The Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989 changed the landscape of many Northern California communities, none more so than West Oakland which suffered the most dramatic damage with the collapse of the upper deck of the Cypress Freeway. The damaged residential properties and the ensuing demolition of the freeway marked the start of a major demographic and physical change to West Oakland. The California Department of Transportation, through its Cypress Freeway Replacement Project, captured the stories of West Oakland residents and their relationship to the freeway which a generation earlier had divided the community.