Petition for an infill station at 14th Avenue, San Antonio district, Oakland 

From: [Your Name]

 

We are writing to you to bring your attention to a critical issue facing the residents of your district, particularly the underserved community in and around Oakland’s San Antonio neighborhood: regional mobility. We are seeking your support for the development of a neighborhood-serving BART and regional rail station at 14th Avenue and E 12th Street between Lake Merritt and Fruitvale BART. 

 

For far too long, our neighborhood has been overlooked as a residential and economic hub deserving of a regional transportation connection. Despite being one of the densest neighborhoods in all of the East Bay with one of the highest percentages of low-income and non-white residents, despite our proximity to key regional destinations such as Highland Hospital, Brooklyn Basin, and San Antonio Park, and despite the huge gap in regional transit service between Fruitvale and Lake Merritt BART Stations, BART and Amtrak trains travel through our neighborhood multiple times an hour without stopping to pick up or drop off passengers. This is a major equity issue that needs to be addressed immediately.  

 

We, the community, are calling on you, our elected officials, to help us create a new transportation option for our dense, diverse, underserved, and growing population that will improve regional mobility, access to jobs and housing, safety from spiking crime rates, economic vitality for our small businesses, and most of all, a sense of hope and progress for our neighborhood and the City of Oakland as a whole.

 

Here are the key reasons why this neighborhood-serving BART and regional rail station is of the utmost importance for our community:

Providing a new mobility option for a dense, diverse, underserved, and growing community: Our neighborhood stands as the epicenter of Oakland’s growth and diversity, ranking fourth in population density among Oakland's zip codes and witnessing rapid expansion with nearly 4,000 new homes slated for construction along the waterfront in Brooklyn Basin. At the same time, we have one of the highest poverty rates and non-white populations of any neighborhood in the Bay Area, qualifying us as an “equity priority community.” Despite this designation, our neighborhood has seen little public investment over the years. Even with one of highest transit ridership rates in the City of Oakland and two regional rail lines that pass through our community, we lack a regional rail station, hindering mobility and exacerbating existing disparities.

 

Developing regional transportation access to an important regional destination and historically overlooked neighborhood: The need for regional transportation access in our neighborhood, where BART and Amtrak lines converge without a corresponding station, is long overdue. Dating back to BART’s initial plans which considered a BART station at 14th Avenue, the region has long recognized the significance of this location. Furthermore, the substantial distance between Lake Merritt and Fruitvale BART stations (2.7 miles), more than double the urban BART station average (1.2 miles), underscores the necessity for a centralized transit hub in our community. The proposed station's close proximity to various local and regional destinations, including the Oakland waterfront, Brooklyn Basin, San Antonio Park, and Highland Hospital, cements its role as a crucial location for regional access.

 

Facilitating improvements to community safety and economic growth and vitality: Establishing a BART station at 14th Avenue holds immense promise for addressing critical issues in community safety and economic vitality. Despite a rich business history, our community struggles with constant crime and frequent store closures due to a lack of foot traffic. The station's potential to bring foot traffic back to the neighborhood is significant, with the potential to not only revitalize struggling businesses but also contribute to enhanced safety through increased community vigilance. Additionally, the station's strategic location at 14th Avenue and E 12th Street opens avenues for the transformation of underutilized spaces into vibrant areas, which could create a new neighborhood "downtown," facilitating the success of existing and new businesses alike. The inclusion of a pedestrian bridge over the I-880 freeway connecting to Brooklyn Basin would ensure the integration of this new community with the rest of the neighborhood, connecting residents to existing small businesses and providing them with a convenient and sustainable transportation option.  

 

Your support for the development of a regional rail station at 14th Avenue will demonstrate your dedication to equity, sustainable development, and improved quality of life for our community.

 

We urge you to take immediate action by publicly endorsing this essential neighborhood infrastructure project. Let us come together as a community and ensure that Oakland's growth and progress are inclusive, sustainable, and beneficial for everyone, especially the most underserved among us.

 

Thank you for your attention and consideration.

 

Sincerely,

 

The San Antonio Station Alliance and the Residents of Oakland’s 94606 zip code