About the Project

Developed by a team of graduate students at UC Berkeley in the fall of 2023, Oxford for All envisions an Oxford Street that seeks to serve everyone, regardless of ability or mode choice.

Oxford for All is a Complete Streets project. Complete Streets is a comprehensive approach to a transportation system that considers the safety and efficiency of all road users, including people walking, biking, driving, and taking transit. 

This study emphasizes activating underused public spaces so people feel invited to spend time with other community members.

This study focuses on Oxford Street in Berkeley, California between Bancroft Avenue and Virginia Street. To the east is the main UC Berkeley campus, and to the west is downtown Berkeley. 

Oxford Street does not serve all road users adequately. The street design prioritizes driving, with wide streets, narrow sidewalks, and poor facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists. The lack of character means the street is a psychological boundary between Berkeley’s downtown and campus.  

Plus, change is coming to the corridor. Both the city of Berkeley and the university are projected to grow in population, and Oxford Street will become home to several new housing and academic developments that will increase travel demand throughout the corridor. 

This is an opportunity to highlight the local histories and cultures through street design and public art.  Importantly, community engagement is key to create a vision of Oxford for All, and there is great community desire to activate Oxford Street to make it so much more than it is today.