October 2014 TDA Article 3 Model Resolution for Claimants Page 1 TDA Article 3 Project Application Form
Fiscal Year of this Claim: 21/22 Applicant: City of Richmond Contact person: Patrick Phelan
Mailing Address: 450 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA 94804 E-Mail Address: [email protected] Telephone: 510-307-8111 Secondary Contact (in event primary not available) Tawfic N. Halaby E-Mail Address: [email protected] Telephone: 510-621-1612 Short Title Description of Project: Richmond Greenway Rehabilitation & Richmond Bicycle Safety Education Project Amount of claim: $100,000
Functional Description of Project:
The City of Richmond and the Richmond Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (R-BPAC) propose a three-part project including bicycle safety education with Bike East Bay, maintenance of the Richmond Greenway in collaboration with Safe Organized Spaces Richmond (SOS! Richmond), and the rehabilitation of a critical segment of the Richmond Greenway where it is bisected by an underpass and railroad tracks. The project proposal was developed during three R-BPAC meetings, where members felt that the City should take advantage of the TDA3 program’s rare opportunity to fund bicycle safety education programming and multi-use path maintenance, in addition to a small construction project. Bike East Bay staff assist Richmond in multiple ways and regularly attend R-BPAC meetings. However, most of Bike East Bay’s award-winning education programming is currently based in Alameda County, with little education funding specifically for Contra Costa County. These grant funds would bring important programming to Richmond, providing one-on-one support and encouragement for residents to take advantage of the investments being made in active transportation infrastructure.
The Richmond Greenway is a 2.4 mile long multi-use path running in a former railroad right-of-way through the heart of Richmond. In 2019, a 3,000 foot long cycle track was added to the west end of the Greenway along a large unused railroad property, functionally extending the Greenway to connect with the San Franciso Bay Trail along the Richmond Parkway. Along the Greenway corridor are parks, playgrounds, community gardens, green infrastructure elements, native landscaping, and a bicycle skills park. The serious problems of illegal dumping and homelessness, and the lack of maintenance, especially litter removal, threaten the viability of this public space and active transit corridor. Volunteers and non-profit groups spend more time picking up trash than running their engagement programs. SOS! Richmond is a community network that engages with, provides stipends to, and employs leaders of the unsheltered community to self-manage shared public spaces. Fiscally sponsored by Richmond Friends of Recreation, SOS deploys its teams throughout greater Richmond. The Greenway is an excellent candidate for deepening its partnership with Friends of the Richmond Greenway (FORG) and City of Richmond Parks & Landscaping Division. SOS would help maintain the entire length of the Greenway including the cycle track extension.
A gap in the Greenway remains between 23rd Street and Carlson Blvd, where pedestrians and bicyclists must make a number of turns on city streets and through an underpass to get around the railroad tracks. At the corner of Ohio Ave and 23rd St, an undersized and failing sidewalk must be used to access the Greenway and Dirt World, a 2-acre free, public bicycle terrain park along the Greenway. Dirt World and its creators are frequent City and R-BPAC collaborators. The portion of the Greenway multi-use path along Dirt World is deteriorating and needs to be rehabilitated, contiguous with the failing sidewalk. These funds will improve safety and comfort along the path; will allow Dirt World to focus their efforts on the bike skills park itself; and will improve access to the Greenway at a critical junction with city streets.
Financial Plan:
List the project elements for which TDA funding is being requested (e.g., planning, engineering, construction, contingency). Use the table below to show the project budget for the phase being funded or total project. Include prior and proposed future funding of the project. Planning funds may only be used for comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian plans. Project level planning is not an eligible use of TDA Article 3.
Project Elements: Bicycle Safety Education, Multi-Use Path Maintenance, Multi-Use Path Construction
Funding Source All Prior FYs Application FY Next FY Following FYs Totals TDA Article 3 $100,000 $100,000
list all other sources:
1. Local Funds $27,310 $27,310
Totals $127,310
Project Eligibility: YES?/NO?
A. Has the project been approved by the claimant's governing body? (If "NO," provide the approximate date approval is anticipated).
