Mayor Barbara Lee announces major investment in Oakland sidewalks and curb ramps

Mayor Barbara Lee announced a settlement agreement aimed at improving accessibility for individuals with mobility issues in Oakland. The city will retrofit 11,000 curb ramps and repair sidewalks in 78,000 locations over the next 25 years, contingent upon judicial approval. This initiative stems from a lawsuit filed by residents Michael Curran and Nicole Brown-Booker, who claimed the city failed to maintain accessible pedestrian rights of way. The city will prioritize repair requests from individuals with disabilities and ensure that the construction work benefits underserved communities. Recent City Council actions include expanding the Sidewalk Assistance Program and allocating more funding for maintenance.

The city is also enhancing its Buy-Sell-Repair program to enforce sidewalk repairs during property transactions. City officials plan to publish annual reports to track construction progress. Although funding for the full 25 years is not yet secured, officials will likely draw from the Capital Improvement Plan budgeting process.