Frequently Asked Questions

The project team has received many questions about the project from El Cerrito residents.

The most frequently asked questions are answered below. Please reach out via the Contact page or direct email to RichmondStreetComplete@gmail.com with any additional questions or feedback.

How do I share my input?

Ongoing community feedback is welcomed. Send an email to RichmondStreetComplete@gmail.com. Comments received at this email address are shared with the project team.

Why is the City spending funds on Richmond Street?

The EBMUD Wildcat Pipeline project necessitates pavement repairs on Richmond Street. The City’s 2016 Complete Street Policy states that all street plans and projects shall incorporate infrastructure that enables reasonably safe travel for all modes. The City recognized this opportunity to implement comprehensive safety improvements, including updating curb ramps, enhancing intersection crossings, and other safety and accessibility measures.

About 93% of the $11 million project budget comes from grants and other government agencies, including an $8 million Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant awarded in collaboration with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA). The remaining 7%, or approximately $700,000, comes from the City’s Measure A street maintenance fund, which contributes to the required match for this federal grant.

By combining these safety improvements with the necessary pavement rehabilitation, the City can strategically enhance the safety and accessibility of Richmond Street for all users.

What are the project goals?

The Richmond Street Complete Streets Improvements project aims to enhance safety and mobility for everyone traveling along Richmond Street between Elm Street and Fairmount Avenue. To learn about the project goals, visit the Home page.

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

How is the project funded?

In total, the Richmond Street Complete Streets Project has $11.092 million in funding from the following sources:

What is the Project schedule?

The project’s current schedule is as follows:

Outreach and concept design - Fall 2024 to Spring 2025

Final Design & Bidding - Spring to Summer 2025

Start of construction - Fall 2025

Estimated Construction completion - Winter 2026

The main schedule driver is the current pavement condition along Richmond Street. The City postponed repaving the road due to the planned EBMUD Wildcat Pipeline Project, which excavated a major portion of the street. Additionally, the City and Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) must complete the work in accordance with funding grant requirements.

What are the next steps in the process?

The project team is continuing to meet with residents who live on Richmond Street and evaluate all comments, including access needs, received to refine the design. The project team will then move forward to the final design phase.

Why is the Contra Costa Transportation Authority part of this project?

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) works to plan, fund, and implement innovative transportation programs that strengthen our diverse communities and improve the lives of residents in the incorporated and unincorporated portions of the County. In collaboration with several local agencies within the County, CCTA applied for and received grant funding from the United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Program. On September 19, 2023, the El Cerrito City Council entered into a cooperative agreement with the CCTA to manage the development of improvements to Richmond Street. CCTA is supporting the City with grant and project administration, but final design decisions, such as lane configurations, are made by the City of El Cerrito.

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

Yes, project outreach began at the City's July 4th festival and was followed by surveys, community workshops, stakeholder meetings, and more. For detailed information on the project outreach, visit the project Engagement page.

Can the City make changes to Richmond Street?

Yes, Richmond Street is public right-of-way. The public right-of-way refers to the land designated for public use to accommodate transportation and utility infrastructure. This typically includes streets, sidewalks, paths, parkways, and utilities such as water, sewer, gas lines, power lines, and communication cables. The right-of-way ensures that everyone, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public service providers, has legal access to travel, operate, and maintain essential infrastructure. In this case, Richmond Street is managed by the City, which regulates what can and cannot occur within it.

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.

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.
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 .
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.

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.

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.

How fast are motorists traveling along Richmond Street?

The City gathered weekday speed data along Richmond Street and found that 85% of vehicles are traveling at or below the following speeds:

Donal and Manila Avenues: 31 mph

Portola Avenue and Moeser Lane: 28 mph

Stockton and Eureka Avenues: 26 mph

This is consistent with previous speed survey conducted along the corridor.

How many cars travel on Richmond Street?

The number of cars that travel on a street is measured as Average Daily Trips (ADT). ADT is the average number of vehicles in both directions. Initial estimates for Richmond Street, drawn from StreetLight Data, indicated an ADT of 8,400. StreetLight Data utilizes anonymized GPS data from connected cars, smartphones, and other location-based services. The project team shared this data with the community during the first project workshop in September 2024. In October of 2024, the project team conducted a weekday count utilizing sensors installed in the street that indicated an ADT of 6,400. This revised ADT data was shared with the community at the second project workshop in November 2024.

