NACTO (National Association of City Transportation Officials)
The Pitch
The City of Oakland and the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) turned Telegraph Avenue, one of Oakland’s busiest streets, into a hub for bicyclists and pedestrians—improving safety, attracting more visitors and boosting local business.
The Problem
Telegraph Avenue, one of Oakland’s central and most used streets, was designed for motorized vehicles and lacked safe spaces to walk and bike.
The Process
- Utilized NACTO’s Urban Bikeway Design Guide to inform a redesign of Telegraph Avenue
- Brought experts to Oakland for a Cities for Cycling Roadshow, which led to the creation of Oakland’s first protected bike lane on Telegraph Avenue
- Formed OakDOT, Oakland’s new Department of Transportation, to deliver future mobility projects across the city
The Impact
- Improved road safety for pedestrians and cyclists on Telegraph Avenue: 79% of cyclists and 63% of pedestrians now feel safer, and for the first time in five years, no pedestrian crosswalk collisions were reported
- Increased the share of people using active or public transportation on Telegraph Avenue to 30%
- Attracted visitors to the street, helping to bring vibrancy to the area and boost the local economy
- Increased sales in the Koreatown Business District along Telegraph Avenue by 9%
- Revitalized walking and biking in the city overall: The city saw a 78% increase in bicycling and 100% increase in walking
- Served as a case study for similar projects across the US; knowledge sharing was central in the development of the project and continues to inspire projects in and outside of Oakland
