As an organization that advocates for walking, biking, and safer streets, we support Alameda‘s Stronger Together effort to develop a dedicated funding source for critical infrastructure improvements.
Infrastructure, Safety, and the Cost of Delay
People who walk, roll, or use mobility devices experience infrastructure conditions more directly than anyone else. Cracked sidewalks, deteriorating pavement, flooding, and unsafe street conditions are not just maintenance issues—they are safety issues. Alameda faces growing challenges from aging infrastructure, sea level rise, earthquake vulnerability, heat, and an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars in deferred maintenance.
One of the most important reasons to invest now is that deferred maintenance gets more expensive over time. A street that could be preserved with relatively modest repairs today may require complete reconstruction if maintenance is delayed for years. Postponing repairs increases long-term costs and leaves future residents with a larger and more expensive backlog to address.
Why Investment Matters
Investing in safer streets also produces real returns. Traffic crashes impose enormous costs on communities through medical expenses, lost wages, emergency response, property damage, and human suffering. Research highlighted by Kid Safe SF found that traffic crashes cost San Francisco roughly $500 million per year, while proven safety improvements can substantially reduce crashes and injuries. Safe street design is not simply an expense—it’s an investment that helps prevent crashes before they happen.
For those of us working toward a more walkable and bikeable Alameda, investments in sidewalks, pavement maintenance, traffic safety, flood protection, shade trees, and emergency resilience are essential. Flooded roads, broken sidewalks, and unsafe crossings make it harder for people to choose walking, biking, and transit. Well-maintained infrastructure makes those choices easier, safer, and more attractive.
Safe sidewalks and crossings are not just transportation infrastructure; they are aging-in-place infrastructure. Investing in them today can help residents maintain their independence and mobility as they grow older, while reducing the risk and cost of preventable injuries.
No funding measure is a substitute for good policy, and we will continue advocating for investments that prioritize safety, accessibility, and climate goals. But maintaining the infrastructure we already have—and making targeted improvements that reduce crashes and increase resilience—is one of the smartest investments our community can make.
Moving Forward
As the Stronger Together proposal moves forward, we encourage our membership to participate in the process and support investments that will make Alameda safer, more resilient, and easier for people of all ages and abilities to navigate.
We do have concerns about the funding mechanism being considered, which is based on assessed property value and would place a disproportionate burden on newer homeowners and renters. Finding ways to address that inequity would make the measure more broadly appealing. Those details matter, and they highlight the importance of continuing the conversation about fair and effective ways to fund our infrastructure needs. Hopefully, more equitable funding options will be considered as the city moves forward, while recognizing that our infrastructure backlog will only become more difficult and costly to address if it continues to grow.
More information and opportunities to share your thoughts here:
https://www.alamedaca.gov/CITYWIDE-PROJECTS/Stronger-Together