Walk Oakland Bike Oakland

2021 MARKED A FULL YEAR SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC, WHEN MANY OAKLAND RESIDENTS AND WORKERS WORKED REMOTELY OR MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED TRANSITIONS IN EMPLOYMENT. THE ANNUAL BIKE TO WORK DAY (BTWD) CELEBRATION WAS RE-IMAGINED IN 2021 AS A COVID-INFORMED FESTIVAL, BIKE TO WHEREVER DAY. WOBO RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF OAKLAND'S DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO HOST A GATHERING AT LAKE MERRITT WHERE A CONVENING OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS HOSTED INFORMATION TABLES FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON THE AFTERNOON OF MAY 21, 2021.2021 ALSO MARKED THE END OF WOBOS LEASE OF AN OFFICE SPACE UNTIL FURTHER REVIEW. WHILE OPERATING FROM A HOME OFFICE, WOBO CONTINUED ITS ADVOCACY EFFORTS REMOTELY, CAMPAIGNING ON TWO MAJOR ISSUES: THE SAN PABLO AVENUE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, AND THE TELEGRAPH PROTECTED BIKEWAY. BOTH PROJECTS ARE LONG-TERM STRATEGIES TO BRING WORLD CLASS TRANSIT-FIRST INFRASTRUCTURE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITIES IN WEST OAKLAND, DOWNTOWN, UPTOWN, AND NORTH OAKLAND. AFTER MANY CONTENTIOUS CONVERSATIONS AND SEVERAL OUTREACH EFFORTS BY VOLUNTEERS AND LOCAL RESIDENTS, THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO PROCEED WITH FINALIZING A ROADWAY DESIGN ON TELEGRAPH AVENUE THAT IMPLEMENTS A PERMANENT PROTECTED BIKEWAY THAT IS PHYSICALLY SEPARATED FROM PARKED VEHICLES AND THROUGH TRAFFIC. THE SAN PABLO AVENUE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN CONVENED ADVOCACY GROUPS LIKE WOBO TO ADVISE ON PROPOSED ALTERNATIVES TO SAN PABLO AVENUE, AN INTERCITY STATE ROUTE THAT THREADS THE CITIES OF OAKLAND, EMERYVILLE, BERKELEY, EL CERRITO, ALBANY AND RICHMOND. AT THE CONCLUSION OF SEVERAL MEETINGS, THE CONSULTING TEAM SUPPORTING THE PLANNING PROCESS DELIVERED A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE TO ADVANCE ROADWAY DESIGNS IN OAKLAND AND EMERYVILLE AS THE FIRST PHASE OF THE LONG TERM PROJECT..IN LATE 2021,WOBO PARTNERS, EMERGENT LABS AND FORMER EAST OAKLAND COLLECTIVE AND URBAN PLANNER, MARQUITA PRICE, RESURRECTED PLANNING OF THE SHELVED OPEN STREETS EVENT IN EAST OAKLAND, CALLED EAST OAKLAND FUTURES FESTIVAL. WOBO ALSO WON A GRANT FROM THE MOBILITY FUND AS A PARTNER WITH BIKE EAST BAY TO PRODUCE A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAYBOOK FOR DEVELOPING GRASSROOTS BUILDING ACTIVITIES. WOBO AND BIKE EAST BAY SEEKS TO IMPROVE ROADWAY CONDITIONS AND TRAFFIC CALMING STRATEGIES BY ENHANCING SOCIAL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN NEIGHBORS AND INCREASING ADVOCACY CHOPS IN NEIGHBORHOODS IN CHINATOWN AND DEEP EAST OAKLAND.