Transform’s 18 years of community engagement in Alameda have established us as a partner to the City of Alameda and its residents through projects like the Safe Routes to Schools program and the coordination of the annual Alameda Bike Fest. Now we are deepening and growing our relationships in the East Bay island as we conduct a holistic assessment of the transportation needs in West Alameda, through a project funded by the California Air Resources Board.

Cap-and-Invest funds mobility in West Alameda

In partnership with the City of Alameda, the Alameda Point Collaborative, and the Housing Authority of the City of Alameda, Transform is lifting up the transportation needs of residents on the west side of Alameda Island. 

The goal is to find out what mix of active, public, and shared transportation will best meet residents’ needs. Working with Omni as our evaluation partner, we’re doing a community assessment to find out where there are gaps in sustainable transportation infrastructure that the city can fill as it moves toward more climate-friendly transportation. 

The project will also lift up residents, building capacity and empowering them to advocate with local governments to ensure their needs are heard and met. By the end of this project in 2027, we hope to have fostered new partnerships and collaborations between residents, neighborhood groups, and city staff.

Stuck in the last century

To help design an outreach plan specific to West Alameda, we’ve assembled a site-level team made up of high school students and adults. At the first site-level team meeting, one member commented that the transportation options in West Alameda haven’t changed in decades. 

Alameda was recently recognized as a gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists; Transform provided Safe Routes to Schools data to support the city’s application. But new infrastructure such as protected bike lanes aren’t evenly distributed. Alameda has made great strides in making many of its roadways accessible to people biking and walking. Our project is part of an effort by the city to give all Alameda residents access to active and shared transportation options. 

Next steps

Our site-level team members pointed out that language barriers and lack of awareness prevent people from accessing all the transportation options available to them. As we start outreach this spring, part of our work will be to raise awareness of the options that currently exist, as well as finding out what transportation residents want and need.

The site-level team is the seed of an energized community, ready to tackle transportation challenges in Alameda. At the end of the meeting, one team member said, “​​The meeting got me really excited for this project!”

We’re excited too.

Transform’s current project in Alamea is funded through California Climate Investments, which is funded by California’s cap-and-trade program, now called Cap-and-Invest.