Over the years, industrial and maritime development along Oakland's Estuary has isolated the City from its waterfront. Civic leaders, with the support of the public, are hoping to remedy this condition and have commissioned a series of projects aimed at establishing Oakland as a true waterfront city: one which capitalizes on its natural amenities for the benefit of the citizens of Oakland and the region. murakami/Nelson is part of a team that was formed by EDAW to provide feasibility analysis and schematic design for a stretch of nine miles of estuary waterfront. Building on open space recommendations from the Estuary Policy Plan, the team is charged with planning a continuous uninterrupted Bay Trail promenade from Jack London Square to the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline. Included will be the integration of neighborhood and regional parks and detailed design guidelines for the trail itself.

The promenade is intended to facilitate experiencing the Estuary in many ways: viewing crew races or whale boat races; fishing; a leisurely walk or a vigorous run; viewing indigenous and migratory wildlife; learning about the history of the area or the complex ecology of a tidal Estuary; and providing access to the water for kayaking, canoeing or sailing.

Integrally involved in the promenade planning process are the businesses that currently are located on or adjacent to the Estuary. The study will consider the continued need for waterfront access for these businesses and whether there are ways to provide safe public access along the Estuary without compromising the operational integrity and security of those businesses.