In 2006, a group of residents in the Oakland/Harrison Street neighborhood saw an opportunity in the proposed development of the new Whole Foods Store in their neighborhood. Through committed advocacy, they secured improved pedestrian access to the  neighborhood and new bicycle lanes. 

Rather than resting on their laurels, they decided to expand their success and create a citywide advocacy organization focused on bicycle and pedestrian issues.  That was the birth of Walk Oakland Bike Oakland (WOBO).  Kassie Rohrbach, a veteran organizer around issues of climate change and sustainable energy, became the group’s first Executive Director this January.

Rohrbach takes the helm of a small organization with big ambitions.  WOBO currently has  200 paid members and 2000 online friends.  Their goal is to have 500 paid members by the end of the year. The  projects they have planned should make that an easy goal to meet. “Our biggest event for this year is Oaklavia,” says Rohrbach, describing a program to offer two car-free Sundays that support cycling.  “We are building off this 20-year tradition that started in Bogota, Columbia to close off streets – and major streets so that residents can have a different experience of their neighborhood.” 

She points out that San Francisco started their version of the event, called Sunday Streets, in 2007 with just two days  - the same number that WOBO is planning for this year. “We’re looking to replicate that and bring some Oakland flare to it.” 

The first Oaklavia (named after Bogota’s Ciclovia) will take place on Sunday, June 27. 

Residents will be able to enjoy “strolling, cycling, roller skating, hula hooping, dancing, cafe seating, board games or just people-watching” on a route that starts at Grand Avenue by Lake Merritt, winds through Uptown, and ends at Jack London Square.

A second Oaklavia in October will give back 4 miles of streets to the people from 15^th Street at Lake Merritt and down International to the Fruitvale district. 

Rohrbach feels that people-powered transportation and community are a natural fit. WOBO already sponsors a monthly women’s ride and Kidical Mass, a family-friendly ride that ends with a picnic.  

Kassie Rohrbach says she "loves the number of people I know that I see riding in Oakland.  It’s a small town.  I see someone I know almost every time I ride downtown or over to Temescal.  It’s a really social activity."

She adds, “Also, as a dog owner, from a pedestrian perspective, it’s been really fun to discover all the pedestrian trails and parks that Oakland has to offer.” WOBO’s new Executive Director is realistic about what it will take to achieve the group's vision. “If you ride a bike or you depend on walking as a regular mode of transportation, you should belong to WOBO. There’s a lot of work we need to do to make that evident.   Join WOBO!  We’re going to be building into our programming as an organization, we’re going to be doing advocacy and civic engagement training.  We’re going to make it fun.”

She is also optimistic about the future: “I think we’re on the precipice of being a huge growth in the amount of bike lanes and routes in the city of Oakland.” However, Rohrbach sees WOBO’s mission as going beyond expanding opportunities for biking and walking in the city.  “I think one of the biggest barriers to civic engagement across the board, not just on bike ped issues, is that a lot of people don’t understand how city government works," she says. " We want to change that.  We want to help people see how policies get passed and projects get implemented and what role they can play in making that happen.” For more information, visit Walk Oakland, Bike Oakland