland, 2070Inourfuturevision,Oaklandisthehuboftheregion’srobustandresilienttransitnetwork.Interstate980,partsofInterstate880,andportionsoffreight

railhavebeenputunderground,reconnectingOakland’sneighborhoodstooneanotherandtothewaterfront.Landthatwasoncedominatedbyfreeways,

freightlinesandrailtransithasbeenreclaimedforhousing,publicspacesandboulevardsthataresafeandwelcomingtopedestriansandcyclistsandthat

prioritizepublictransit.


The Infrastructure Landscape TodayTheBayArea’stransportationinfrastructure—includingmajorfreeways,freightlinesandrailtransit—was

largelybuiltduringthe20thcenturyandinmanywayscreatedtheregionweknowtoday.Itconnectsournine

counties(and101cities),enablestheflowofgoodsfromoutsideandwithintheregion,andisamajordriverof

economicgrowth.However,ourregionalinfrastructurelandscapeposesthreeexistentialthreatsforOaklandthat

mustbeaddressedbythenextgenerationoftransportationinvestments:

1. Negative impacts on public health and local communities

ManyoftheBayArea’sinfrastructureprojectsweredesignedwithoutregardfortheirimpactonlocal

communities,whichhaveincludednoisepollution,barrierstowalkingandcycling,andhigherratesofasthma

andcardiovasculardiseaseconnectedtopoorairquality.Theseenvironmentalandhealthburdenshavefallen

heavilyonpeopleofcolorandhistoricallymarginalizedcommunities.Oaklandisattheheartofthisstoryand

illustratesthetensionbetweeninfrastructure’sbenefitsandharms.

At the intersection of 5th Street and Broadway, pedestrians walk under

the I-880 and I-980 overpasses. The interstates act as barriers between

downtown Oakland and Jack London Square and create an unwelcoming

environment for pedestrians. PHOTOBYSERGIORUIZ


Oakland’soriginalrailwaysandportfacilitiesshapeditsearlygrowthandeconomy,creatingmanyofits

vibrantanddiversecentralneighborhoods.Overtime,asportandrailactivitiesexpanded,thehealthand

interestsofnearbyBlackcommunitieswerenotadequatelyaccountedfor.Whilestillanimportantsourceof

living-wageemploymentforthousands,theportandrailwayinfrastructurearealsomajorbarriers,cuttingoff

accesstoopenspaceandthewaterfront.

Similarly,theBayArea’smajorfreewaysconvergeinOaklandandposesignificantpublichealthand

environmentalharms.RequiringthedemolitionofmanyhomesandbusinessesintheWestOakland

neighborhood,anddisplacingitsBlackmiddleclass,Interstate980continuestoactasabarrierbetweenWest

Oaklandanddowntown.Interstate880alignswiththeUnionPacificRailroadtothewestofdowntownandacts

asasignificantbarrierbetweenOaklandneighborhoodsandthewaterfront.TheareassurroundingInterstate

880havesomeofthehighestratesofairpollutionintheBayArea.2

2. Lack of coordination and capacity

TheBayArea’spublictransitservicesarefragmentedacrossoperatorsandgeographies,limitingOakland’s

connectivitytotheregiondespiteitscentrallocation.WithCaltrainonthePeninsula,Amtrak’sCapitolCorridor

lineintheEastBay,andACEintheSouthBay,regionalrailisoperatedandfundedasseparateservices,rather

thanfunctioningasacompleteandintegratednetwork.IntheEastBay,Amtrakoperatesonthesametracks

asUnionPacificfreightrail,whichcompromisesbothoperationsandcanresultinslow,unreliablepassenger

service.Buses,includingregionalbusesontheBayBridge,don’thavededicatedlanesandarestuckbehindcar

andtrucktraffic,makingjourneysslowandlessreliable.Thelackoffareandserviceintegrationbetweenthe

region’stransitagenciesisabarriertoincreasingoverallridershipandunfairlypunishestransit-dependentriders

whomustmaketransfersbetweenservices.

Improvementstotransitinfrastructurearehamperedbyacomplexfundingandgovernancelandscape,

projectdelaysandcostoverruns.PriortotheCOVID-19pandemic,BART’stransbayservicewasatcapacityand

lackedtheredundancyneededforeffectiveservice.Oncepassengertravelresumestopre-COVID-19levels,this

servicewillexperiencethesamechallengesatakeylinkintheregion’stransportationnetwork.

