Dozens of residents and cycling advocates addressed the San Rafael City Council during public expression on July 21, pressing the city to make immediate safety changes at the Freitas Parkway/Leah Drive intersection after a cyclist, identified in public testimony as Chris Brignetti, was killed there on June 28. The city attorney said the police investigation remains open and that disclosure of the accident report is governed by the California Vehicle Code.

The calls for action centered on the intersection where speakers said multiple serious crashes have occurred over recent years. “This bike here is to remember Chris Brignetti,” Joe Mulligan, safety director of Marin Cyclists, said as he presented a memorial ghost bike. Residents and cycling coaches described the crossing as a high-speed zone with limited sight lines and called for immediate, low-cost fixes such as removing shrubs and trees, changing striping, adding delineators and converting a left-turn yield to a full stop.

Why it matters: multiple speakers said the corridor is a major bicycle thoroughfare linking Terra Linda with other parts of Marin County and that the community has repeatedly requested changes since at least the 2018 bicycle plan. Several public speakers urged the council to prioritize physical changes now rather than relying on long-term planning processes.

Details: Charlie Sudlock, director of communications for the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, said “There have been 4 similar crashes over the last 5 to 7 years” at or near the same location and cited the 2018 bicycle plan’s recommendation that the intersection be fixed. Multiple coaches and youth riders from the Terra Linda Mountain Bike Team described frequent, daily use of the corridor and said experienced riders — not novices — have been injured there. Alice Ostrovsky said her son survived a different crash at the same location in 2023 that required surgeries and months of recovery. “It is inexcusable that that is a yield. That left turn is a yield. It must be a stop,” she said.

City response and limits: City Attorney (unnamed in the record) reminded speakers that the matter was not agendized and that the Brown Act prevents substantive responses tonight, but that all comments would be recorded for further consideration. He also said the San Rafael Police Department’s investigation continues and that dissemination of the collision report is limited by the California Vehicle Code to involved parties and their representatives.

What residents asked: immediate measures repeatedly suggested by speakers included removing sight-obstructing vegetation, converting the left-turn yield to a full stop for turning vehicles, revising striping to slow speeds, adding delineators or flashing signage for downhill cyclists, and reprioritizing available project dollars toward critical safety fixes rather than further plan updates.

Council action: The council did not take any formal action on this topic during the meeting. The city attorney confirmed that public input was recorded and will be considered by staff as part of ongoing work and the police investigation.

Looking ahead: Speakers urged the council and staff to act promptly. Several said the community is willing to support or partner on short-term fixes while longer engineering solutions are developed.