After months of rerouting its buses, AC Transit is set to permanently roll-back its nighttime detours through downtown Oakland, with changes taking effect this Friday, March 8. The regular pattern of movement for several bus lines is slated to return to normal as the transportation service looks to improve consistency for its riders.
The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District announced the end of the weekend detours that had been in place since August 2022, citing a need to swiftly resume full service in the downtown area. "AC Transit will closely monitor service in the affected area and work with Oakland PD, Alameda County Sheriff, and City of Oakland Department of Transportation (OakDOT) to ensure service is reliably operating," the district made clear in a recent public statement, as reported by AC Transit's press release.
The detours which affected six bus stops along Broadway at 15th and 17th Northbound and 19th and 17th Southbound, were originally implemented due to frequent street closures, traffic snarls, and large gatherings. The BRT station at 19th and Broadway was also disrupted by these detours.
To ensure that buses can to quickly traverse the Broadway corridor, Oakland Police will assign extra officers on overtime to enforce parking regulations near bus stops between 15th and 19th streets. "The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office will collaborate by monitoring the operation of transit service on Broadway and in the vicinity of downtown bus stops, preventing staging, stopping, or parking of vehicles in the bus only lane," AC Transit authorities disclosed, foregrounding the priority to keep lanes clear for over 80 percent of bus routes that run through the area. Violators can expect citations and possibly having their vehicles towed.
Last month's service sign-up event saw a mix-up, where it was inaccurately announced that the weekend detours would also apply to weekday nights. AC Transit has since conveyed an apology for the confusion and inconvenience. They reassured the public, "Rest assured, we are committed to ensuring clear and transparent communication moving forward to prevent such misunderstandings in the future."
The district values the ongoing support of riders and thanks the East Bay communities as they work to enhance services. As one of the major transit providers in the region, AC Transit remains dedicated to delivering reliable transportation while adapting to the needs of the community it serves.
