daylighting: pedestrian safety

Oakland must comply with California’s ‘Daylighting’ law, AB 413, which went into effect on January 1, 2025. The law aims to improve pedestrian and driver visibility at intersections and crosswalks, reducing the risk of traffic collisions. AB 413 prohibits parking within 20 feet of any marked or unmarked crosswalk, or within 15 feet of a crosswalk with a curb extension.

Daylighting Compliance Fixes Needed: Montclair, Oakland, CA

Montclair Community Corridor conducted a walking study to determine the scale of the adjustments needed to comply with this law. Results are based on a walking survey with Montclair Community Corridor Volunteers on Sun 1/19/25, Wed 1/22/25 and Sun 1/26/25, 4-5pm. Volunteers walked around Montclair and the Thornhill business district and used a 20 foot rope to measure distance and take photos. 

Summary of recommendations:

• Montclair has at least 20 significant daylighting violations and parking enforcement gaps that put pedestrians at immediate risk. We ask that the City prioritize addressing these- and more across the city- so that we build communities in which everyone, including kids and the elderly/disabled can walk, roll and stroll safely while getting to school, work, libraries and parks and supporting the local businesses.

• Two areas in Montclair stand out as the most dangerous and should be prioritized immediately:

  • The southern crosswalk at Moraga Blvd into Montclair Park (items #10 and 11) has no pedestrian light; pedestrians are not visible to the speeding cars as they step into traffic from behind cars parked in the daylighting spots. Without a road diet, we must paint these curbs red immediately and enforce violations to ensure pedestrian safety.  

  • The crosswalk between Lucky’s and the post office (item #1) needs bollards and enforcement

• Remove 11 parking spaces with daylighting violations with red curb paint and OPD enforcement. 

• Of these 11 parking spaces, parking meters must be removed from 6 of them (#2, #3, #4, #5, #9, #11)

• Add crosswalk zebra stripes in unmarked crosswalks to add clarity for drivers and pedestrians.