NO –
2/16/2021
B. Has this project previously received TDA Article 3 f unding? If "YES," provide an explanation on a separate page. NO C. For "bikeways," does the project meet Caltrans minimum safe ty design criteria pursuant to Chapter 1000 of the California Highway Design Manual? (Available on the internet via: http://www.dot.ca.gov).
YES
D. Has the project been reviewed by a Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC)? (If "NO," provide an explanation). Enter date the YES October 2014 TDA Article 3 Model Resolution for Claimants Page 2 project was reviewed by the BAC:_11/9/2020, 12/14/2020, 1/11/2021_______________________________ E. Has the public availability of the environmental complianc e documentation for the project (pursuant to CEQA) been evidenced by the dated stamping of the document by the county clerk or county recorder? (required only for projects that include construction).
YES
F. Will the project be completed before the allocation expires? Enter the anticipated completion date of project (month and year) December 2023
YES
G. Have provisions been made by the claimant to maintain the project or facility, or has the claimant arranged for such maintenance by another agency? (If an agency other than the Claimant is to maintain the facility provide its name:
Safe Organized Spaces Richmond )
YES
640 LF
OVERLAY
200 LF
REMOVE &
REPLACE
Greenway Continues
Dirt World
UP RR
BART
CARLSON BLVD
S 23RD ST
BROADWAY
20TH ST
OHIO AVE
RICHMOND GREENWAY
23RD
ST
21ST ST
S 22ND ST
S 21ST ST
S 20TH ST
RICHMOND
RICHMOND GREENWAY
MAINTENANCE LIMITS
EL
CERRITO
80 580
Ohlone Greenway
RICHMOND GREENWAY
REHABILITATION
1 Inch = 125 Feet
0 75 150
Feet
Legend
Class 1 Path
Class 4 Cycle Track
Property Lines
SCOPE OF WORK
Bicycle Safety Education
City of Richmond will contract with Bike East Bay for a two‐year bicycle safety education program consisting of four 1‐hour workshops, one adult learn‐to‐ride class, and four family cycling workshops. 1‐Hour Workshop: These sessions go in‐depth with a certified instructor on a specific topic such as avoiding bike theft, riding after dark, bike‐friendly driver classes, or basic bike mechanics. 1‐hour, classroom or virtual webinar workshop. Average attendance: 10. Instruction hours: 1. Number of Instructors: 1
Learn‐to‐Ride for Adults: For adults or teens who have either not yet learned how to ride a bike, or did a long time ago but want a refresher on the basics of balancing, pedaling and steering. Our instructors are friendly, patient, and will help everyone get off to a great start in a secure, non‐judgmental environment. 3‐hour, outdoor workshop for adults and teens, bike and helmet required. Bikes are provided for a rental fee to participants who need them. Average attendance: Normally 12, or 8 under covid protocols. Instruction hours: 3. Number of Instructors: Normally 4; under covid protocols: 3.
Family Cycling Workshop: This event is for kids who are able to ride a bike and ready to take to the roads and pathways with their parents. The class includes a day of fun games, skills building, and a neighborhood ride. Parents and kids attend together. Outdoor session for adults and youth in grades 2‐6 (approx.). Can be provided as a standalone class with attendees bringing their own bikes and helmets (Family Cycling Workshop) or as part of a community festival or other event with youth loaner bikes and helmets provided (Family Cycling Rodeo). Average attendance: Normally 25; under covid protocols: 15.
Instruction hours: 3. Number of Instructors: Normally 4; under covid protocols: 3.
Richmond Greenway Maintenance
Safe Organized Spaces Richmond (SOS! Richmond) successfully operates programs by partnering housed and unsheltered residents to work together on neighborhood conditions across greater Richmond. Its Streets Team responds to problems of illegal dumping, trash and homeless encampments. SOS! staff members, all of whom are homeless, travel to various encampments and conduct outreach to remove debris, model appropriate sanitation, and engage with unsheltered individuals to build leaders who conduct public space stewardship. The Streets Team enjoys support from community members, public agencies, civic groups and nonprofits across Richmond.
The Streets Team was piloted on the Richmond Greenway for six months beginning in January 2020.
