Richmond planners outline Barrett Avenue bike and pedestrian safety project; residents press for lighting and maintenance
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Summary
City project managers presented a proposed redesign of Barrett Avenue to add protected bike lanes, clearer crossings and signal changes, citing crash history and limited pedestrian infrastructure. Residents asked for improved lighting, restroom access at parks and long-term maintenance funding.
City project staff presented a Barrett Avenue corridor design intended to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians, describe proposed lane reconfiguration and signal changes, and solicit community input on specific crossings and lighting.
Why it matters: presenters said Barrett and adjacent corridors have recurring conflicts among cars, bikes and pedestrians and lack consistent left-turn signals, marked bike lanes and safe pedestrian crossings. The design approach shown in slides calls for protected bike lanes, additional left-turn pockets or signals at key intersections (including near 18th Street), enhanced crosswalks and new pedestrian signal timing to give people more crossing time. Project staff said some signal and striping changes are already being piloted and that a corridor walk-through will identify final locations for lights and signs.
Community concerns and staff responses: residents repeatedly raised dark spots and hidden pedestrian paths where people are not visible at night; staff said the project includes additional lighting, flashing beacons at crossings and new signage, and that staff will walk the corridor to identify lighting gaps. A resident asked specifically for a left-turn arrow at 19th and Barrett after a prior crash; staff said intersection-specific signal changes will be studied. Others asked about emergency vehicle access and long-term maintenance; staff said designs will accommodate emergency turns and that long-term maintenance funding has not yet been determined.
Funding and timeline: presenters said the project has roughly $2,000,000 identified for near-term construction (as presented), and that maintenance funding will be determined in follow-on planning. Staff encouraged attendees to leave written comments or use a QR code to submit location-specific concerns, and offered translation and paper forms for Spanish speakers.
Next steps: staff will compile community feedback, finalize design details based on site walks and technical review, and provide outreach workshops and a public comment portal to collect corner-specific concerns.