In a response to a recent tragedy that shook the Oakland community, speed bumps are being installed on East 21st Street, a dangerous stretch of road where a beloved teacher lost his life.
On May 28, Marvin Boomer, a teacher at Castlemont High School, was fatally struck by a speeding driver while out for a walk with his girlfriend, Nina Woodruff.
The City of Oakland has acknowledged the urgency of improving safety in the area, moving quickly to install speed bumps at two locations near the crash site.
Oakland’s Department of Transportation announced in an email to local residents that the installation would take place this week, specifically between 11th and 13th avenues on East 21st Street.
The tragic incident occurred when Eric Scott Hernandez-Garcia, a resident of Oakland, lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a hydrant, which subsequently hit Boomer. While Boomer died at the scene, his girlfriend, Woodruff, sustained injuries but survived the accident.
In the period leading up to the collision, Hernandez-Garcia was being pursued by California Highway Patrol officers, according to released video footage. Officials stated that the pursuit was de-escalated before the tragic crash occurred.
Residents around East 21st Street have long expressed concerns about the speed of vehicles in the area. Following Boomer’s death, many voiced anxiety about crossing the street, even at marked crosswalks, particularly those with children.
Some residents provided photographic evidence of previous speeding incidents along the same road, underlining a concern that has persisted for years.
One local resident mentioned an incident involving an orange traffic cone placed over a pothole just before the crash, suggesting it might have contributed to the accident.
CCTV footage appears to indicate that Hernandez-Garcia swerved to avoid the cone moments before the collision.
Oakland’s Department of Transportation has a history of implementing traffic safety measures in the wake of tragic accidents.
For instance, in 2019, following the deaths of Alma Vásquez and her 6-year-old son Ángel García on Foothill Boulevard, the city installed visual buffer zones by painting bulbs purple and adding soft bollards at intersections.
More recently, the city has also worked on protected bike lanes on Lakeshore Avenue after a tragic incident involving a bicyclist and his daughter, who suffered severe injuries, leading to her death days later.
In a twist, the planned speed bumps on East 21st Street mark a rapid response by the city, being erected just six weeks after Boomer’s death and only four weeks after community members submitted a formal request for the changes.
Barbara Kelson, a resident who spearheaded the petition for speed bumps, expressed her gratitude for the swift action taken by the city.
She hopes this will demonstrate that positive change can occur quickly rather than solely in reaction to unfortunate events.
“Glad to see that things are moving in the right direction,” said Kelson. “I’m hoping we can show that this is more proof that things can happen faster versus being just a reactive situation.”
OakDOT director Josh Rowan quickly approved the application for speed bumps, expediting the entire process.
Rowan stated that the department’s engineers conducted an analysis of the proposed locations within a week of submission, assigning a city crew to handle the installation instead of contracting it out.
He emphasized the city’s capability to perform such work quickly, despite the challenges posed by traffic volume in Oakland.
“We can turn around this work quickly. We have smart folks. But we have a volume challenge in Oakland,” Rowan noted.
Reverend James Polk, who witnessed Boomer’s final moments and stayed with him until help arrived, noted the importance of the new safety measures.
His family has lived in the area for decades and has been aware of the persistent issue of speeding on East 21st Street.
Polk expressed hope that infrastructure like speed bumps will become standard practice rather than just responses to tragedies.
“I live by a principle to find the good in every bad situation. It was very tragic to lose Dr. Boomer in the way that he left here. But the good that comes of this is that we will finally get the long-awaited speed bumps that were long overdue in this community,” he said.
image source from：oaklandside
