In the meantime, how about more concerted traffic enforcement to ensure that vehicles are stopping at for pedestrians at crosswalks? This applies equally to Lake Park Avenue in front of Kwik Way/Merritt Bakery and lots of other neighborhood locations.

How about more traffic enforcement period. Good news I saw a OPD motorcycle officer giving citations for cars not yielding for pedestrians at MacArthur and Broadway.

Now that IS good news, David! Hopefully this is a recurring trend!

Here's a news story about OPD crosswalk enforcement at this very location earlier this year: http://kron4.com/2016/03/30/video-oakland-police-crackdown-on-pedestrian-safety.

Unfortunately, they typically only do stings like this when they receive a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety, so it's not an ongoing, consistent effort. That's why the already funded and in-design pedestrian safety project along Grand from Park View to Euclid, which will add pedestrian signals and other crossing improvements, is so needed.

Like that'll ever happen. Sigh...most people just don't care, or just don't know, and the cops don't want to be troubled to actually enforce the laws that they're supposed to be enforcing. In fact, their supervisors actually tell them not to bother. Speeding? Well, if they're caught...you know, maybe... Dangerous driving? That'll get you a ticket for certain, if they're not on their break. Parking 2 minutes past your meter's expiration? Prepare to be hanged. Yep...welcome to Oakland. Gah...

@Robert Prinz, Wow! That's great news. Congratulations to all who were instrumental in making that happen.

Yikes - just realized my comment "Like that'll ever happen" was posted here? Oops...should have been for another issue. Wish we could edit/delete our own comments.

Awesome news, Robert! Thank you for sharing this!!! Now to make this a lasting, concerted effort toward safety!

There are 3 more such crosswalks on Grand between Staten and Harrison - at Elita, Lee and Lenox - that also need zebra striping, flashing lights and in one case a pedestrian-crossing sign.

Also needed -

The speed limit from Harrison to 580 should be 25mph. The amount of pedestrian use in this area with people crossing Grand to the park, Fairyland, and businesses, include numerous school children and residents of two senior housing buildings. (Has any one noticed that Grand westward is 25!)

All "walk" signals along grand - and actually in the entire city - should be reprogrammed so that when the light is green the "walk" sign should be on - why should pedestrians have to push the button to turn it on - which some time works and others don't. If pedestrians could trust what the "walk" sign is signaling maybe they would obey it!

And finally, there needs to be a clamp down on bicyclist who ignore the the law by running red lights.

OPD MCs were out last week on grand ticking vehicles which zoomed through marked crosswalks. In the space of about 15 minutes of me walking the lake in that area last week I heard sirens six times meaning they'd chased down six reckless drivers who did not stop for pedestrians crossing. Spoke to a MC officer today who was hiding out on Brooklyn looking for speeders on Lakeshore. We thanked him for doing this job - better some effort than none. In the meantime pedestrians should be extra careful crossing the street.

A month and a half later...and nothing has been done. Seriously, how many more dead people do you need?

It's now October 2nd, and nothing has been done. How much blood do you need?

I went to a meeting at least three and possibly four YEARS ago about enhancing pedestrian crossings on Grand particularly Bellevue since two people were seriously injured there (one of them died later). It seemed that crossings would be enhanced - the plan was to have more visible crossings, signs and islands in the middle of Grand so people would not have to race across 4 lanes of traffic. Have heard NOTHING since this meeting - attendees were shown written plans, maps, etc. A report must exist somewhere - from what I recall the project was completed by city interns. Re: the Robert Prinz comment above: "That's why the already funded and in-design pedestrian safety project along Grand from Park View to Euclid, which will add pedestrian signals and other crossing improvements, is so needed." from June 30 - what's up with this?

I'm frustrated by the slow pace of change too Swimmy44 & Natsu, but the reality right now is that it does take a number of years even from when a city wins funding for a project for it to be designed, approved, and constructed. For instance, a Highway Safety Improvement Program Cycle 5 grant the city won for W MacArthur Blvd in 2012 just started construction in September, for completion by the end of the year. The $580k the city won for fixes at this location along Grand Ave was part of Cycle 6 grant awards a year later, which means we can probably expect construction in 2017. This project is described as such in city memos:

"Grand Avenue from Park View Terrace to Euclid Avenue - Improve all four (4) of the uncontrolled crosswalks in the project area with pedestrian treatments including raised medians, bulb-outs, signing and striping, and two (2) pedestrian signals at the intersection of Grand Avenue/Bellevue Avenue, and Grand Avenue/Lenox Avenue."

If you are upset about the slow pace of progress as I am then I encourage you to vote yes on Measure KK this November to provide the funding needed to bring more city staff on to design and implement these projects faster, and do to more with internal funding as opposed to waiting for unreliable grant awards from the state and federal governments. I also urge you to support the city's effort to reorganize the Public Works department into a Department of Transportation, providing them the coordination and focus needed to roll out high quality projects faster.

Update: The Grand Ave pedestrian safety project has finally gone out to bid, so that means it will be awarded to a contractor with construction to start later this year. The project includes new, signal-controlled pedestrian crossings (called HAWK beacons) at Lenox and Bellevue (between Staten and Euclid), as well as rapid flashing beacons and sidewalk extensions at Lee and Elita. The crosswalks at each of these locations will be upgraded to high viz markings, with "sharks teeth" yield markings and signage.