NewTue, Jun 9, 2026·Oakland, California·City Council

Public Works & Transportation Committee Meeting – June 9, 2026

Discussion Breakdown

Procedural18%
Engineering And Infrastructure18%
Transportation Safety17%
Active Transportation16%
Contracting And Procurement10%
Water And Wastewater Management8%
Public Works7%
Economic Development3%
Homelessness2%
Mental Health Awareness1%

Summary

Public Works & Transportation Committee Meeting – June 9, 2026

The Public Works and Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 11:33 AM. Chaired by Councilmember Unger, the committee considered six agenda items, including approval of minutes, scheduling of pending items, a utility easement vacation, purchase of sewer cleaning trucks, extension of the bike share franchise agreement, and a major streetscape improvement contract. The meeting was adjourned after open forum.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 1 (Minutes): Approved the draft minutes for the committee meeting of May 26, 2026. Vote: 4-0 (all ayes).
  • Item 2 (Pending List): Approved the determination of scheduling of outstanding committee items as presented. Vote: 4-0.
  • Item 3 (Utility Easement Vacation): Approved a resolution summarily vacating a public utility easement at 747 52nd Street for the Benioff Children’s Hospital, clearing the way for construction. Forwarded to the June 16 City Council consent agenda. Vote: 4-0.
  • Item 4 (Sewer Truck Purchase): Approved a resolution to award a purchase order to Own Equipment Sales, Inc. for three vector truck-mounted sewer flusher trucks, not to exceed $2,500,000. Staff noted that 7 of 8 existing trucks were out of service, requiring rental costs of $30,000/month, and that the purchase is necessary to meet federal sewer consent decree requirements. Council requested cost analysis on extended warranties and a report on overall city fleet replacement needs. Forwarded to consent agenda. Vote: 4-0.
  • Item 6 (MLK Streetscape Contract): Approved awarding a $26,499,339.50 construction contract to McGuire and Hester for the Martin Luther King Jr. Way Streetscape Improvement Project (2nd to 14th Street). The project includes protected bike lanes, widened sidewalks, street trees, lighting, and pedestrian safety upgrades, funded by state and local grants. Staff noted a 25% change order authority. Vote: 4-0. Forwarded to consent agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Item 1 (Minutes): Zach Tyler spoke against a city reactor project, referencing court cases and requesting audits under the Sunshine Act and state measures.
  • Item 2 (Pending List):
    • Zach Tyler requested audits of sales tax, property tax, and zoning, citing a state of emergency and bankruptcy concerns.
    • A speaker (unidentified) requested reports on free parking at the ice skating center, the Mosswood toddler center, traffic signal operations, transportation permits, the Oakland School of the Arts park, and sidewalk vendor interruptions.
    • Lars Barnes (Diamond District resident) expressed frustration over lack of communication regarding street repaving and no-parking signage, and difficulty contacting OakDOT about speed bumps.
  • Item 4 (Sewer Truck Purchase): Ms. Asada Olabala questioned why the department avoids cooperative agreements (which she described as beneficial) and asked about total rental costs and timeliness of actions.
  • Item 5 (Bike Share Franchise):
    • Kevin Daly expressed support for the resolution, citing benefits of reduced car usage and space efficiency.
    • Colin Hughes (Metropolitan Transportation Commission) spoke in support, noting record ridership in 2026 and the importance of regional continuity.
    • Ms. Asada Olabala raised concerns about regulatory violations (e.g., running red lights) and theft/vandalism of bikes by homeless individuals.
    • Buffalo Soldier questioned whether Lyft pays fees for parking interruptions, criticized city administration, and opposed the franchise without clear financial benefit to Oakland.
  • Item 6 (MLK Streetscape): Ms. Asada Olabala asked about sidewalk responsibility (private vs. city), timeline penalties, business and parking interruptions, and whether itemized cost breakdowns justify bike lane spending. Kevin Daly spoke in support of the project for safer cycling and walking.
  • Open Forum:
    • Robert McNeil made a disjointed statement referencing Watergate and missile orders.
    • Ms. Asada Olabala asked when the city will rename Cesar Chavez Library and Park due to allegations against Chavez, and criticized union measure E and low employee residency in Oakland (stating 32% live in the city). She praised council collaboration.
    • Simeon Ramey (California Oakland Union and Homeless for Mental Health Outreach) criticized the broken system, expressed frustration with how money is spent, and urged helping homeless individuals rather than displacing them.