Can you add stop signs along Richmond Street to slow vehicle speeds and improve safety?

Stop signs are intended to assign right-of-way and improve safety at intersections where traffic patterns warrant them—not simply to slow down vehicles. Traffic engineers and planners rely on established guidelines and criteria, such as traffic volumes, sight lines, and documented collision histories, to determine whether a stop sign is the appropriate tool. Installing stop signs where they are not warranted can lead to several unintended consequences:

Driver Compliance Issues: Overusing stop signs can cause driver frustration and reduce respect for traffic controls, making it more likely that some drivers will roll through or ignore them altogether.

Reduced Efficiency and Increased Congestion: Unnecessary stops slow down the flow of traffic, potentially causing backups and delays that affect not only drivers but also emergency response vehicles, public transit, and delivery services.

Safety Concerns at Intersections: When stop signs are placed where they are not needed, the resulting stop-and-go pattern can increase the frequency of rear-end collisions as drivers repeatedly brake and accelerate.

For these reasons, a balanced approach to safety and traffic calming should incorporate other measures such as curb bulb-outs, raised intersections, speed humps, improved signage and markings, rather than relying solely on adding stop signs.

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 through and local trips.

What exactly is the Project proposing?

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

Why do we need to add bicycle lanes 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 bicycle 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.

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 in residential areas, this option does not appear to be a suitable treatment for Richmond Street.

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.

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 required. See the questions above for additional information on the buffer requirements for protected bicycle lanes.

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.

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.

What happens to the City’s Blue Curb Parking Program?

Residents can request a blue curb along a residential street using this link on the City’s website. There are currently three blue curb locations along Richmond Street and the project seeks to preserve these locations. In the future, federal regulations may constrain where the City can install new blue curbs, but the City will work to make it as close to the requesting household as possible.

Does the proposed design hamper the ease of access and safety for people with disabilities within our community? Are accessible on-street parking spaces required under the Americans with Disabilities Act?

The project will meet all Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) design requirements. Street parking is not required under the ADA, but 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.

Does the proposed design prevent seniors and people with mobility challenges from using public space?

“Safe Walking” is one of the five core project strategies. The design will improve accessibility by making walking along and across Richmond Street easier and safer by installing proven safety features: flashing beacons, corner extensions, and raised crosswalks.

Will the project increase pedestrian traffic and encourage jaywalking?

“Safe Walking” and “Safe Speeds” are two core project strategies. The design will enhance pedestrian safety by upgrading crossings and managing vehicle speeds, the primary variable in crash survivability, with traffic calming features such as chicanes and raised crosswalks. Vehicle throughput or capacity will remain unchanged and therefore vehicle travel times are not anticipated to change substantially.

Will the project escalate the possibility of car-bicycle-pedestrian crashes during peak hours when traffic volumes are higher?

“Safe Bicycling”, “Safe Walking” and “Safe Speeds” are three of the five core project strategies. The design includes bicycle lanes along Richmond Street north of Moeser Lane to directly serve community destinations east of Richmond Street with a flat, connected bikeway. Bicycle lanes are a proven safety feature that minimize conflicts among modes and reduce crashes for all modes by up to 30%. The design will enhance pedestrian safety by upgrading crossings and managing vehicle speeds, the primary variable in crash survivability, with traffic calming features such as chicanes and raised crosswalks. Slowing driver speed will also make it easier for residents to safely use their personal driveways and garages.

Will the design prevent Richmond Street from serving as an emergency response route for police, fire, and paramedic vehicles, impeding their vehicles from traveling to the scene of an emergency?

The project maintains the current vehicle capacity / throughput of Richmond Street and is being designed in collaboration with the City’s Fire and Police departments.

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.

Is Richmond Street a designated truck route?

No, Richmond Street is not a designated truck route.

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

Richmond Street 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 8,400 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%.

The Ohlone Greenway, while a major bikeway, does not connect to 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. This is why Richmond Street is a designated bikeway in the City’s 2016 Active Transportation Plan. More info here.

Would the project impede the use of Richmond Street for evacuations in case of an emergency?

The project maintains the existing vehicle capacity / throughput of Richmond Street and is being designed in collaboration with the City’s Fire and Police departments. Along the portion of the corridor with bicycle lanes, motorists can temporarily pull into the painted bicycle lanes, consistent with the state vehicle code, creating a clear passing zone for emergency vehicles.

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