Frequently Asked Questions

Community Engagement

Have you done any outreach for this project? What are the results? 

Community engagement for the Richmond Street Complete Streets Improvement Project began in July 2024. The project team has shared project information and gathered feedback from the El Cerrito community through tabling at the City's July 4th Festival, three workshops, two online surveys, emails, and presentations to committees and local organizations.   

 Outreach events have been advertised through the City Manager's newsletter, the City's social media, two direct mailings to Richmond Street residents, hand delivery of fliers to Richmond Street residents, fliers posted at Richmond Street intersections, and the project website. 

 For detailed information on the project outreach, visit the project Engagement page.  

Who is allowed to provide input on the project? 

The City welcomes input and feedback from all members of the community and street users. This includes residents, commuters, cyclists, students, parents, and more! 

How do I share my input? 

Ongoing community feedback is welcomed. Send an email to pworks@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us. Comments received at this email address are shared with the project team.  

Project Design

What are Complete Streets? 

Complete streets are safe, comfortable, and convenient for all people who use them.  Complete streets are designed to:  

• Minimize conflicts between users.   

• Be used by people of all ages and abilities.  

• Provide direct access to the places people want to go  

What does the project include? 

The project will include improvements at intersections and at mid-block locations to improve accessibility, calm traffic, and improve safety as listed below and further described on the Preliminary Design page:  

• Repair of roadway surfaces. 

• Repair of sidewalk surfaces. 

• Street trees where conditions are suitable. 

• Updated curb ramps  

• Intersection safety lighting  

• Corner bulb-outs  

• At some intersections, especially intersections used by students, high-visibility crosswalks, RRFBs, and raised intersections. 

• On Richmond Street south of Moeser Lane, mid-block tree bulb-outs. 

• On Richmond Street north of Moeser Lane, bicycle lanes with mid-block “chicanes” (lateral lane shift). 

What exactly is the project design proposing? 

Visit the Preliminary Design page to learn more about the project design.  

I do not see any speed cushions. Why are you not adding any? 

The project seeks to develop a design that calms traffic without the need of speed cushions, also called speed bumps.  As the design of the project is further developed, the design may incorporate speed cushions as necessary for speed management.  

How does the City decide what gets built along Richmond Street? 

The City Engineer is responsible for approving the design of all public projects, including City street projects. In doing so, he or she finds that the design follows engineering standards, balances community needs, and reflects City Council-adopted plans and policies.  

The following City Council-adopted plans and policies inform the Richmond Street Complete Street (RSCS) project design: the 1999 General Plan, 2016 Active Transportation Plan, the 2016 Complete Streets Policy, and the 2024 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. Through those plans and policies, the City Council has provided street design direction to the City Engineer, and the City Council does not vote to approve or modify the design of such projects.   

The City Engineer’s approval is made after a three-step design process that involves the community at every stage. These steps include: (1) defining project goals and objectives; (2) creating a preliminary design that reflects these priorities; and, (3) creating an engineering design that can build the vision from the preliminary design. The RSCS project is currently in the engineering design stage, which is the final step before the City Engineer’s approval.   

Can the City engineer’s approval of the project design be appealed? 

The City Engineer’s approval of the project design cannot be appealed. However, an individual may appeal each of the City Engineer’s decisions to remove on-street parking at specific areas. For example, for a multi-block-long project, an individual filing an appeal must identify each parking removal decision that they intend to challenge and the basis for each challenge.   

Once the engineering design plans are approved, the City Engineer will identify the on-street parking removal per specific area and follow the process detailed in City Council Resolution 2008-63 “Procedures for the Establishment and Removal of No Stopping Areas and No Parking Areas”. The steps, including the appeal process, are summarized below.   

1. Public Notification: Notice of each proposed “No Stopping/No Parking” area will be mailed to property owners, residents, and businesses within a 300-foot radius of each area. Another public meeting may be held to hear from community members.   

2. Final Notification: The City Engineer will review the circumstances, including public comments received in response to the notice, and make final determination about the length of each “No Stopping/No Parking” area that is required. Notice of the City Engineer’s decision will be mailed to property owners, residents, and businesses within a 300-foot radius of each parking removal area, and any individuals who expressed concerns at any point in the process .   

