A Bike Lane at What Cost? Richmond Street Residents Speak Out

The City of El Cerrito is considering a proposal to add a dedicated bike lane on Richmond Street — a move that would eliminate residential parking on one side of the street and significantly impact the daily lives of long-term residents. While the city promotes the project as a step toward equity, sustainability, and safer streets, Richmond Street homeowners and renters are raising serious concerns — not just about process, but about fairness, safety, and the long-term consequences for the community.

Why Now — and Why Richmond Street?

The proposed Richmond Street bike lane sits just two to three blocks away from the Ohlone Greenway — a dedicated, multi-use path that already supports bicyclists, pedestrians, and joggers. According to many residents, the Greenway is sufficient for bike traffic, and the city’s energy and dollars would be better spent enhancing that existing infrastructure rather than duplicating it on a residential street.

Using the Greenway instead of Richmond Street adds approximately five minutes or less to most bike commutes — a minor inconvenience compared to the major disruption this new project would cause for people who rely on on-street parking, including seniors, residents with disabilities, and caregivers.

Displacing the Most Vulnerable

This isn’t just about convenience. Richmond Street has long been home to a diverse population, including elderly residents and those with limited mobility. Many of these individuals rely on accessible curbside parking to go about their daily lives. Removing this access — without clear alternatives or accommodations — will have a disproportionate impact on these community members.

The proposal threatens to erode a neighborhood fabric built over decades. The real outcome, as residents see it, is a shift toward a younger, wealthier demographic that can afford to adapt, while long-standing residents are pushed aside. That’s not equity. That’s displacement.

Left Out of the Conversation

Despite the far-reaching implications of the proposal, many Richmond Street residents say they were never meaningfully consulted. There was no robust outreach, no thoughtful engagement, and no attempt to understand the very real and practical implications for the people who live there. Instead, neighbors learned of the plan through secondary channels, leaving them scrambling to understand and respond before the project advances further.

What About Safety?

Ironically, the city’s justification hinges on improving safety. But Richmond Street is already considered a walkable neighborhood. Residents support that vision — but believe the root cause of pedestrian and cyclist safety issues lies not in street design, but in driver behavior.

Speeding, failure to yield, and lack of traffic law enforcement are the true culprits. Installing a bike lane won’t fix these problems. What will? Enforcing existing speed limits. Adding speed humps. Increasing citations for reckless driving. Promoting driver education. These are practical solutions that preserve accessibility while enhancing safety for all.

Show Us the Numbers

Perhaps most concerning of all: the city refuses to release detailed cost estimates for the Richmond Street bike lane. Multiple studies have been conducted, but none of the financial data has been made public. At a time when El Cerrito continues to face budget challenges and mounting infrastructure needs, the lack of transparency raises serious questions.

What will this project cost — in dollars, in displacement, in disruption? Until the city provides a clear answer, residents are right to question the motives and the math.

A Better Way Forward

Equity should not come at the expense of those who have already invested in El Cerrito. A smarter path would improve and promote the existing Ohlone Greenway while preserving the character, accessibility, and livability of Richmond Street.

Residents are not opposed to bike infrastructure. They are opposed to ill-conceived plans that prioritize form over function, and newcomers over neighbors. It’s time for city leaders to slow down, listen closely, and put community at the center of the conversation.

Call to Action

If you believe the city should prioritize transparency, protect vulnerable residents, and support walkable, accessible neighborhoods without displacing the people who live there:

Contact the El Cerrito City Council:

Mayor Carolyn Wysinger cwysinger@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us

Mayor Pro Tem Gabe Quinto gquinto@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us

Councilmember Lisa Motoyama lmotoyama@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us

Councilmember Rebecca Saltzman rsaltzman@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us

Councilmember William Ktsanes wktsanes@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us

Let your voice be heard before your street — and your community — is changed forever.