El Cerrito/Richmond Annex Walk & Roll blog

A new report from California Walks and the University of California Safe Transportation and Education Center (SafeTREC) highlights strategies to promote safer streets in El Cerrito and Richmond Annex, especially for slowing down traffic and making pedestrian- and bike-friendly improvements on San Pablo Avenue, Central Avenue, Carlson Avenue, and Cutting Boulevard. “ El Cerrito and Richmond Annex Summary and Recommendations Report ” is the culmination of a workshop convened on July 25 by the Community Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program (CPBST), a project of California Walks and SafeTREC. After a 2-month planning process, about 35 participants met virtually, including residents, and representatives from the El Cerrito Strollers & Rollers, Richmond Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committees, the cities of El Cerrito and Richmond, West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee, El Cerrito Trail Trekkers, and others.   The goals of the CPBST workshop were to improve walking ...

Discussion about the future of the El Cerrito BART property raises the question of how local BART users in El Cerrito and Richmond Annex can get to BART if car parking is reduced to make way for housing. The above map shows non-automobile access points to the El Cerrito Plaza BART from different parts of town; the pink areas are particularly difficult or unsafe. For motorists, some BART car parking will remain. In addition, on-street parking on surrounding streets will be managed to improve BART access. For those blessed with easy access to the Ohlone Greenway, walking or bicycling to the El Cerrito Plaza BART station is much easier and safer than for those off the Ohlone Greenway corridor. Residents west of San Pablo Avenue on most streets arrive at the Avenue at T-intersections that prevent crossing and continuing. For those in the hills, non-auto travel to and from BART may need the assist of an electric motor: e-bike, e-moped, neighborhood electric vehicle, or electric shuttle. Suc...

  A Metropolitan Transportation Commission analysis shows that the Bay Area is veering away from goals set by the California Air Resources Board (SB 375) to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions (GHG) by 20% by 2035. The State of California has passed exemplary legislation to address greenhouse gas emissions and reduce vehicle miles traveled of gasoline-powered vehicles. Since 50% of California's greenhouse-gas emissions come from transportation, reducing how much we drive cars is critical. Yet an online dashboard created by the California Air Resources Board shows woefully inadequate progress in attaining that goal. We Bay Area residents are not measuring up, in spite of our environmental credentials. The Bay Area's Metropolitan Transportation Commission sets goals that we are not meeting by a long shot. Think about that next time you get in your car to go a short distance just to get coffee at the Food Annex or Fat Apples. Could you have walked, bicycled, or taken a more climate-f...

Above, a preliminary street design by Fehr & Peers for facing Manila Ave. El Cerrito Strollers & Rollers has conducted surveys of locals about where they want to see improvements for walking and bicycling in El Cerrito and the Richmond Annex. We solicited comments to our surveys at Bike to Wherever Day, WorldOne/July 4th festival at Cerrito Vista Park, and online at the El Cerrito Strollers & Rollers website. Of 136 responses, 33% cited San Pablo Avenue as a priority for receiving multimodal improvements. No other location received nearly as much mention. This is not surprising since San Pablo Avenue is where so much retail, services, and restaurants are, yet is dominated by automobile access. The good news is that the Avenue is receiving more and more planning and design attention. The San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan calls for separated bicycle lanes from Lincoln Avenue north, but doesn't show how that would be implemented block by block. The City of El Cerrito has tak...