3. City Manager Appeal: An individual may appeal the City Engineer’s decision for a specific area within 15 days of the date of the final notification. The appellant must file a written notice, via e-mail or physical mail, to the City Clerk that contains all the following:    

• Evidence that he or she participated in the public comment process in person or in writing for the area affected by the City Engineer’s decision.  

• A written statement that specifies their reasons for the appeal.   

4. City Manager Decision: The City Manager will review the appeal and provide written notice of their decision to the appellant. The City Manager’s decision may be appealed to the City Council within five days of the date of the decision.   

5. City Council Appeal: To appeal the City Manager’s decision, an individual must file a written notice, via e-mail or physical mail, to the City Clerk that contains all the following:  

• Evidence that he or she participated in the public comment process for the area affected by the City Engineer’ decision in person or in writing and also participated in the appeal to the City Manager.   

• A written statement that specifies the reasons for the appeal.   

• Pay the appeal fee set forth in the City’s Master Fee Schedule ($632 for FY24-25).   

The appeal shall be scheduled for hearing before the City Council. The decision of the City Council shall be final.   

Bicycling

Why do we need to add bicycle lanes to Richmond Street when I don’t see people riding bikes on Richmond Street? 

The existing shared bike/car lanes north of Moeser Lane are upgraded to dedicated bicycle lanes to:  

• Respond to community feedback  

• Meet project and grant goals  

• Implement City adopted plans and policy direction  

• Align with current State and Federal design recommendations  

• Directly serve community destinations east of Richmond Street with a flat, connected bikeway  

• Improve safety for all modes  

Why not add bike lanes on Richmond Street south of Moeser lane? 

Although bicycle lanes on Richmond Street south of Moeser Lane are not part of this project, bicycle lanes could be considered as part of a future project.  Considerations that may affect the desirability of adding bike lanes on Richmond Street south of Moeser Lane include:   

• Richmond Street travels over a hill south of Moeser Lane.  Steeper terrain makes it less inviting for bicyclists to utilize Richmond Street.  

• There are more continuous north-south streets south of Moeser Lane, including Ashbury Avenue  

• South of Moeser Lane, the Ohlone Greenway may make it easier and more inviting for bicyclists of all ages and abilities to utilize the Ohlone Greenway to access the BART station and other destinations south of the project area.  

South of Moeser Lane, why are you proposing the tree bulb-outs as they will prevent or discourage future bike facilities from being implemented? 

Should bicycle facilities be considered south of Moeser Lane as part of a future project, the proposed street-tree bulb-outs can be integrated into the required buffer zone. See this FAQ for additional information on the buffer requirements for protected bicycle lanes. 

Between Schmidt and Moeser, Richmond Street is the only available north/south bike route in the neighborhoods. Can it be designed to provide additional separation from traffic? Why doesn’t the project include separated/protected bicycle lanes? 

The project team evaluated the installation of separated/protected bicycle lanes (Class IV bikeway) along Richmond Street. These lanes feature at least a two-foot separation from vehicle traffic and include a vertical buffer, such as soft-hit bollards. However, implementing Class IV lanes on Richmond Street would require the removal of all on-street parking. Retaining on-street parking with separated bicycle lanes would require utility and curb relocation, which would exceed the project budget. Given the existing parking demand and the need to accommodate deliveries typical of residential areas, this option does not appear to be a suitable treatment for the full Richmond Street corridor north of Moeser Lane.  

Why not flip the bicycle lanes and the parked cars? 

Bicycle lanes that are located between the curb and the parked vehicles are a form of separated/protected bicycle lanes (described in the question above).  This classification of bicycle facility has specific configuration requirements to prevent collisions between vehicle doors and bicyclists that would require the removal of all on-street parking or utility and curb relocation that is not feasible within the project budget. 

How does the project benefit bicyclists given the Ohlone greenway is nearby? 