Survey reporting from Richmond Greenway park users indicated that people are often deterred from using the Greenway’s pedestrian and bike trail due to unsafe conditions and unintended uses at key locations along the corridor. The project demonstrated an effective low‐infrastructure model to mitigate these problems, and in June 2020 these essential services expanded throughout greater Richmond.
The SOS team of unsheltered volunteers and employees will increase their presence at the Greenway to provide regular trash cleanup, security, and community engagement to deter unsafe trail conditions.
The team initiates opportunities for unsheltered volunteers to train for advancement as employees on a homeless team of professionals to contribute their local neighborhood knowledge and cultural competencies for improving the Greenway for all park users.
The intervention strategy for park maintenance: Engage with potential leaders; Pass out bags, lead cleanup activities, and develop a predictable cleanup and haul away pattern; Incentivize leaders to sustain their stable, consistent, and accountable stewardship of the Greenway and prevent or mitigate illegal dumping; Bring additional amenities that help unsheltered populations to stably shelter in place and effectively co‐exist with traditional park users.
Richmond Greenway Multi‐Use Path Rehabilitation
City street paving crews will rehabilitate 640 linear feet of the existing multi‐use path along the Dirt World bike park between 20th Street and 23rd Street. Asphalt is cracking and pavement markings have disappeared. The 2” asphalt overlay will also slightly raise the elevation of the path which will help with periodic ponding and flooding issues.
At the end of the multi‐use path at 23rd Street, a 5 foot wide sidewalk connects the path to Espee Ave on the north side and Ohio Ave on the south. This narrow path does not constitute a legitimate bicycling route and moreover, it is subsiding and shifting, making it potentially dangerous and definitely ADA non‐ compliant. City will hire one of its on‐call concrete contractors to remove 200 feet of sidewalk and replace with a 10‐foot wide asphalt multi‐use path. A short section near Ohio Ave will remain because that section has not shifted and it would be complicated to widen. This sidewalk path is not just a side connection to but is an important component in traversing the gap in the Richmond Greenway between 23rd Street and Carlson Blvd.
COST ESTIMATE
Richmond Greenway Rehabilitation Bicycle Safety Education Project
ITEM UNIT COST UNITS TOTAL
1‐Hour Workshop class 600 $ 4 2,400$
Adult Learn‐to‐Ride class 5,800 $ 1 5,800$
Family Cycling class 4,200 $ 4 16,800$
25,000$
6,370$
6,448$
8,640$
3,000$
1,615$
1,200$
27,273$
2,727$
30,000$
LABOR 3,510 $
EQUIPMENT 7,680$
MATERIALS 6,177 $
Sub‐Subtotal Richmond Greenway Multi‐Use Path Rehabilitation 17,367$
ITEM UNIT COST UNITS TOTAL
Mobilization LS 4,000 $ 1 4,000$
Sidewalk Removal SF 11 $ 1000 11,000$
Soil Excavation CY 225 $ 60 13,500$
Class II Aggregate Base CY 175 $ 40 7,000$
Hot Mix Asphalt TON 429 $ 30 12,870$
Sub‐Subtotal Richmond Greenway Path Widening 48,370$
Sub‐Total Construction (including 10% Contingency) 72,310.15$ Grand Total Education + Maintenance + Construction 127,310$ 2 Safety Guardians @ $360/month x 12 months
Director @ 5% FTE
Subtotal Bicycle Safety Education Program
Bicycle Safety Education Program
Richmond Greenway Maintenance
Field Supervisor @ 7 hrs/week x $17.50 x 52 weeks
1 Streets Team member @ 8 hrs/week x $15.50 x 52 weeks
Richmond Greenway Path Widening
Richmond Greenway Multi‐Use Path Rehabilitation
Equipment and supplies
Taxes @ 15%
Subtotal
Nonprofit Management @ 10%
Subtotal Richmond Greenway Maintenance
Reso. No. xx-19
RESOLUTION NO. xxx-21
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND
AUTHORIZING A
REQUEST TO THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION FOR THE ALLOCATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2021-22 TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT ARTICLE 3 PEDESTRIAN/BICYCLE PROJECT FUNDING
AND TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE THE FUNDS SHOULD THE GRANT BE
AWARDED
WHEREAS, Article 3 of the Transportation Development Act (TDA), Public Utilities Code (PUC) Section 99200 et seq., authorizes the submission of claims to a regional transportation planning agency for the funding of projects exclusively for the benefit and/or use of pedestrians and bicyclists; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), as the regional transportation planning agency for the San Francisco Bay region, has adopted MTC Resolution No. 4108, entitled “Transportation Development Act, Article 3, Pedestrian and Bicycle Projects,” which delineates procedures and criteria for submission of requests for the allocation of “TDA Article 3” funding; and
WHEREAS, MTC Resolution No. 4108 requires that requests for the allocation of TDA Article 3 funding be submitted as part of a single, countywide coordinated claim from each county in the San Francisco Bay Region; and
