"Revive Chinatown," is a $2.6 million project funded by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the City of Oakland to revitalize the infrastructure of Oakland Chinatown. The Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce and Asian Health Services are working in conjunction with the city in implementing the project.

The focus will be to make transportation, safety and streetscape improvements in Chinatown with emphasis on improving the experience for pedestrians. The initial plan includes:

• The construction of bulb out and scrambled signals at the four Webster/Franklin/8th/9th Street intersections
• Installation of pedestrian level street lighting on Webster St. between 8th and 9th Streets and on 8th St. between Franklin and Webster Streets
• Conversion to pedestrian countdown signal heads and installation of high visibility crosswalk striping at sixteen locations bounded by Broadway/Harrison St./7th /10th St.

Various design options will be considered at the bulb out locations. This included choices for benches, trash and recycling bins, pedestrian lighting fixtures, sidewalk finish, colors, crosswalk striping features, etc. Improvements in street signage and street tree planting are also in the plans.

The Chamber of Commerce expects that once these infrastructure projects have been implemented, Chinatown will not only be safer for pedestrians but a more aesthetically pleasing place to visit. The Chamber is hoping that some of the streetscape projects can be implemented with a distinct Chinatown-flavor, which will distinguish Chinatown from other parts of the city.

Design work is expected to be complete in early summer 2006 with construction starting in fall 2006 and final completion slated for spring 2007.