3. Vulnerability to sea level rise and other threats

Sealevelrise(seemaponpage9),liquefactionandearthquakedamagearethreatstowaterfrontandlow-lying

neighborhoodsandtotheregion’sexistinginfrastructure,includingtheBayBridge,CapitolCorridortracks,the

transbayBARTtubeandseveraltransitstations.

Adaptingtheseassetsandprotectingcommunities—particularlycommunitiesofcolor,whohavealready

bornethebruntofinfrastructuralinequitiesandmakeupalargeproportionofthepopulationthatismost

vulnerabletofutureimpacts—willrequiresignificantcollaborationandcoordinationacrossjurisdictionsandthe

immediateimplementationofboldstrategies.

2 I-880hasmuchhigherpollutionthannearbyI-580.See“ATaleofTwoFreeways,”EnvironmentalDefenseFund,https://www.edf.org/airqualitymaps/oakland/tale-two-freeways

Scenario: 5.5 feet sea level rise plus 100-year storm2090 timeframeMedium/High Risk Aversion; High Emissions Scenario

Scenario: 8.25 feet sea level rise plus 100-year storm2090 timeframeH++; High Emissions Scenario

This map shows the range of projected sea level rise on Oakland’s

waterfront by 2090, highlighting the importance of a waterfront-wide

approach to sea level rise resilience. Without action, many of Oakland’s

most vulnerable communities and key infrastructure assets would be

inundated. As is typical for adaptation planning projects, we included

the impacts of a 100-year storm on top of expected sea level rise to

understand the worst-case scenario.



Why Addressing the Bigger Picture Matters

Oakland lies at the geographical center of the region, making it

the sensible home for a future transit hub. PHOTOBYSERGIORUIZ

ProposalstorectifytheimpactsofregionalinfrastructureonOaklandandreimaginethecity’slandscape,such

asundergroundingI-980,havelongbeenconsidered“moonshot”ideas.However,2021findstheregionina

newmoment.ThroughprogramssuchasLink21,astudyofrailinvestmentsthatwouldconnectthe21counties

intheNorthernCaliforniamegaregion,andwithfederalfundingthroughtherecentlypassedAmericanRescue

Planandproposedinfrastructurebills,theBayAreaispoisedtomakeonce-in-a-generationinvestmentsinits

transportationinfrastructure.Theseproposalsindicatethatpoliticalwillisgrowingatthelocal,stateandfederal

levelstoaddressthecrisesthattoday’sauto-orientedsystemperpetuates:racialandenvironmentalinjustice,the

housingcrisisandtheclimatecrisis.

Oaklandiswell-positionedtobecomethehuboftheregion’sfuturecoordinatedtransitnetworkbecause

ofitspositionatthecenteroftheregionandbecauseithasroomtogrow.3Oaklandcanleverageinvestments

inregionaltransportationtoredresshistoricalandpresent-dayinequities,improvethelocalmobilitylandscape,

freeupspaceforhousingdevelopment,andprotectitswaterfrontamenitiesandneighborhoodsfromrising

seas.Theeconomicbenefitsofincreasedregionalconnectivitycouldalsobeleveragedtocatalyzecommercial

3 ThedraftDowntownOaklandSpecificPlan(August,2019)contemplatesadding20millionsquarefeetofofficespaceand29,100newhomesinDowntownOaklandby2040.

https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/FINAL_DOSP-Public-Review-Draft-Plan_082819_Compressed.pdf

https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/FINAL_DOSP-Public-Review-Draft-Plan_082819_Compressed.pdf


developmentandincreaselocalemploymentopportunities.Oaklandcouldenactstrongerpoliciesthatsupport

anti-displacementmeasures,communitywealth-buildingandplacemakingasthelocaleconomyexpandsas

aresultoftransitinvestments.However,withoutaclearvisionforhowtheregionalinvestmentswillbenefit

Oakland,andhowtheprojectsalign,thereisariskofhistoryrepeatingitself.

