Oakland Launches New Transportation Department

OAKLAND, CA: Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf announced on Wednesday the launch of  the city's first Department of Transportation.

About 300 employees will work in the department, most of which  will move over from the city's Public Works Department, said Matt Nichols, the mayor's policy director for infrastructure and transportation.

Jeff Tumlin, transportation consultant and principal and director  of strategy for the planning firm Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates, will  be interim director until a national search can be completed.

The announcement followed a presentation to Oakland's City Council  on Tuesday outlining the new department structure and its responsibilities,  including road design, resurfacing and maintenance.

So far, $1.5 million has been allocated to pay the department's staff. Other money for the department will come from current city departments that have become part of the new department, according to Nichols.

Other money will come from state and federal sources, such as grants and the state gas tax.Dozens of projects are already underway, such as a protected  bicycle lane on Telegraph Avenue. 

Nichols said the department will adopt a "complete streets" approach, which means projects will take into account all users of the  streets.

Schaaf has three goals for department staff. She wants staff to  attract more money for transportation projects, accelerate street  maintenance, reduce congestion and provide people with new ways to get around  such as scooters, bike sharing and one-way car sharing, according to the  mayor's office. 

Staff in the new department also will aim at using socioeconomic  data, along with conventional transportation data, to improve the decisions  made to change the city's transportation network. 

"A better Oakland starts with better streets today, in every part  of our city," Schaaf said in a statement. "We need a world-class  transportation department to take a fresh look at our streets, and provide  Oakland residents with safer, healthier and more accessible ways to get  around."

By Bay City News

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