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Pedestrian Master Plan: The City of Oakland: Part of the Land Use and Transportation Element of the City of Oakland's General Plan

Author(s):

City of Oakland, CA

Organization:

City of Oakland

Publisher/Date:

City of Oakland, Oakland, CA, 2002

Rating:

Very Useful

Abstract:

Vision Statement: To promote a pedestrian-friendly environment; where public spaces, including streets and off-street paths, will offer a level of convenience, safety and attractiveness to the pedestrian that will encourage and reward the choice to walk.

"Getting people out of their cars and walking as much as possible will put Oakland in the forefront of the pedestrian movement. As a matter of fact, we will be one of the first cities in America to create a Pedestrian Master Plan." (Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, August 14, 2001).

The Oakland Pedestrian Master Plan promotes pedestrian safety and access to help ensure that Oakland is a safe, convenient, and attractive place to walk. It establishes a Pedestrian Route Network emphasizing safe routes to school and connections to transit. The routes include streets, walkways, and trails that connect schools, libraries, parks, neighborhoods, and commercial districts throughout the City. It identifies priority street segments along these routes for targeted improvements over the next twenty years. The plan also identifies new pedestrian design elements to promote pedestrian safety and access throughout the City.

Policy T4.5 of Envision Oakland, the Land Use and Transportation Element of the Oakland General Plan, recommends the creation of a Pedestrian Master Plan as part of its objective to increase the use of alternative modes of transportation. While walking is the least expensive transportation mode, building and maintaining a high quality pedestrian infrastructure requires comprehensive planning and long term funding. The Pedestrian Master Plan will be a key resource for the City in securing grants from the increasingly large pool of funds dedicated to pedestrian safety and livable communities.

The City of Oakland is committed to walking as a form of transportation and recreation that is safe, accessible, healthy, and affordable for all citizens. Every Oaklander is a pedestrian at some point during the day. We all walk with or without mobility aids to a school, transit stop, to a parked car, to work, or for exercise. The City also recognizes the value of walking for promoting environmental sustainability and the commercial vitality of downtown and neighborhood districts.

To promote these benefits of a walkable city, the Pedestrian Master Plan specifies the following five goals.

  1. Pedestrian Safety. Create a street environment that strives to ensure pedestrian safety.
  2. Pedestrian Access. Develop an environment throughout the City - prioritizing routes to school and transit - that enables pedestrians to travel safely and freely.
  3. Streetscaping and Land Use. Provide pedestrian amenities and promote land uses that enhance public spaces and neighborhood commercial districts.
  4. Education. Educate citizens, community groups, business associations, and developers on the safety, health, and civic benefits of walkable communities.
  5. Implementation. Integrate pedestrian considerations based on federal guidelines into projects, policies, and the City's planning process.

Benefits of a walkable city: Sustainability, Equity, Vitality, Health.

  • CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
  • CHAPTER 2 EXISTING CONDITIONS
  • CHAPTER 3 PEDESTRIAN ROUTE NETWORK
  • CHAPTER 4 POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
  • CHAPTER 5 DESIGN ELEMENTS
  • CHAPTER 6 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Number of Pages:

151

Link:

Pedestrian Master Plan: The City of Oakland Part of the Land Use and Transportation Element of the City of Oakland's General Plan (http://www.oaklandnet.com/government/Pedestrian/index.html)

Table of Contents?

Yes

Index?

No

Illustrations?

Yes

Material Type:

Guidelines

Key Document?

Yes

Categories:

Local Policy, Guidelines; Planning, Concept/schematic Design

Keywords:

Oakland - Local, Land Use Planning, Transportation and Pedestrian

Record Last Updated:

July 2006

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