TheBayArea’snextsetoftransportationinvestmentsmustbethoughtofasinvestmentsinracialequity,

environmentaljustice,climateresilienceandaffordablehousing—inshort,theyareinvestmentsinOakland

anditsresidents.EnsuringthattheseinvestmentsserveOaklandwillrequiresignificantforwardthinkingand

coordinationacrossgeographiesandagencies.Itwillalsorequiredevelopmentofananti-displacementand

racialequitystrategytoserveasanoverarchingguide.

Public events like First Fridays play an important role in elevating Oakland’s

culture and keeping its communities intact. PHOTOBYSERGIORUIZ


10 Ideas to Ensure Oakland Benefits From Regional Transportation Investments Inthefollowingpages,weproposeaseriesofideasthatwouldpositionOaklandasacriticalhubina21-county

NorthernCaliforniaregionaltransitnetwork,helpthecitybenefitfromfuturetransportationinvestments

andrepairtheharmsofpreviousinfrastructure.Thissetofideasdoesnotrepresentasingularwayforward

butillustratesthescaleoftransformationthatispossiblewhendecisionmakersalignandconnecttransit

investmentstorealizeaholisticvision.

LeveragingthefullpotentialofmajortransportationinvestmentsforOakland’sbenefitwillrequirevisionary

leadershipandcollectiveaction.Someoftheprojectsandplansmentionedherearealreadyintheworks:The

decisionsthatshapetheseprojectsshouldprioritizeOakland’spotentialanditsimportancetotheregion.The

lessonslearnedfrompastinfrastructureprojectsmustbeattheforefront,withracialequityguidingthecity’s

transformation.Leaderswillneedtoembraceboldideasandkeepthebiggerpictureinmindtomakethemost

oftheseonce-in-a-centuryinvestments.

IDEA 1

Develop an anti-displacement and racial equity framework to guide the next set of regional transportation investments. Aframeworkforinclusivenessthatguidestheplanninganddesignofthenextgenerationofinfrastructurefor

Oaklandwillhelpensuregrowthandprosperityforlocalneighborhoodsandthebroaderregion.Eachinfrastruc-

tureprojectrecommendedherewouldrequireacommunityengagementstrategythatembedslocalknowledge,

communitybuilding,participatorypractices,shareddecisionmakingandtransparentcommunication.Inaddition

toextensivecommunityinvolvement,asuiteofpoliciesandactionsfocusedonanti-displacementmeasures,

communitystabilizationandwealthgenerationwillbeneededtoensurethatexistingresidentsbenefitfromnew

investments.Justastheinfrastructureitselfshouldbedesignedincoordinationwithanoverarchingvision,so

shouldthestrategyforanti-displacement,communitywealth-buildingandrepairinghistoricalandpresent-day

racialinequities.Akeycomponentofthisapproachshouldbetoimaginetransithubsasanchorsofthecommu-

nityandtoplacelandunderpublicornonprofitownershipforaffordablehousingandothercommunityneeds.


Equitable community planning includes:>Authenticcommunityengagement

>Renterprotections

>Anti-displacementmeasures

>Affordablehousingdevelopment

>Homeownershipandwealthgeneration

>Small-businessprotectionthrough

constructionmitigation

SPUR’sreportRooted and Growing: SPUR’s

Anti-Displacement Agenda for the Bay Area4

providesdetailedrecommendationsfor

achievingtheseoutcomes.

4 KristyWang,Rooted and Growing: SPUR’s Anti-Displacement agenda for the Bay Area,SPUR,April2021,https://www.spur.org/publications/spur-report/2021-04-22/rooted-and-

growing

Equitable infrastructure should:>Designtohonorpasthistoryandrepair

previousinjustices

>Reducecommunityexposuretoairand

noisepollution

>Createnewtransitaccessandeconomic

opportunity

>Reclaimpubliclyownedlandasan

opportunitytoprovideaffordablehousing

>Providepublicamenities

IDEA 2

Create new transbay transit crossings. Increasingthecapacityandresilienceoftheregion’stransportationnetworkwillmeancreatingadditionalways

fortransittocrosstheBay.Thefastestandeasiestwaytobuilda“new”crossingistodedicateexistinglaneson

theBayBridgetobusesandhighoccupancyvehicles.Tobeeffective,theserepurposedlanesshouldcontinue

onfreewaysthatradiatefromOakland,likeI-80,I-880,I-580andCA-24.Atrelativelylowcost,thiscould

deliversignificanttransitcapacityfromSanFranciscointotheEastBay.Thisservicecouldcompetefavorably

withdrivingformosttripsandcoulduseexistingroadinfrastructureasits“rails.”Thisbusconnection,andthe

regionalexpressbusnetworkitcancatalyze,couldbeasimportantasnewrailconnectionsforthefutureof

Oaklandandtheregion.

