The Bay How Oakland Is Fixing One of Its Most Dangerous Roads
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Mar 9, 2026 Jose Formoso, transportation reporter at The Oaklandside who covers local infrastructure and street safety. He walks through why West Oakland’s 18th Street feels hazardous. He outlines planned fixes like road diets, protected intersections, pedestrian islands, and visible all‑way stops. He also describes funding tied to housing grants and how safer design can reshape neighborhood life.
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Wide Lanes Fuel Speeding On 18th Street
- Wider local roads encourage speeding because visual and psychological cues make drivers feel they can go faster.
- Jose Formoso notes 18th Street's wide lanes, hidden stop signs, and lack of traffic-calming features create that unsafe environment.
Residents Avoid 18th Street Or Bike On Sidewalks
- Locals often avoid 18th Street entirely, walking longer routes or biking on sidewalks to dodge danger.
- Formoso and colleagues observed people using the sidewalk as a "mini bicycle highway" rather than riding in traffic.
Small Design Changes Big Safety Gains
- Design elements like protected intersections, pedestrian islands, and visible all-way stops physically force safer behavior.
- Formoso explains curb extensions and visible stop poles prevent the common 'California turn' where drivers roll through rights.