Today, the streets of Oakland allow vehicle traffic to dominate our public space, enabling dangerous driving. Traffic Violence Rapid Response (TVRR) are working to change this.
By calling attention to the terrible consequences of traffic violence while advocating for specific street improvements, TVRR contributes to a safer, more vibrant, and more joyous Oakland.
Are you a city official? Review our 8 immediate action items the city can take, today, to dramatically reduce traffic violence on our streets.
We’ve already made an impact. Neighbors from across Oakland and beyond have contributed their time, effort, and love to actions we help organize.
Fatalities
Oakland’s streets are in crisis. Virtually every major road in Oakland is buckling under the weight of numerous, and rapidly increasing, severe injuries and fatalities. Explore the map below to see the sheer scale of the crisis or follow along below as TVRR seeks to catalogue every new tragedy as well as hold vigils to ensure that all get the respect and solemn aknowledgement they deserve.
Above: Map of all crashes in Oakland from 2012 to 2020 in TIMS (thus, an incomplete dataset).
2023
September 8, 2023: Man struck and killed at 9200 block of International, roughly 250 feet from a TEMPO BRT station
August 6, 2023: 4-year old Maia Correia, at Lakeshore Avenue and Hanover Avenue
August 2023: A pedestrian was killed crossing 880 (Announced at Oakland BPAC Meeting - 8/17/23)
July 12, 2023: 62-year old Ricky Bryant, at 29th and International
July 4, 2023: 20-year old Oprah Cooper, at 85th Avenue and San Leandro Street
June 16, 2023: 73-year old grandmother, Santu Maya, at Foothill Boulevard and Vicksburg Avenue
June 3, 2023: 64-year old Joseph Morehouse, at International and 91st: A pedestrian was killed when two vehicles traveling eastbound on International Blvd collided. This caused one of the vehicles to hit the rear of a third, parked car. The impact pushed the parked car into a pedestrian standing on the sidewalk. This imapct killed the pedestrian who was a passenger of the parked vehicle that was struck. TVRR is seeking more information on the victim.
May 17, 2023: 50-year-old Carlos Smith, bicycling at 98th and D Street
February 19, 2023: 100-year old man at Harrison and 19th
February 15, 2023: Neighbor seriously injuried at 68th & Bancroft by eastbound car speeding in bike lane
January 26th, 2023: 46-year old man killed in a hit & run on High St. at the 580 westbound onramp
2022
Oaklandside article recognizing all 35 lost to traffic violence on the streets of Oakland in 2022.
Projects
TVRR is actively fighting to address severe deficiencies in roadway design through vigils (as highlighted in this newspiece) as well as policy changes in the way Oakland approaches roadway design and priortization of traffic modes. A few key projects are listed below.
International Blvd. pedestrian safety
The International BRT lanes are unsafe and, frankly, incomplete in their current form. Our latest report, published in June 2023, analyzed over 7 million vehicle traces along the International AC Transit TEMPO BRT corridor to identify the road reconfiguration’s impact on general traffic speeds.
A prior analysis, published here, catalogued the most dangerous patterns of driving and identified focus areas for intervention.
As of December 2022, Oakland has allocated funds to rapidly deploy pedestrian safety interventions along Oakland’s deadliest road.
Oakland Fire Code minimum street widths
Oakland city council is currently reviewing the 2022 California Fire Code, and has a chance to change the fire code to make Oakland safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. Read our policy brief, as well as this Oaklandside article, for more details.
OakDOT funding FY23-25
TVRR calls upon the Mayor and Council to invest in true public safety from traffic violence by redirecting $20 million in funds from the Oakland Police Department to the Department of Transportation needed for critical street safety infrastructure.
Above: Delivery of traffic safety budget petition to Council President Bas on April 19, 2023.
Read the press release and sign the petition. The official petition was delivered to City Council on April 19, 2023. Read more about the hand-delivery event to City Council President Nikki Bas in this Oaklandside article. Read the coalition letter, co-signed by 23 organizations ranging from the California Nurses Association to the Alameda County Democratic Party and the Original Scraper Bike Team, here.
Keep up with the latest
Follow us on social for up to date alerts on actions as well as the latest on traffic safety efforts in Oakland.