Overtime,theregionwillalsoneedoneormorenewtransbayrailcrossings,inadditiontotheexistingBART

tube.ThisisamongtheinvestmentstheLink21programisstudying.Manydesignandoperationaldecisionsare

yettobemadeforanewrailcrossing,includingwhichtransitserviceswoulduseit,thealignment(meaningwhat

routeitwouldtakeandwherethestationswouldbe)andwhetheritwouldconnectintodowntownOakland.


SPURsupportstheideaofanintegratedmegaregionaltransitnetworkandbelievestheBayAreashould

playakeyroleinit.Tobesuccessful,thenetworkshouldbedesignedaroundasetofhubstations,aregularand

frequentscheduleandtimedtransfers,followingtheleadofrailnetworksinEurope.5,6Thistypeof“pulse-hub”

networkwouldreducetraveltimesdramatically,makingitpossibletogetanywhereintheBayAreabytransit

inanhourorless.Toachievethisvision,wesupportadditionalrailcrossingswithbothconventional(standard

gauge)railandBART(widegauge)rail.7Addingoneormorenewlinksthatdonothavetousetheconstrained

OaklandWye8wouldprovidenewcapacityintheregion’smostcongestedcorridor.Additionally,newcrossings

wouldaddcriticallyneededresiliencetothetransitsystemintheeventthatsegmentsofthenetworkgoout

ofserviceduetoanearthquake,repairworkorotherdisruptions.Thisbecomesincreasinglyimportantas

theexistingcrossingagesandrequiresmaintenance.Reliable,seamless,resilientconnectionsbetweenSan

Francisco,SiliconValley,SacramentoandthenorthernSanJoaquinValleywouldelevateOakland’strajectoryas

bothajobandpopulationcenter.ThenewcrossingcouldconnectdowntownOaklandtoSanFrancisco’sSOMA

district,connecttoasubwayontheWestSideofSanFranciscoviaGearyand19thAvenue,thenconnecttothe

existingsystematDalyCityStation,andonwardtoSanJoséviaconventionalrail.

Key Operational Considerations for New Transbay Rail Crossings

Designingandbuildingnewraillinkswillrequirelayersofmajorinterrelateddesigndecisionsthatwill

impactthefunctioningoftheregionalrailnetworkandfreightnetworkforthenextcenturyandbeyond.

Whateverdesignchoicesaremade,theyshouldensure:

>Thereisoneoperationaltransbayrailcrossingatalltimes

>AllBARTtrainsfromtheEastBaycanaccessanewcrossingwithoutusingtheOaklandWye

>Newcrossingsdonoharmtoexistingpassengerorfreightrailandinfrastructurebyintroducing

newbottlenecksorothercapacityconstraints

>Trainmaintenanceandstoragefacilitiesforpassengerandfreightrailaredesignedtobeadequate

fortrainoperationswhilenotdegradingandpollutingsurroundingcommunities

>Decisionsaboutthealignmentandconstructionmethodsshouldbebasedonthebestwayto

provideintegratedserviceswithahigh-qualitypassengerexperience

>Publicinvestmentsinprivatefreightsystemsmustleadtosignificantflexibilityforthegrowthof

passengerrail

5 LauraTolkoff,“GivingOldInfrastructureNewLife,”SPUR,July2019.https://www.spur.org/publications/urbanist-article/2019-07-29/giving-old-infrastructure-new-life

6 LauraTolkoffandDeikePeters,“LessonsforDiridon:RebuildingRotterdamCentraalStation,”SPUR,September2016.https://www.spur.org/news/2016-09-22/lessons-diridon-

rebuilding-rotterdam-centraal-station

7 Thiscouldbeintheformofasingle,four-trackcrossingortwo,two-trackcrossings,pendingfurtherstudy.

8 TheOaklandWyeistheundergroundBARTjunctionindowntownOakland.

https://www.spur.org/publications/urbanist-article/2019-07-29/giving-old-infrastructure-new-life


