Oakland, CA–October 28, 2008. What started out as a senior thesis for Mills alumna Alysha Nachtigall may ultimately change the quality of life for Mills and its surrounding neighbors.

Nachtigall's thesis has led to a $257,000 transportation grant by Caltrans, the state's transportation agency, to find solutions to the many problems caused by the I-580 MacArthur Freeway next to Mills College.

Nachtigall, who received her bachelor's and master's in public policy at Mills College in 2007 and 2008 respectively, tallied surveys of more than 500 residents in the surrounding neighborhoods of Maxwell Park and the Laurel District.

When I-580 was built in the 1960's, it created a physical barrier that split Mills and the Maxwell Park residential neighborhood from the Laurel business and residential neighborhoods. Pedestrians and bicyclists must navigate a circuitous and dangerous route under the I-580 overpass to travel between the areas.

"The building of the I-580 freeway connected faraway places but it divided nearby neighborhoods," said Mark Henderson, Mills College visiting assistant professor of public policy and one of Nachtigall's advisors. "This new project will help reunite these divided neighborhoods."

Nachtigall's research pointed to several suggestions, including a bike lane and pedestrian walkways that would improve and increase pedestrian and bicycle access from Maxwell Park and Mills to the Laurel around the freeway. She also proposed landscaping and beautification around the overpass.

The Caltrans transportation grant will formally study issues raised in Nachtigall's research and findings. In awarding the grant, Caltrans officials noted that the project will "mitigate the corridor's deleterious auto-oriented infrastructure and spur revitalization" of the surrounding neighborhoods.

Carol Chetkovich, director of the Public Policy Program, said its students are required to conduct a thesis that identifies a public policy problem and work with local nonprofit or governmental agencies to find a solution.

"Their theses are not just academic exercises. Our students affect real change," she said.

"In Oakland, things like freeways and railroads force communities into different social and economic boxes," Henderson said. "The public policy solution is to create neighborhood connections around these walls, some right here next to Mills."     

Nachtigall made transportation policy the centerpiece of her educational goals at Mills. Henderson, who instituted a new tradition to honor public policy students for their unique contributions, gave Nachtigall an award for "extreme focus and perseverance." Her fellow students commented that she brought a "quiet intensity" to her studies and a "mature perspective" returning to college after a successful retail career.

Nachtigall also received praise from Richard Cowen, chief of staff to Oakland city council representative Jean Quan, and from members of the Maxwell Park Neighborhood Council.

Nachtigall, who currently works for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, a multi-jurisdiction transportation agency, is now trying to improve coordination of public transit information and schedules between different transit agencies such as BART, Muni, and AC Transit and the 511 Transit trip planner.

The Mills College Master's Degree in Public Policy (MPP) Program began in fall 2007. The program helps students develop the skills and knowledge for positions in the local, state and federal governments and the nonprofit sector. More information: Mills College Public Policy Program.

Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California, Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering a dynamic progressive education that fosters leadership, social responsibility, and creativity to approximately 950 undergraduate women and 500 graduate women and men. Since 2000, applications to Mills College have more than doubled. The College is named one of the top colleges in the West by U.S. News & World Report, one of the Best 368 Colleges by the Princeton Review, and ranks 75th among America's best colleges by Forbes.com. Visit us at www.mills.edu.

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