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Residents split over Richmond Street project as council hears 12 public comments
Summary
Dozens of residents urged the council either to keep parking on Richmond Street or to add bike lanes and traffic-calming measures; speakers cited safety, parking loss and market impacts while supporters pointed to reduced speeds and safer space for pedestrians and cyclists.
Twelve members of the public addressed the El Cerrito City Council on May 20 about the Richmond Street Complete Streets Improvement Project, with several residents urging the council to revise or halt plans that would remove roughly 50% of on-street parking in favor of bicycle lanes and related traffic-calming measures.
Opponents said the city—s planning relied on theory rather than localized crash data and warned that losing half the parking would spill cars onto adjacent blocks, increase jaywalking and create hardship for parents, seniors and people with disabilities. Elaine Fielding told the council that the project—s $11 million price tag requires the city to base changes on better data; Lynn Watkins described realistic scenarios in which a parent with groceries and a child might be forced to jaywalk if curb parking were removed.
Supporters countered that planned bike lanes and traffic calming would reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety. Andrew Raphael, who characterized himself as both a parent and a statistical risk analyst, said traffic studies indicate a large volume of cars pass his house and that reducing vehicle speeds substantially increases pedestrian survival rates; other supporters said the improvements fit with the city—s climate and active-transport goals.
The council did not take a vote on the project at the meeting. Several speakers asked the city to re-examine outreach and data used to justify the parking removal; others urged expedited construction of safety fixes at specific intersections where residents reported crashes and near-miss incidents.
Ending: The Richmond Street project drew both organized neighborhood opposition and advocacy by active-transport groups; councilmembers who spoke encouraged staff to continue community engagement and to return with details and data requested by residents.
