As the city waits for bond sale, more and more of Oaklands streets are going unpaved

Oakland's streets are deteriorating as the city has not issued new paving contracts in nearly three months due to a funding pause. City leaders had planned to sell $55 million in Measure U bonds for road repairs, but budget cuts implemented in September 2024 halted this initiative. OakDOT Director Josh Rowan warned that without new bond sales, the city may only pave eight miles by June 2026, the lowest amount in ten years. The transportation department requires $143. 7 million for necessary work, including $91 million for street resurfacing and $20 million for fixing sidewalks.

The delay in bond sales threatens not only transportation projects but also affordable housing developments reliant on the same funding. This includes projects like the Mandela Station and Unity Council, which provide over 300 housing units for vulnerable populations. Jeff Levin, a policy director for East Bay Housing Organizations, emphasized that the situation could hinder efforts to meet the city's affordable housing needs. For years, Oakland's transportation department has utilized local government bonds like Measure KK for infrastructure, with approximately $350 million spent in the last decade.