IDEA 3

Build an Oakland transit hub.OneofthedecisionsyettobemadeabouttheadditionalrailcrossingsiswheretheymightconnectinOakland

andhowbesttofacilitatetransfersbetweenBART,regionalrailandexpressbusesinOakland.Thesuccessof

futureinvestmentsintheLink21visionwouldbeenhancedbyaholisticapproachtoseamlesstransfersbetween

differentmodesoftransportation.Twokindsofstationscanfacilitatethis:transferstationsandhubs.Transfer

stationsareneighborhoodstationsthatprovidetransfersbetweenmodeslikelocalbusandregionalrail.They

canbringthebenefitsofgreatertransitchoicestoOaklandcommunitiesnotcurrentlyaswellservedbyBART

andregionalrail,suchasSanAntonio(seemaponpage16).Ahubstationisadestinationinitselfthatprovides

coordinationbetweenoperatorsandmodes,servesasamajorconnectionpointforbothlocalandregionaltrips,

providesservices,shopsandpublicgatheringspaces,andoffersopportunityforsmallbusinesses,bothwithin

andaroundthestation.AnOaklandtransithubshouldintegratetransitmodesseamlessly,supportOakland’s

urbanaspirationsandhelpanchorpubliclife. Thereareseveralpotentiallocationsforahub,manyofwhichwillbestudiedextensivelyaspartoftheLink21

program.ItisnottooearlyforOaklandtobegintoconsiderthisquestion.Thehubshouldbealandmark,a

driverofgrowthforgenerationsandasourceoflocalpride.Itshouldbedesignedtoconnectandintegratethe

surroundingneighborhoods,withacommitmenttosupportingOakland’sresidents,workers,smallbusinesses

andlocalentrepreneurs.Thehubcouldbeonestationorseveralstationslinkedtogetherwithseamlesstransfers

thatbringpeopleinto—notjustthrough—downtownandcouldgiveOaklandresidentsbetteraccesstothe

entireNorthernCaliforniamegaregion.Planningforsignificantnewgrowthmustintegrateanti-displacement

policiesforresidentsandbusinessessotheunparalleledopportunityfornewaccesstohigh-quality,regional

transitbenefitseveryone.

Giventhatthealignmentofadditionalcrossingshasnotbeenchosen,thereareseveralpotentiallocations

foranOaklandhub,includingbutnotlimitedtotheoptionsdescribedbelowandshowninthemaponpage16.

Thetrade-offsinmakingthisdecisionincludewhethertoprovidedirectaccesstodowntownOaklandorconnect

toareasofthecitynotcurrentlyservedbyrail,increasingpotentialridership.9Whicheveralignmentischosen,it

willbecriticaltodesignittopositiondowntownOaklandasthecenteroftheregionaltransitnetwork.

Possiblelocationsinclude:

>The I-980 corridor.TheI-980trenchhaslongbeenidentifiedasapromisingsitefortransfersbetween

transbayandEastBayraillines.ThislocationwouldserveWestOakland,anareaofthecitynotcurrently

integratedintotheregionaltransitnetwork,andifI-980isundergrounded(seeIdea5),thehubcouldalso

serveasaconnection—ratherthanabarrier—betweenWestOaklandanddowntown.Onedownside

isthatitcouldpullfocusawayfromdowntown.Ontheotherhand,newdevelopmentonanestimated

15acresoflandthatwouldbefreed-upiftheI-980isundergroundedcouldprovideopportunityfor

affordablehousingandincreasedridershipwhilesupportingthefinancialviabilityoftheproject.

9 RatnaAminandBrianStokle,Designing the Bay Area’s Second Transbay Rail Crossing,https://www.spur.org/publications/white-paper/2016-02-10/designing-bay-areas-second-

transbay-rail-crossing,SPUR,February2016.

https://www.spur.org/publications/white-paper/2016-02-10/designing-bay-areas-second-transbay-rail-crossing

https://www.spur.org/publications/white-paper/2016-02-10/designing-bay-areas-second-transbay-rail-crossing


>On or near Broadway.ThereareseveraloptionstomodifyexistingBARTstationsbetween5thand

19thstreetsalongBroadway.AlocationherewoulddirectlyservedowntownOaklandandcouldrenew

Broadway’soriginalpurposeasthecity’smainstreet.WhereI-880crossesBroadway(between5thand

6thstreets),ahubcouldserveasaconnectionpointbetweenstandardgaugerailtracksandBARTtracks.

