Emeryville Greenway, Emeryville, CA

As part of the North Hollis Urban Design Plan, ROMA developed several land use strategies to mitigate conflicts between disparate uses and created design guidelines complimentary to the diverse character of the neighborhood. A key feature of the plan is the Doyle Street Greenway which traverses the entire City and generally follows the alignment of the former 9th St. Drill Track, which the City acquired from Union Pacific Railroad. Working extensively with City staff and community residents, ROMA designed a pedestrian/bicycle corridor and pedestrian and bicycle friendly street improvements on a five-block stretch of Doyle Street. The Greenway significantly alters the character of the street and rail spur from a planned collector street dividing warehousing uses and traditional residential neighborhoods into a cohesive linear network of refreshing and lushly landscaped open spaces which emphasize pedestrian safety while preserving the workday uses of truck access and parking. The Greenway connects with the City of Oakland and Berkeley’s bicycle network. The Redevelopment Agency subsequently worked on other open space projects developed in the Urban Design Plan, including the pedestrian plaza at Powell and Hollis Streets, two new City parks and a pedestrian/bike bridge.