WHEREAS, the City of Richmond desires to submit a request to MTC for the allocation of TDA Article 3 funds to support the projects described in Attachment B to this resolution, which are for the exclusive benefit and/or use of pedestrians and/or bicyclists; and
WHEREAS, the project has been crafted in collaboration with and approved by the Richmond Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee; and
WHEREAS, the project is consistent with the City’s Bicycle Master Plan; and
WHEREAS, Bike East Bay is the established leader in bicycle safety training classes throughout the East Bay; and
WHEREAS, Safe Organized Spaces Richmond (SOS! Richmond) successfully operates programs by partnering housed and unsheltered residents to work together on neighborhood conditions across Richmond including illegal dumping, trash, and homeless encampments; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Richmond declares it is eligible to request an allocation of TDA Article 3 funds pursuant to Section 99234 of the Public Utilities Code; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that there is no pending or threatened litigation that might adversely affect the project or projects described in Attachment B to this resolution, or that might impair the ability of the City of Richmond to carry out the project; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Richmond attests to the accuracy of and approves the statements in Attachment A to this resolution; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this resolution and its attachments, and any accompanying supporting materials shall be forwarded to the congestion management agency, countywide transportation planning agency, or county association of governments, as the case may be, of Contra Costa County for submission to MTC as part of the countywide coordinated TDA Article 3 claim; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Richmond, authorizes the City Manager, or designee, to execute all Agreements and any amendments Reso. No. xx-19
thereto with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and to execute agreements with the identified project partners to complete the grant funded project; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the City Council of the City of Richmond accepts and appropriates the grant award for the City of Richmond Fiscal Year 2021-22 budget, should the grant be awarded.
*************************
I certify that the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted by the Council of the City of Richmond at a regular meeting thereof held February 16, 2021, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
CLERK OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND
(SEAL)
Approved:
Mayor
Approved as to form:
City Attorney
Reso. No. xx-19
Attachment A
REQUEST TO THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATIO COMMISSION FOR THE ALLOCATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2021-22 TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT ARTICLE 3 PEDESTRIAN/BICYCLE PROJECT FUNDING
Findings
1. That the City of Richmond is not legally impeded from submitting a request to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission fo r the allocation of Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 funds, nor is the City of Richmond legally impeded from undertaking the project described in “Attachment B” of this resolution.
2. That the City of Richmond has committed ade quate staffing resources to complete the project described in Attachment B.
3. A review of the project described in Attachment B has resulted in the consideration of all pertinent matters, including those related to environmental and right-of-way permits and clearances, attendant to the successful completion of the project.
4. Issues attendant to securing environmental and right-of-way permits and clearances for the projects described in Attachment B have been reviewed and will be concluded in a manner and on a schedule that will not jeopa rdize the deadline for the use of the TDA funds being requested.
5. That the project described in Attachment B complies with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA, Public Resources Code Sections 21000 et seq.).
6. That as portrayed in the budgetary description of the project in Attachment B, the sources of funding other than TDA are assured and adequate for completion of the project.
7. That the project described in Attachment B are for capital construction and/or design engineering; and/or for the maintenance of a Class I bikeway which is closed to motorized traffic; and/or for the purposes of restriping Class II bicycl e lanes; and/or for the development or support of a bicycle sa fety education program; and/or for the development of a comprehensive bicycle and/ or pedestrian facili ties plan, and an allocation of TDA Article 3 funding for such a plan has not been received by the City of Richmond within the prior five fiscal years.
