July 5, 2022
City Council
DATE: July 5, 2022
TO: Mayor Butt and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Councilmembers Gayle McLaughlin, Claudia Jimenez
and Vice Mayor Eduardo Martinez
Subject:
Street Safety improvements
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The financial impact is to be determined. Currently, there is $750,000 in the FY 2022-2023 budget for Street Safety Initiatives. There is also funding in the Capital
Improvement Budget
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
On June 7, 2022, the City Council heard a presentation
on the Local Road Safety Plan. On June 21, 2022, the
City Council approved the FY 2022-2023 Operating
Budget and Capital Improvement Budget – both include
street safety funding. Then in fall of 2021, the City
Council authorized City staff to implement engineering
solutions for sideshows.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
Members of the community have organized themselves
to express major concerns about street safety, especially at certain dangerous crossing areas, such as pedestrians trying to cross Carlson Boulevard when walking their
young children to Nomura Preschool. Parents and their
toddlers have experienced many “close calls” from
speeding cars nearly hitting them. In addition, residents throughout the city have expressed concerns about
sideshows. Most recently, residents have organized and sent emails to the City Council about sideshows along
Key Boulevard and Barrett Avenue. Last year other
areas, such as El Sobrante Valley, Hilltop, and Marina
Bay have expressed concerns of sideshows.
AGENDA
REPORT
July 5, 2022
RECOMMENDED ACTION: DIRECT staff to address interim solutions to street safety concerns (prior to our Local Road Safety Plan being
finalized and funded) such as dangerous pedestrian
crossings along Carlson Boulevard and sideshows at Key
Boulevard & Barrett Avenue, May Road & Santa Rita
Road as well as at other locations – Councilmembers
Gayle McLaughlin (510) 620-6581 and Claudia Jimenez
(510) 620-6565, and Vice Mayor Eduardo Martinez (510)
620-6593.
DISCUSSION:
At the June 7, 2022, Richmond City Council meeting, we heard a presentation on the Local Road Safety Plan. The consultants and City staff have been working hard on this plan to address road safety throughout the city. Once this plan is completed, it will bring about many street safety improvements to assure safety for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists. However, it will take more time to finalize the plan and also to fundraise for its implementation.
In the meantime, residents have expressed major concerns about some seriously dangerous streets. Residents living in the Richmond Annex and Panhandle Annex have organized repeatedly about the dangerous situation that pedestrians have experienced in crossing Carlson Blvd., especially in the vicinity of Nomura Preschool.
They have shared many stories of how they and their toddlers have had “close calls” from the speeding traffic. Councilmember McLaughlin has repeatedly brought their concerns to City staff, had ongoing conversations with the residents and staff, and held a zoom meeting the included City staff and the residents.
Some of these residents have shared ideas with City staff on some interim solutions, while the Local Road Safety Plan is being worked on. See Attachment 1. While communication has occurred with residents, no actual interim solutions have occurred at this point. That needs to be rectified to assure the safety of our families.
In addition, we have heard from residents throughout the City with concerns about sideshows. Most recently, residents in the Key Blvd. and Barrett Ave. area have organized seeking immediate solutions. Councilmember Jimenez has brought this issue to the attention of City staff. In additional there are other areas of the City, where residents have organized around the issue of sideshows, such as in the El Sobrante, Hilltop and Marina Bay area.
RPD has proposed engineering solutions as one way to address the sideshow problem.
Such solutions include temporary or permanent roundabouts at hotspots for such activity, or Botts Dots and raised circular markers that work to deter reckless driving.
July 5, 2022
While this agenda report mentions a number of areas where serious street safety issues have been brought to the Council’s attention, these are other areas of concern as well that staff should explore addressing as soon as possible.
To address all these concerns, the Council has taken various actions:
1. On June 21st, 2022, City Council allocated $750k toward street safety initiatives.
2. The Capital Improvement Budget, also approved on June 21st, has some additional funding allocation for street safety.
3. The City Council, in the fall of 2021, voted to direct staff to implement engineering solutions to sideshows.
It is imperative that City staff move as swiftly as possible to mitigate some of the most serious conditions needing immediate attention. It is understood that the City needs to finalize the Local Road Safety Plan and fundraise for its implementation for the long- term. However, in the interim period, while the plan is still not ready for implementation (and may not be ready for some time yet), the City of Richmond must implement interim solutions to protect our residents.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Traffic Calming Suggestions for Carlson Ave