Residents in East Oakland are expressing relief following the city’s recent installation of vertical hard-plastic bollards at the crucial intersection of 82nd Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard.
Local business owners and community members believe that these additions have significantly reduced the allure for sideshow drivers, with some noting as much as a 90% decrease in sideshow activity.
Joe Bell, the owner of Lois and Earl’s Chicken and Fish, located at the intersection, shared his observations, stating, “Since they put these in the middle of the street, it’s been a big improvement. Sideshows used to happen every night, at around two o’clock in the morning. We used to have a hundred people out here doing them twice a month.”
Shatan, a young manager at the nearby liquor store, echoed Bell’s sentiments, indicating that sideshows have become a rare occurrence.
In 2022, the city had already implemented hard plastic medians on both 82nd and MacArthur at the intersection’s entrances. However, with the addition of 18 new bollards inside the intersection, turning vehicles have found it increasingly difficult to perform donuts without colliding with these new structures.
Josh Rowan, director of Oakland’s Department of Transportation, shared insights on the situation, stating he has received positive feedback from shop owners and residents alike. He noted, “We are happy with the results… I had one lady at an event last week thank me for the sideshow interference. She said she felt ‘like she lived in a new neighborhood.'”
Rowan also revealed that the city council’s new budget allocates $1.4 million for further sideshow prevention efforts, allowing his department to implement additional interventions across the city.
Highlighting the importance of community involvement, Rowan added, “This endeavor will only be successful through working in partnership with the community.”
The total cost of the bollard intervention at the 82nd and MacArthur intersection was approximately $25,000, which covered design, installation, materials, and equipment.
This recent initiative marks the second installation of bollards in intersections within the past year, with the first occurring at Skyline Boulevard and Redwood Road in the hills.
During a community meeting near Grand Lake, District 2 City Council member Charlene Wang assured attendees that the allocated funds would be used specifically for sideshow interventions. She urged community members to attend the upcoming meeting of the council’s Public Safety Committee, where Rowan will provide an oral report outlining how the funds will be utilized.
Despite the positive changes, Bell expressed previous frustration with the hard centerline bollards, stating they had done little to deter sideshows. He described observing drivers using a no-stopping zone between the bollards as a staging area for their activities.
“I thought it was stupid and a waste of money,” Bell remarked. “You can’t plan it out for normal people. You gotta plan it out for idiots. It’s not regular people that are doing this.”
Research backs up the city’s approach, as studies demonstrate that center hardlines on medians can enhance safety. A 2020 study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety indicated that centerline hardening encourages drivers to execute safer, wider turns at slower speeds, which could mitigate accidents.
However, concerns remain. Shatan voiced his worries that the sideshow phenomenon may return, observing that the participants have become more skilled over time. “Sometimes we get like a front-seat view of the skills they’ve acquired. I’m like, ‘Whoa, this is new.’ All those amateurs, they don’t do it anymore ’cause they’re not skilled.”
Concluding the discussion, Bell emphasized the need for further safety interventions at the intersection, pointing out that drivers are still ignoring traffic signals. “They’re still running red lights,” he said, underscoring the need for ongoing vigilance in ensuring community safety.
image source from：oaklandside
