Port of Oakland receives $3 million grant to tackle sea level rise

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) awarded the Port of Oakland and the City of Oakland $3 million for a Sustainable Transportation Planning - Climate Adaptation Planning grant. The funds will address potential flooding due to sea level rise (SLR) and groundwater intrusion (GWI).

“Sea level rise and groundwater intrusion pose an existential threat to the Port and City,” said Director of Environmental Programs and Planning Colleen Liang. “We are thankful to Caltrans for the award. We’ll use the funding to provide adaptation strategies for the Port, and the City of Oakland’s vulnerable communities.”

The Port’s and City’s plan is called Rising Seas and Oakland’s Infrastructure and Frontline Communities: Climate Adaptation Planning for Neighborhood-led Resiliency Project. It entails conducting an asset inventory and vulnerability assessment. The project focuses on projected SLR and GWI for the Port and adjacent Oakland neighborhoods. The Port will contribute $1.5 million to help fund the $4.5 million project.

The nearly 20 miles of San Francisco Bay shoreline property that the Port of Oakland oversees is vulnerable to future extreme weather events. This includes critical transportation infrastructure, such as San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport, the Oakland Seaport, and public transportation. It also includes critical roadway infrastructure that provides freight and passenger connectivity to vital State, regional, and local economies. Disadvantaged communities in Oakland are also vulnerable to SLR and GWI.

The Project will model projected impacts of near and long-term (2030, 2050, 2100) SLR, GWI, and liquefaction. It will also seek adaptation strategies to combat the identified vulnerabilities. The community is integral to guide and inform the project. The Port and City will use community engagement from the project’s start throughout implementation.