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Vision 980 Study

Vision 980 Study

Follow along as Caltrans works with the community to reimagine the Interstate 980 corridor in Oakland!

About the Vision 980 Study

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is conducting the Vision 980 Study to hear from the community about ways to reimagine the Interstate (I)-980 corridor. The I-980 freeway divides neighborhoods in West Oakland from downtown Oakland and is a barrier to travel and economic opportunities. The Vision 980 Study aims to improve the quality of life for impacted residents through a community-led and equitable visioning process that seeks to reimagine the freeway to create new opportunities for land-uses like housing, businesses, open space, recreational, and cultural facilities.

Previous racially discriminatory decision making and redlining policies resulted in I-980 directly cutting through West Oakland. The freeway’s 1.6-mile-long connection between I-880 and I-580 displaced many West Oakland families and led to community disinvestment. Today, I-980 represents a painful physical monument to the segregation and discrimination of generations past. Some of the possibilities for the future of the corridor may include:

  • Improving connections between communities.

  • Redesigning roadways and over/underpasses for walking, biking, and transit.

  • Transforming the freeway including the potential to add more crossings, a freeway cap/deck, or to convert the freeway into a boulevard.

  • Creating new opportunities such as housing, open space, and access to economic opportunities.

The image below shows the study area, which is bounded by Broadway to the east, West MacArthur Boulevard to the north, Frontage Road to the west, and 3rd Street to the south.

Study Area Map

Vision 980 Study project area map, highlighting area bounded by Broadway to the east, 3rd Street to the south, I-880 to the west, and West MacArthur Boulevard to the north.

Partnerships

The study team is working in close coordination with the following study partners:

  • Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC)

  • City of Oakland

  • Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)

Vision 980: Phase 2 (Current Phase)

During Phase 2 of the Vision 980 Study, Caltrans is evaluating the feasibility of removing some or all of the I-980 Freeway. While no decisions have been made yet, based on Phase 1, removal was the scenario...

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Vision 980: Phase 1

During Phase 1 of the Vision 980 Study, Caltrans worked with the community to develop a vision and concept for the future of the I-980 facility. 

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live
live

Phase 2: July 2026 to March 2028

  • Phase 2 will continue collaboration with study partners, community organizations, and the public to perform a more detailed feasibility and technical analysis of the concept and vision identified in Phase 1.
  • Vision 980: Phase 2 (Current Phase)

complete
complete

Phase 1: April 2024 to November 2025

  • Phase 1 included collaboration with study partners, community organizations, and the public, to identify a new corridor concept and vision for I-980.
  • During Phase 1 Caltrans developed an evaluation framework to ensure the concept and vision met equity performance measures.
  • Phase 1 was completed in November 2025.
  • Vision 980: Phase 1