ThislocationwouldalsobestserveJackLondonSquareandpotentialdevelopmentatHowardTerminal.

>Howard Terminal/Jack London Square.IfthetunnelconnectsatHowardTerminal,itcouldbeadefining

featureforthefutureofJackLondonSquareandservetheproposedOaklandWaterfrontBallparkDistrict,

shouldthatdevelopmentmoveforward.Thisstationcouldalsoserveasatransportationoptionfor

Alameda,asaplanforapedestrianbridgeacrosstheOaklandEstuaryisalsounderway.

Potential locations for an Oakland rail hub include the I-980 corridor,

Jack London Square and various locations along Broadway.


IDEA 4

Ensure Oakland’s land use plans support the infrastructure investments of tomorrow. Severalplansunderdevelopment,suchastheDowntownOaklandSpecificPlanandWestOaklandSpecific

Plan,arecriticaltothefutureofOaklandandmustbeimplementedwithfuturetransportationinvestmentsin

mind.InorderforOaklandtobenefitfromregionalinvestmentsintransportation,thecitymustbepreparedto

accommodategrowthanddevelopmentnearplannedtransitstationsandcorridors.Asthecitymovestoupdate

itsgeneralplaninthenearterm,itshouldensurethatnewplanningcodesandregulationssupporttransit-

orienteddevelopmentinproposedareasoffuturegrowth.Additionally,newplansandmajordevelopment

projectsmustconsidernewtransbaycrossings.

IDEA 5

Underground I-980. I-980representsoneofthemostdestructiveaspectsofourregion’s20th-centurytransportationinfrastructure.

TheconstructionoftheinterstatedemolishedhomesandbusinessesinWestOakland,displacedprimarilyBlack

households,broughtairandnoisepollutiontoaresidentialneighborhoodandcreatedabarrierbetweenWest

Oaklandanddowntown.TorepairtheseimpactsandreconnectWestOaklandtodowntown,majorportions

ofI-980couldbedecked,withtheroadwayroutedonthenewdeckasaboulevard.TheoldI-980underthe

deckcouldbetransformedintoatransittunnelandstation,aspartofanadditionaltransbayrailcrossing.The

publiclyownedlandcouldberepurposedforhousing,officedevelopmentandjobgrowth,andpublicopen

space,amongothercommunityuses.TheadvocacygroupConnectOaklandpresentsasimilarvisionforthe

redevelopmentofthisarea,andtheDowntownOaklandSpecificPlandiscussestheconceptofconvertingI-980

intoasurfaceboulevard,anotherideathatcouldprovidesignificantcommunityandenvironmentalbenefits.

TheEconomicJusticeAct,currentlyunderreviewbythefederalgovernment,includes$10billionforplanning

andfeasibilitystudiestoremovetransitinfrastructureinurbancommunities.I-980isaprimecandidatefor

suchfundingandcouldbeaseminalprojectforreclaimingurbanlandandtearingdowndestructivefreeway

infrastructure.


IDEA 6

Underground parts of I-880 and freight infrastructure. I-880,whichisparticularlyvulnerabletorisingsealevelsandadetrimenttothepublichealthofneighboring

Oaklandresidents,couldbeundergroundedwhereitintersectsdowntown,unlockingsevencityblocksfor

mixed-usedevelopmentsandconnectingdowntowntoJackLondonSquareandapossiblefutureballpark.

Theefforttoundergroundthisfreewaymustbepairedwithsea-level-riseadaptationandmitigationmeasures,

notonlyfortheinfrastructureitselfbutalsoforthesurroundingcommunities.UndergroundingI-880couldalso

beanopportunityforOaklandtoseparatefreightrailandpassengerrail,whichcurrentlyoperateonashared

track.This“super-corridor”conceptisdiscussedfurtherinIdea8andisshowninthemaponpage6.Anew

dedicatedfreighttunnelcouldservethePortofOakland,relocatingbothfreightrailandport-boundtrucktraffic

toanundergroundaccessroutesouthoftheLakeMerrittChannel.Thisconceptwouldsupportthedesiretode-

carbonizethemovementofgoodsthroughtheuseofelectricandhydrogenfreighttraffic,supportingimproved

airqualityandenvironmentaljustice,andachievingtheregion’sgreenhousegasreductiongoals.10Thisidea

couldbeundertakeninconjunctionwithbringinganadditionaltransbaycrossingintoOakland,ifoneofthenew

crossingsusestheI-880alignment.

