We cross here all the time with our two little kids. People drive really fast and don't stop for pedestrians.

This is a terribly dangerous pedestrian crossing and would benefit immensely from embedded lights and lighted pedestrian signage. The speeds on this section of 51st are generally high, and there is an additional hazard of the hill to the east of this crossing, which limits visibility and increases traffic speeds. The eastbound drivers have visibility challenges in the morning due to the solar glare. Please, please improve the safety of this pedestrian crossing. Someone is going to get hurt.

Thanks for sharing your feedback, Keith and Greg! You are so right about the dangers of those speeding while coming over the hill from Broadway. Simply crossing the street, whether with kids or four-legged friends, is a dangerous exercise. Please help us spread the word among our neighbors and get more votes for this issue!

A crosswalk is also badly needed at 51st St. and Webster where there is frequent pedestrian crossing and currently no crosswalk.

Legally it is already a crosswalk, Jon. It is simply not striped.

This is an extremely dangerous intersection. My daughter goes to Oakland Tech and both my kids swim at Temescal Pool. Cars do not stop. They have to walk out of their way to go to the signal at Shafter to cross safely even though they have the right of way. More visible striping and signage is needed.

Thanks for this initiative to make that very dangerous crossing safe for children. It is long overdue. Many cars use that section of Broadway as a raceway to and from the freeway.

Elizabeth and Maureen, thanks for your interest and support for the initiative! Please encourage others you know to vote for this. Together we can raise awareness of the need for this basic safety upgrade to our neighborhood. Stay safe!

I agree with the need for this. I also think we could use one on 51st and Clarke as I always see people/kids crossing there to walk to the DMV/farmers market. It also seems to me that there have been many accidents at this intersection over the years.

Totally needed. Can't believe the city has let it go on this long - so negligent of them given how many kids walk to school.

Agree that at least enhanced striping and signage needed. Perhaps embedded led flashers as well.

Many people cross here and it's dangerous because cars come speeding down the hill in the direction of Broadway Ave. I have also seen injured pets that were hit by cars on this section of 51st St.

Here's what it looks like going westbound - the road is very wide and cars are coming down a big hill so they pick up a lot of speed. Some "traffic calming" is definitely needed (curb extensions or pedestrian flashing lights). I bet if you sat out there with a speed gun you'd see a lot of cars going 20 mph over the speed limit of 30.

Here's what it looks like going westbound (from google street view) - cars are coming down a big hill so they pick up a lot of speed. Some "traffic calming" is definitely needed (curb extensions or pedestrian flashing lights). I bet if you sat out there with a speed gun you'd see a lot of cars going 20 mph over the speed limit of 30.

Thanks for the additional pic, Willmartin. This clearly highlights the crosswalk's low visibility to approaching drivers -- which is compounded by the high speeds you and others have noted.

I expect a speed enforcement action would educate the driving public and pay for the improvements.

A striped crosswalk here woudl be a good idea.

Very dangerous crossing due to the speed of the cars coming down the hill from Broadway. I walk with our 3 year old to Emerson on the weekends and this intersection is always scary. The blinking reflectors in a better marked crosswalk would be a good start to improving the safety.

Thanks to BCJ, Theresa and RB for the latest comments. In light of the strong support -- and clear need -- expressed above, I have forwarded this to Dan Kalb and asked for his support in securing these upgrades, as his office reported he has done in other areas. Please feel to share your comments and support with his office, too!

Update 1: Since initiating this service request, I wrote and spoke with Monica Harris in Dan Kalb's office. She wrote, "Our Transportation Services department is extremely understaffed and tied up with hundreds of projects. It is not uncommon for it to take months for action to begin and that’s only if the Transportation Services team deems it a needed request and it fits within the current two year budget. I will add this to a list of requests that we keep and present to Public Works officials when we have periodic meetings with them."

In a follow-up call, she also suggested that multiple requests will help raise the visibility and urgency of this request with the Department of Public Works.

To keep attention on this issue, please submit a separate service request through SeeClickFix. Please also take a moment to call DPW @ 510-238-6107 to inquire about the status of service request #637697.

Update 2: Earlier this week, I called DPW to inquire on the status of our service request. I also obtained the contacts for the service engineer in charge. Although I have yet to receive an answer to my email inquiry, I would encourage others to also call Mr. Joe Wang at 510-238-6107 to inquire about the status of service request #637697.He is very busy and often not at his desk, so please leave a message if he does not answer. Be sure to reference service request #637697 in your message.

Ashley - I have received this reply from Joe previously on something that I'm trying to get fixed:

"Email is a better way for me as I can enlist help quicker with less need to explain. It also automatically documents our correspondence."

Jwang@oaklandnet.com

Joe Wang, P.E.
Supervising Transportation Engineer
Transportation Services Division
City of Oakland | Public Works Department | APWA Accredited Agency
250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 4344, Oakland CA 94612
(510)238-6107

Thanks, Justin! I emailed Joe on Monday, but have yet to get a reply. Based on your message, I will continue to use that, building a documented thread in the process. Thanks again.

The City of Oakland fixed this issue on 09/28/2017, service request #637697.