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A motorist hit a woman and child, apparently while they were crossing the street at the intersection of 22nd and Foothill in Oakland, late this morning. The woman died of her injuries.
Streetsblog already tweeted the Oakland police directly to correct the use of the word "accident" and "vehicle," rather than "crash" or "collision" and "motorist" or "driver." Given the fact the motorist fled the scene, it seems unlikely this morning's tragedy qualifies as an "accident."
The above view is looking across 22nd Ave., to the southeast. Foothill and the elementary school are in the background to the left. Police on the scene told Streetsblog they are looking for a suspect and witnesses, in what was apparently a hit-and-run. This is just four blocks from where a mother and child were killed by a hit-and-run motorist last April. Oakland's Department of Transportation installed safety measures at that intersection, 26th and Foothill, but advocates who live in the area say Foothill continues to be a dangerous street, with poor sight-lines and wide, open streets that invite speeding and other dangerous behaviors by motorists. Chris Cassidy, who lives in the area, described the street as a "God damn shit show... had a crash outside our house last night too."
Advocates also complained of the piecemeal approach to safety. Despite the quick improvements at 26th, plans to improve the rest of the street continue to lag. Streetsblog has already taken Oakland DOT to task for not fixing this area with urgency, especially around Garfield Elementary, where this morning's fatal crash occurred.
Streetsblog has a request in to Oakland DOT to ask if they will be reconsidering treatments on Foothill, and the rate at which they are added, and will update this post accordingly.
UPDATE from City of Oakland spokesperson Sean Maher: Every traffic death is an unacceptable tragedy, and our hearts are with the family and loved ones of the woman who was killed and the child who was injured. We know this neighborhood has faced extraordinary circumstances recently, including the traffic deaths in April of a mother and her young son as they crossed the street just a few blocks away from this crash. We thank our partners at OPD for swiftly taking up the investigation to determine what happened. We will take appropriate action as that investigation proceeds and will continue to update the community.