IDEA 7

Use land freed up by freeway undergrounding to reconnect Oakland, increase affordable housing and support inclusive development. WithI-980andI-880buried,Oaklandcouldreconnectitsneighborhoodsthroughgreenspaces,affordable

housing,commercialdevelopmentandresultingjobs,andstreetsthatsupportpublictransit,walkingandbiking.

Thefreewayundergroundingdescribedinideas4and5wouldunlockapproximately40acresoflandandshould

serveasacatalystforhousingproductionandotherneighborhooduses.AccordingtothedraftDowntown

OaklandSpecificPlan,theI-980corridoralonecouldberedevelopedtoaccommodate5,000residentialunits

and1.5millionsquarefeetofcommercialspace.

10 SPUR’spublicprogram“ThinkingBiginDowntownOakland”exploredthisvision,aswellasseveralothertransformationalconcepts.Seethepresentationsat:https://www.spur.

org/events/2019-07-10/thinking-big-downtown-oakland


IDEA 8

Design transportation investments as resilience investments, and protect existing infrastructure. Majorinvestmentsininfrastructuremustbeviewedaspartofalargerclimateadaptationandresiliencestrategy.

OneexampleistheconceptofanEastBaytransportation“super-corridor”thatcouldintegratefreightrail,

passengerrailandfreewayinfrastructurealongonemajorcorridor,improvingefficiencyandresultinginbetter

ecologicalandenvironmentalhealthoutcomes.UndergroundingI-880,railtracksandkeyutilityinfrastructure

locatedsouthoftheLakeMerrittchannelcouldprotectthemfromsealevelrise.Additionally,switchingrail

enginesfromdieseltoelectricpoweralongtheCapitolCorridorwouldreduceairandnoisepollution.

ImplementingtheCityofOakland’s2017SeaLevelRiseRoadMapwillbeaboldandimmediateaction

neededtoprotectvulnerablecommunitiesandkeypiecesoftransportationinfrastructurefromsealevelriseand

otherthreats.11Protectingtransportationassetsiscriticaltodecreasingrelianceoncartravelandensuringthat

householdswithoutaprivatevehiclecaneasilyandsafelygetwheretheyneedtogo.Theroadmapoutlines

severalnature-basedstrategiesthatshouldbeimplementedimmediatelytopreventflooding,including“living

levees”attheBayBridgetouchdownnorthofI-80andborderingtheDamonSloughfacilityintheOakland

Coliseumarea.SPUR’sSan Francisco Bay Shoreline Adaptation Atlasexploresthisideaforanumberofsites

aroundtheBay.12

IDEA 9

Add a new passenger rail tunnel through downtown Oakland.IftheI-880corridorisundergroundedaspartofalargerresiliencestrategy(asdescribedinidea8),this

wouldprovideanopportunitytoreconsiderhowpassengerrailisdirectedthroughOakland.MovingCapitol

CorridorservicefromitssharedtracksthroughJackLondonSquaretoapassengerrailtunnelthatrunsthrough

downtownisoneoption.ThistunnelcouldconnecttotheexistingrailsystemsouthoftheLakeMerrittChannel,

serveanOaklandrailhubandproceedviatheexistingBARTalignmentortheI-980corridorandSanPablo

AvenuetoEmeryvilleStation.