Richmond Street north of Moeser is an existing bikeway identified in City plans. The addition of dedicated bike lanes is consistent with many Citywide plans and objectives, which call for creating a bikeway network with many high-quality and comfortable routes. These plans include:   

• 2016 Active Transportation Plan and Complete Street Policy: calls for creating streets that are safe and connected for all modes.   

• 2023 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan: calls for creating a citywide bike network to reduce greenhouse gases from driving, which accounts for half of El Cerrito’s citywide emissions.    

• 2024 Local Road Safety Plan Outreach: Nearly 1,000 people responded to an online road safety survey. Three out of four respondents said they would walk or bike more if they felt safe, indicating unmet demand for infrastructure that serves all modes.   

 Additionally, current engineering guidance generally advises separating bicycles and vehicles on roads with more than 6,000 vehicles per day. During a typical weekday, approximately 6,400 drivers use Richmond Street north of Moeser Lane, indicating that bicycle lanes are the appropriate type of facility to address bicyclist safety and comfort. Bicycle lanes have also been shown to improve safety of all modes by up to 30%.    

Why would anyone ride a bike on Richmond Street rather than using the sidewalk or Ohlone Greenway? 

The City’s 2016 Active Transportation Plan and 2023 Climate Action Plan call for growing bicycling as a practical, healthy, and convenient mode of travel. Most vehicle trips in the U.S. are less than six miles, making bicycling is a viable, low-cost travel option for many individuals, provided that destinations are linked together by safe, comfortable, and convenient bicycle infrastructure. The Ohlone Greenway is a premier bicycle facility, but it does not connect eastside destinations such as the Korematsu Middle School, Summit K2 School, the El Cerrito Community & Swim Center, and the thousands of residents who live near and along the Richmond Street Corridor. Furthermore, Richmond Street is the only north-south street east of the Ohlone Greenway that’s relatively flat and direct. In contrast, parallel streets either dead-end or have steep climbs, both of which are major barriers to growing bicycle travel.  

Additionally, El Cerrito municipal code prohibits riders 16 and older from riding on city sidewalks. 

Other

You are planting street trees. Who will maintain them? 

Street trees slow traffic, provide shade on hot days, and capture stormwater – improving walkability and supporting the City’s climate goals. As a critical piece of public infrastructure, street trees are maintained by the City. As an early implementation action in the City’s 2024 Climate Action & Adaption Plan, tree planting is a City priority.  

The project will plant trees from the City’s approved Master Tree List that are suitable for the conditions along Richmond Street, minimizing future street tree and sidewalk maintenance requirements. Following project construction, the contractor will be required to maintain the trees for two years.  Appropriate care during this initial establishment period is important to long-term tree health and to minimizing future maintenance needs. Ongoing maintenance costs will be considered as part of the City’s annual budget process.  While tree species, size, and planting material will lessen the potential for tree root damage to sidewalks, the City is responsible for sidewalk repair caused by trees, should it occur.   

Why can’t we just close off sections of Richmond Street to prevent it being a through street? 

Before the early 1950’s, Richmond Street ended at Moeser Lane and did not begin again until Schmidt Lane. At that time, San Pablo Avenue was the primary north-south connector in El Cerrito and the City Council elected to complete the Richmond Street roadway to provide additional access.  Today, Richmond Street is an important connector to key community destinations east of the BART tracks serving about 8,400 vehicles daily.  It is considered a minor arterial in the city's street hierarchy, which is intended to serve both through and local trips. 

Will the project significantly decrease home values due to lack of resident and guest parking spaces? 

The project does not remove any parking on private property and the area’s public on-street parking is underutilized. “Balanced use of limited public space” is a core project strategy, and the project will balance the use of the public right of way to improve safety and connectivity for all users. Once the project is complete, public on-street street parking along Richmond Street North of Moeser Lane may be fully occupied during peak times, but additional street parking is easily found within a 3-5 minute walk. The City wants to hear from residents who need curb access because of a mobility disability or other special need. Please contact the project team here.  

The project represents an $11 million public investment that will calm vehicle traffic, improve pedestrian safety and comfort, and install street trees, all of which are desirable amenities in residential neighborhoods.