East Oakland Mobility Justice: A Case Study of the International Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit Project Safety and Displacement

Low-income communities of color in formerly redlined neighborhoods face persistent racial disparities and inequities in pollution exposure, access to transportation and safe streets, and inadequate provisions for health, safety, stable housing, clean air, education, and employment. In the process of attempting to remedy such disparities through major transportation infrastructure and access improvements, residents who are intended to benefit from expanded transportation access and options are often placed at increased risk of harmful displacement, gentrification, and environmental injustice impacts. This research project employs a case study of the International Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in East Oakland, guided by Community Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) principles, to investigate specific traffic safety and racialized displacement impacts from the project and considers potential solutions towards protecting residents and preventing harmful byproducts of major transportation projects. In collaboration with a Community Advisory Council (CAC), a quantitative analysis of collisions along the corridor and demographic changes in select East Oakland neighborhoods was conducted. The results show evidence of increased fatality and injury collisions along the corridor at the start of construction of the BRT and after opening of the service as well as continued trends of gentrification and displacement in many East Oakland neighborhoods along the corridor. It is inconclusive with this research if there is a causal link between the BRT project and exacerbated displacement trends in nearby neighborhoods. Further qualitative research is needed to ground-truth and understand more fully the indirect land and housing market impacts of the BRT project.