12th St. Reconstruction
A Measure DD Project

Project Description

12th Street will be redesigned into a tree-lined boulevard with signalized intersections and crosswalks and a landscaped median. The redesign would create significant new parkland at the south end of Lake Merritt Park, remove unsafe and unsightly pedestrian tunnels, provide safer and continuous access for pedestrians and bicyclists along the perimeter of Lake Merritt, and improved access between the Kaiser Convention Center and Laney College. Removal of the Lake Merritt Channel culvert at 12th Street will provide an open-water bridged connection and improve water flow between the Lake and the Estuary. Environmental benefits include improved water quality and wildlife habitat.

back

More Information

View the City of Oakland Fact Sheet for the 12th Street Project.

View the City of Oakland illustrative plan for the project.

Visit the City of Oakland Lake Merritt Master Plan page

View photos of 12th St. reconstruction progress on Oakland 12th Street Project blog

Press:
Undoing the 1950s: The Death and Revival of Lake Merritt  September-October 2011, Oakland Magazine
Cleaning Up: Recent improvements are giving Oakland's residents cleaner waterways  Summer, 2011, Energy & Infrastructure
Lake Merritt transformation on the horizon, June 28, 2011, Oakland Tribune.
Demolition Project Should Reduce Odor from Lake Merritt, June 14, 2011, Bay Citizen.After Long Wait, Lake Merritt Restoration Takes Shape  June 9, 2011, Wall Street Journal wsj.com San Francisco Bay Area edition
Major changes coming to part of Lake Merritt, April 19, 2011, KGO Assignment 7
Oakland project restoring Lake Merritt's sparkle   September 16, 2010, San Francisco Chronicle
Polishing Oakland's Crown Jewel: Lake Merritt Reborn  August 20, 2010, KQED Quest Community Science Blog
Street Improvements Around Lake Merritt to Begin Soon Thanks to Measure DD Funds  June 7, 2010, Oakland Local
Lake Merritt Is Set to Get Prettier  May 7, 2010, NBCbayarea.com Local News
Ground Broken On Lake Merritt Area Improvements  May 6, 2010, CBS5.com Local News
Oakland breaks ground on $32M Lake Merritt fix  May 6, 2010, San Francisco Business Times
Bid for 12th Street project $8 million below forecast May 6, 2010, Oakland TribuneDemise of the World's Shortest Freeway - Groundbreaking Ceremony May 6, 2010, East Bay Bicycle Coalition blog
The Frickstad Viaduct makes way for a bigger more user-friendly Lakeside Park  May 5, 2010, KALW News
Oakland awards McGuire & Hester $32M contract for Lake Merritt fix March 4, 2010,
   San Francisco Business Times
Oakland's 12th Street Bridge project may start renovations this spring
   February 26, 2010, Oakland Local
Bidding to start for Oakland’s 12th Street Dam rebuild October 8, 2009,
   San Francisco Business Times

Status

Federal funding has been approved, and the construction contract was awarded by the Council in March 2010.  Construction began in late Spring 2010 and is expected to take about 2.5 years.

Funding

Development. Measure DD bonds: $40 million
Federal Highway Bridge Program: $13.8 million
State Proposition 1B: $1.1 million
Maintenance. The project will be maintained the City of Oakland with funds provided by the Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District.

Location & Sky View

Internet Explorer users: Do not click [+] to zoom in due to recent bug in Google Maps.

Drag, zoom:[+][-], switch from Satellite to Map or Earth view, explore...
Click themarker for driving directions.

View Larger Map 

back