Community urges immediate fixes after cyclist killed at Freitas Parkway intersection

Dozens of residents, cycling advocates and coaches asked the San Rafael City Council on July 21 to make immediate safety changes at the Freitas Parkway and Bridal Parkway intersection after cyclist Chris Brignetti was struck and killed there on June 28. Public commenters said the crossing has a history of collisions, and several called for near-term measures such as removing vegetation, changing the left-turn yield to a full stop, and adding striping or delineators.

The calls for action followed a brief City Council acknowledgement of the community's grief. Mayor Kate opened the meeting by saying the council and staff were "saddened by the tragic loss" and that the city would record public input for further consideration. The city attorney reminded speakers that under the Brown Act the council and staff could not provide a substantive response during open time and that the San Rafael Police Department's collision investigation is ongoing.

Why it matters: multiple speakers said this intersection has caused crashes for years and that past planning documents recommended fixes that were not implemented. Charlie Sudlock of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition told the council that the intersection has seen "4 similar crashes over the last 5 to 7 years" and that the 2018 bicycle and rolling plan included recommendations to address the location. Several residents and coaches described the crossing as a bicycle thoroughfare linking Terra Linda with other parts of Marin County and said the combination of downhill speed and turning traffic creates a chronic safety hazard.

Public testimony: Joe Mulligan, identified as a San Rafael resident and safety director of the Marin Cyclists, brought a memorial bicycle to the dais and asked for a moment of silence for Brignetti. "This bike here is to remember Chris Brignetti," he said. Charlie Sudlock said, "We need to fix this intersection," and added that the city should change the process for resolving dangerous intersections. Several parents, including Alice Ostrovsky, described past collisions and near-fatal outcomes: Ostrovsky said her son was struck at the same intersection in 2023, suffered multiple fractures and two surgeries, and survived only because he was wearing a helmet.

Younger riders and coaches also addressed the council. John Cheatham, head coach of the Terra Linda mountain bike team, said Brignetti was an experienced rider and that the crash was "completely preventable" with low-cost changes such as striping, delineators, or removing sight-line obstructions. Multiple teenage riders testified that they use the corridor daily and asked the city to act before another serious injury or death occurs.

Context and related funding: In the city manager's earlier report, staff said San Rafael recently learned it lost a federal Reconnecting Communities grant of roughly $1.5 million that had been intended to support a pathway along Bridal Parkway. The city manager described that award as the first federal grant rescinded and said the loss primarily affects transportation projects. At the same meeting staff also noted a separate $483,000 grant that will continue funding the city's mobile mental health unit, but speakers emphasized that safety fixes on Freitas/Bridal are time-sensitive and, in many cases, relatively low-cost.

What residents asked for: Requests included replacing the left-turn yield with a stop control, trimming or removing trees and shrubs that block sight lines, adding striping and delineators, adjusting the left-turn lane alignment, installing flashing lights or other warnings for downhill cyclists, and prioritizing known high-risk intersections rather than waiting for comprehensive plan updates.

Next steps and limits: City staff and the city attorney told the public that council comment and staff response are limited at the meeting under the Brown Act. The police investigation remains open; per state vehicle-code rules, the collision report is limited to involved parties and their representatives once released. Speakers asked the council to use existing maintenance and repaving windows to implement short-term engineering fixes where possible and to commit resources to longer-term improvements.

Taper: Residents and local advocacy groups requested that the city move beyond planning and take near-term actions to reduce risk at Freitas Parkway/Bridal Parkway, saying immediate engineering changes and clearer maintenance of sight lines could prevent further tragedies.