Green Street Network

Identify and make improvements on high-capture streets and alleys that can safely convey stormwater, improve pedestrian and bicycle safety, and add tree canopy through coordinated and intentional infrastructure. Projects should be in alignment with current stormwater code updates and include above ground green infrastructure where technically feasible.

Example project locations discussed during the process were Euler and Iroquois Ways. Central Oakland streets identified for bicycle boulevard treatments in the mobility chapter include Bouquet, Atwood, and Coltart Streets, among others, and could prove candidates for complementary green infrastructure treatments. The mobility chapter’s McKee Place Complete Street strategy also incorporates green infrastructure improvements.
This project should prioritize where there are feasible connections to and from transit-oriented developments as well as safe routes to school. The project’s implementers should work with PWSA and City agencies about downspout disconnection and coordinate on relevant street ROW projects.

Increase tree canopy with utility appropriate tree species where possible.
Reduce impervious area.
Reference and utilization of the Stormwater Design Manual that will provide guidance on the appropriate technologies for the typical Oakland street typologies.
Combine street trees, green infrastructure, low heat gain paving materials, and shade structures to intentionally combat heat island effect.
Work with PWSA’s stormwater division to allocate appropriate capital projects within the long-range planning and compliance objectives.
Encourage large development to redirect water from the right-of-way where technically feasible to be managed on-site to alleviate utility conflicts and add more above ground stormwater technologies that add amenities such as tree canopy and pedestrian safety.

When to start: 0-2 years

Duration: Ongoing with each project taking ~3 years

Estimated costs: $$$ (out of $$$$)

Project lead(s): DOMI, PWSA, DCP, DPW

Project partner(s): TreePGH, PAAC, OPDC, OBID, institutions, neighborhood organizations, property owners and developers

Potential funding source(s): City Capital Budget, grants, Shade Tree Commission, PWSA, Parking Enhancement District

Examples, illustrations, data

Image showing a green street in a narrow residential context.

Illustration: Narrow Green Street

This image shows how green street features can be integrated into narrow residential streets like those in Central, South, and West Oakland. Stormwater management happens in "bumpouts" at corners, street trees provide shade and habitat along the length of the street, and low heat gain paving materials further reduce heat island effects.

Diagram showing various improvements that reduce urban heat.

Illustration: Heat Reduction Strategies

A new Toolkit, created in a partnership between Alta, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and the Cities of Long Beach and Pasadena, provides solutions to the urban heat island effect exacerbated by climate change, which are intrinsically linked to issues of equity and public health. The reference guide allows City decisionmakers and community members to quickly understand the range of cooling strategies that can be integrated into bike, pedestrian, and transit improvements along sidewalks, streets, and alleyways.

Image and text courtesy of Alta Planning.

Diagram showing greening and heat island reduction in a commercial street.

Illustration: Commercial Green Street

Green streets and heat reduction can be integrated into any kind of street. In this example from Los Angeles, a small scale commercial street adjacent to a major transit corridor has tree canopy, green infrastructure, and shade structures that make the street more enjoyable for those using businesses and transit.

Image courtesy of Alta Planning.

Read the Existing Conditions Report

What we heard

Project goals and components

When, how long, how much, and whom

Examples, illustrations, data

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