I-880 Reconfiguration Takes Another Step Forward in Oakland

A long-awaited project to ease congestion in downtown Oakland and Alameda is inching forward, with construction expected to begin in 2023.

The Oakland Alameda Access Project will reconfigure and widen ramps for Interstate 880, create more direct access to the freeway, and change part of Madison Street to two-way travel, among other improvements. The plan hopes to ease congestion and make it easier for commuters to navigate the connections between Oakland, Alameda, and the interstate.

The project will also widen the pedestrian and cyclist walkway in the Webster Tube and install new sidewalks and a bike path in Chinatown and downtown Oakland, but doesn't include funding for the bike bridge that Alameda's city council hopes will someday link the island to Oakland.

Making alterations to Interstate 880, which runs through one of Oakland's densest and most historic neighborhoods, has never been easy. With stakeholders including two cities, powerful business and neighborhood groups, and bike and pedestrian advocates, any planned projects undergo extensive scrutiny by competing interests. Although building the freeway led to the destruction of 2,000 homes in Chinatown, some local residents hope that the proposed improvements will help revitalize the area, reduce traffic and pollution, and improve transportation options.