11 CityofOakland(ResilientOakland),Fall2017“SeaLevelRiseRoadMap,”https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/oak068799.pdf

12 JulieBeagle,LauraTametal,San Francisco Bay Area Shoreline Adaptation Atlas,SPURandSFEI,May2,2019,page84,https://www.spur.org/publications/spur-

report/2019-05-02/san-francisco-bay-shoreline-adaptation-atlas


IDEA 10

Prioritize projects that support walking, cycling and other sustainable modes of transportation. Whilemajorinfrastructureprojectsarebeingdesignedanddeveloped,accessibilityandsustainabilitygoals

canbeservedbypedestrianandbicycleprojectsthataremuchquickertobuild.ThedraftDowntownOakland

SpecificPlanrecommendscompletionoftheGreenLoopandWestOaklandWalk,twoproposalsthatwould

servetoreconnectOakland’sdowntownneighborhoodstothewaterfrontandLakeMerrittwithprotected

bikelanes,walkingpathsandpublicspaces.13Thedraftplanalsocallsfortheimplementationoftheprograms

andpoliciesoutlinedinthe2017OaklandPedestrianPlan,whicharecriticalstepstowardcreatingawalkable

andbikeableOakland.TheseproposalsshouldbeviewedaskeycomponentsofOakland’stransportation

infrastructure.14

13 CityofOakland,DowntownOaklandSpecificPlan,DraftAugust2019,https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/FINAL_DOSP-Public-Review-Draft-Plan_082819_

Compressed.pdf

14 CityofOaklandDepartmentofTransportation2017PedestrianPlanUpdate,https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Ped-Plan-2017-rev-sep2018-compressed.pdf


Case Studies

Alaskan Way ViaductSeattle

Citiesaroundtheworld,fromSeattletoMarseilletoLondon,havedeployedadvancedtunnelingtechniques

toreclaimlandforgrowthandpublicspace.TheremovaloftheAlaskanWayViaduct,anelevated,two-level

highwayinSeattle,isanexampleofafreewaytransformationthatreconnectedSeattle’sdowntownand

waterfrontneighborhoods.Theviaduct,whichwasseismicallyvulnerable,wasreplacedwithanewtunnelfor

StateRoute99plusasurfacestreet.

Key idea for Oakland:Thisprojectillustrateshowconvertingaraisedfreewayintoatunnelandsurface

boulevardcanachievesignificantbenefitswithoutcompromisingtraveltimesortheefficiencyofport

operations.Whilefreewayundergroundingprojectsarecomplex,theirimpactscanbetransformational.

PHOTOCOURTESYWASHINGTONSTATEDEPARTMENTOFTRANSPORTATION

RESILIENTINFRASTRUCTUREINOAKLAND 22

Central-Wan Chai Bypass and Island Eastern Corridor LinkHong Kong

Openedin2019,theCentral-WanChaiBypassandIslandEasternCorridorLinkisa2.8-milehighwayalongthe

northshoreofHongKongIslanddesignedtoalleviatetrafficcongestionalongtheexistingmajorroads.The

projectalsoimprovesairqualitybydivertingtrafficthrough2.3milesoftunneledhighwayequippedwitha

state-of-the-artairpurificationsystem.Constructiontookplace65feetbelowtheCrossHarborTunnelsouthern

approachrampwithoutdisruptingthedailyjourneysof120,000vehicles.Thedesignoftheventilationbuildings

andoverheadventductswerevotedonbythecommunity,withthefinaldesignshavingastrongfocuson

greeningandenhancingtheurbanenvironment.

Key idea for Oakland: Significanttransportationinfrastructureimprovementscanbedeliveredtoprovide

significantenvironmentalbenefitswhendecisionmakersthinkbigandleveragethelatestengineering

innovations.

PHOTOCOURTESYOFAECOM


Alameda CorridorSouthern California

TheAlamedaCorridorisa20-milededicatedfreightrailexpresswaythatconnectstheportsofLosAngeles

andLongBeachtothenationalrailnetwork.ThecorridorisoperatedbytheAlamedaCorridorTransportation

Authority,ajointpowersauthorityformedbytheCityofLosAngelesandCityofLongBeach.A10-milestretch

ofthecorridorhasbeensunkinatrench33feetbelowstreetsurface.Theprojectseparatesfreighttrafficfrom

passengerrailandthestreetleveltosupportmoreefficientfreightmovementandreducenegativeimpacts

onthesurroundingcommunities.Connectivityacrossthecorridorwasimprovedwithaseriesofbridges,

underpassesandoverpasses.

Key idea for Oakland: SeparatingOakland’sfreightandpassengerrailwouldhavesignificantbenefitsfor

environmentaljusticeandsustainabilitygoalswhileimprovingportandregionalfreightactivities.

PHOTOCOURTESYOFTHEALAMEDACORRIDORTRANSPORTATIONAUTHORITY


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