The city of Oakland is introducing new community protection measures on Friday and Saturday nights along Telegraph Avenue and Broadway.
The new measures take effect Friday and include stricter parking enforcement, increased police presence at night, and additional pedestrian safety measures, according to a news release issued Wednesday by the city.
“Oakland’s Arts and Entertainment District is a celebration of our artists, our small businesses, and the soul of this community,” said Mayor Barbara Lee in the news release. “It belongs to the people, and these enhancements are about making sure every Oaklander, and every visitor, can experience that magic safely and fully.”
Jean Walsh, a spokesperson for the city, said in an email that the new measures were introduced after business owners and community members expressed a need for increased safety.
As a result, additional police officers will be present along the two streets after dark.
Parking will be prohibited between 15th Street and Grand Avenue on Broadway and Telegraph Avenue between 4 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, and road barriers will be deployed to minimize “illegal vehicular activity.”
“The city will take an iterative approach to weekend conditions in uptown [Oakland], using real-time observations to refine the timing and location of parking restrictions over time to optimize pedestrian flow,” said Walsh.
These measures are expected to stay in place through the summer but might evolve based on community feedback, Walsh said.