Discussion Items

  • Item 5 (Bike Share Franchise Extension): Staff presented a request to extend the Lyft (Bay Wheels) franchise agreement to December 31, 2032, aligning with the regional program. The system includes ~500 e-bikes and 350 pedal bikes at 102 stations, with no cost to the city other than staff time (estimated 10%). Ridership has grown 30% year-over-year since 2023. Revenue sharing is minimal (threshold reached once in 10 years); liquidated damages from unmet KPIs are reinvested in the program. Councilmembers discussed economic benefits, advertising value, dock placement equity, and liability. Councilmember Houston opposed, citing insufficient financial return to Oakland. Vote: 3-1 (Houston opposed). Forwarded to June 16 non-consent agenda due to the no vote.
  • Item 6 (MLK Streetscape): Staff detailed a fully funded ($26.5M) project for 12 blocks, adding protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks, 79 trees, and pedestrian lighting. Change order authority is 25% of total project value (~$6.6M). Council discussed change order oversight and connectivity improvements (especially undercrossing at I-880).

Key Outcomes

  • Items 1-4 and 6 approved and forwarded to the June 16 City Council consent agenda.
  • Item 5 approved 3-1 and forwarded to the June 16 non-consent agenda.
  • Staff directed to provide OakDOT contact email (DOT Online Permits at Oakland CA.gov) to the public and to explore extended warranties for future equipment purchases.
  • Staff committed to providing a report on city fleet replacement needs and considering electrification options.
  • No further action taken on public comment requests for reports or audits.

Meeting Transcript

Good. Morning, and welcome to the rules of legislation. Excuse me. I'm usually sharing rules. Good morning and welcome to the public works and transportation committee meeting on this Tuesday. This is June 9th. The time is 11 33 and this meeting shall come to order. Before I um go over roll call roll, I would like to give instructions on how to submit a speaker card. If you are participating with us here in chambers in person, would you like to speak submit a speaker card? Please fill out a card and turn it to a clerk representative. Either 10 minutes before the minute begin, um, no later than 10 minutes after the meeting began. The meeting began at 1133. So 1143, we will stop except accepting speaker cards or before the item is called into record. Um electronic speaker cards were um due 24 hours before this meeting began. So we will no longer accept online speaker cards. With that, I will now call roll on roll for this meeting. Council member Guile. Present. Councilmember Houston. Excuse. Excuse Council Member Wong. Uh present. And Chair Unger. Here. We have three members present. One excuse council member Houston. Um we will now, if you have no announcements, we will go to our first item item. Oh, excuse me. My apologize, yeah. Our first item, item number one is approval of the draft minutes for the committee meeting on May 26th. Uh the May 26th. And I do have one speaker for this item. Okay, I will second it and let's hear our speakers, please. All right. Noting council member Houston arriving at 11 34. I have one speaker for this item that is Zach Tyler for item number one. Um, so I'm not here to um uh uh joke. Um 13 12 1382 LWR terahertz um is our current um reactor sitting outside of uh in the city of Oakland. We need a 712753 terahertz LWR reactor in this community by procedures of active theater under UNCJ court nine uh article nine twelve subsection C I challenge under five USC CFR twenty-nine zero one six three CFR and view of procedural code of conduct based on military standards as a conflictual application. I the deputy um FEMA and deputy interior secretary that was nominated by the Senate and the House Committee, confirms my field directives, and Dove V. Rubenstein, Hensley v. Sealy, special recommendation nine two eight uh one three, New York pistol and rifle via the United States, TVA Authority v. The U.S. Colorado Basin V the Arkansas v. Oregon, Trump v. Hawaii, Trump v. the water resource board, and voices via the lands via the United States and uh San Leandro Police Department via the city of San Leandro. I move against a requestment of active theater for a review for a state measure for purposes of duality for that as an economic planner and as a commercial developer by that uh of the view of the state. I request an independent audit of under the Sunshine Act and compliances of measure N and Measure M against uh quantifiable views of the state under state uh state charter state senate bill uh nine. Thank you for your comments that concludes your speaking for this item.