East Oakland repaving project back on after crew abandoned job

OAKLAND, Calif. - A construction crew returned to an East Oakland neighborhood to finish repaving streets after the job was abruptly abandoned.

Residents in the Sobrante Park neighborhood told KTVU that a construction team contracted by the city was back out on Thursday adding tar to the roads that had been stripped by another crew who ditched the job over safety concerns.

The project resumed days after local news reports aired.

Residents said their streets were ripped up and left uneven for weeks after a construction team refused to finish the job halfway through.

Residents said the half-finished streets, such as Catron and Acalanes drives, were filled with giant potholes that posed a safety and health hazard.

"It makes me feel that the city of Oakland is neglecting our communities around here," said resident Danette Truso. 

Oakland Public Works previously confirmed that the initial contractor was forced to pull out in May after two separate safety incidents involving workers on the paving project.

A worker who told a driver to move his car for the roadwork had a gun pulled on him. Another worker was hit by a car.

The city hired a new contractor to complete the project and a team was out on Thursday fixing streets in the neighborhood. Signage suggests the project should be done in two weeks, but the actual project should take only a few days to finish.