Rob AriasA vehicle crashed into the Davenport Children’s playground on Powell back on June 15. There were no known injuries, but the vehicle took out a section of chainlink fence and a road sign.
The EPD did not log an incident report and the time and cause of the incident are unknown.
The vehicle collision was the second since the construction of the park was completed last year prompting parents to demand additional traffic safety measures.
The close proximity of the play area to a road was always a bit of a safety concern for parents. Because the land was already owned by the city, the spot offered a turnkey option to adding a children’s play area to a neighborhood that previously lacked one.
The first collision happened during a storm with weather likely being a factor. The collision damaged a tree at the west end of the park that was intended for part of the “nature play” feature of the park.
The city installed a speed bump to encourage drivers to slow down. The stretch of Powell along the park narrows with the dedicated bike lane becoming a sharrow. Speed limit signs are posted at 25 MPH.
A resident logged the damage on SeeClickFix on June 17 and a city contractor completed the repairs to the damaged fence a month later on July 18.
In September, city crews installed three yellow bollards along Powell where the collision occurred providing added visibility and additional layer of safety.
The repairs were welcomed by parents we spoke with but some are still a bit on edge about the vulnerability of the space. Some noted that additional fortification might be in order including additional bollards.
Councilmember Sukhdeep Kaur, a resident of Watergate, provided an update through her X account.
Glad to receive the update that all the bollards have now been installed @EmeryvilleCA. Hopefully, these safety enhancements will make the park and neighborhood more vibrant. https://t.co/7dBi7ypbI6
— Councilmember Sukhdeep Kaur (@4emeryville) September 30, 2024
“There is no specific traffic calming plan in place for that particular section of Powell Street,” Kaur provided when asked if any additional safety measures along Powell were being explored by the city. “There have been discussions about prioritizing pedestrian safety and traffic flow improvements throughout the city, including areas near schools and residential zones.”
Kaur did commit to raising this issue within the city to explore whether it could be incorporated into existing traffic safety efforts or considered for future funding and study.
It appears that the designers were pretty clueless when it comes to creating a safe place to play.