8. That the project described in Attachment B is included in a loca lly approved bicycle, pedestrian, transit, multimodal, complete streets, or other relevant plan.
9. That any project described in Attachment B that is a bikeway meets the mandatory minimum safety design criteria published in Chapter 1000 of the California Highway Design Manual.
10. That the project described in Attachment B will be completed before the funds expire.
11. That the City of Richmond agrees to mainta in, or provide for the maintenance of, the project and facilities described in Attachment B, for the benefit of and use by the public.
Reso. No. xx-19
Attachment B
REQUEST TO THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATIO COMMISSION FOR THE ALLOCATION OF FISCAL YEAR 2021-22 TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT ARTICLE 3 PEDESTRIAN/BICYCLE PROJECT FUNDING
Application Form
Fiscal Year of this Claim: FY 21/22 Applicant: City of Richmond Contact person: Patrick Phelan
Mailing Address: 450 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA 94804 E-Mail Address: [email protected] Telephone: (510) 307-8111 Secondary Contact (in event primary not available): Tawfic N. Halaby E-Mail Address: [email protected] Telephone: (510) 621-1612 Short Title Description of Project: Richmond Greenway Rehabilitation & Richmond Bicycle Safety Education Project Amount of claim: $ 100,000
Functional Description of Project:
The City of Richmond and the Richmond Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (R-BPAC) propose a three- part project including bicycle safety education with Bike East Bay, maintenance of the Richmond Greenway in collaboration with Safe Organized Spaces Richmond (SOS! Richmond), and the rehabilitation of a critical segment
of the Richmond Greenway where it is bisected by an underpass and railroad tracks. The project proposal was developed during three R-BPAC meetings, where members felt that the City should take advantage of the TDA3 program’s rare opportunity to fund bicycle safety education programming and multi-use path maintenance, in addition to a small construction project. Bike East Bay staff assist Richmond in multiple ways and regularly attend R-BPAC meetings. However, most of Bike East Bay’s award-winning education programming is currently based in Alameda County, with little education funding specifically for Contra Costa County. These grant funds would bring important programming to Richmond, providing one-on-one support and encouragement for residents to take advantage of the investments being made in active transportation infrastructure.
The Richmond Greenway is a 2.4 mile long multi-use path running in a former railroad right-of-way through the heart of Richmond. In 2019, a 3,000 foot long cycle track was added to the west end of the Greenway along a large unused railroad property, functionally extending the Greenway to connect with the San Franciso Bay Trail along the Richmond Parkway. Along the Greenway corridor are parks, playgrounds, community gardens, green infrastructure elements, native landscaping, and a bicycle skills park. The serious problems of illegal dumping and homelessness, and the lack of maintenance, especially litter removal, threaten the viability of this public space and active transit corridor. Volunteers and non-profit groups spend more time picking up trash than running their engagement programs. SOS! Richmond is a community network that engages with, provides stipends to, and employs leaders of the unsheltered community to self-manage shared public spaces. Fiscally sponsored by Richmond Friends of Recreation, SOS deploys its teams throughout greater Richmond. The Greenway is an excellent candidate for deepening its partnership with Friends of the Richmond Greenway (FORG) and City of Richmond Parks & Landscaping Division. SOS would help maintain the entire length of the Greenway including the cycle track extension.
A gap in the Greenway remains between 23rd Street and Carlson Blvd, where pedestrians and bicyclists must make a number of turns on city streets and through an underpass to get around the railroad tracks. At the corner of Ohio Ave and 23rd St, an undersized and failing sidewalk must be used to access the Greenway and Dirt World, a 2-acre free, public bicycle terrain park along the Greenway. Dirt World and its creators are frequent City and R-BPAC collaborators. The portion of the Greenway multi-use path along Dirt World is deteriorating and needs to be rehabilitated, contiguous with the failing sidewalk. These funds will improve safety and comfort along the path; will allow Dirt World to focus their efforts on the bike skills park itself; and will improve access to the Greenway at a critical junction with city streets.
Financial Plan:
List the project elements for which TDA funding is being requested (e.g., planning, engineering, construction, contingency). Use the table below to show the project budget for the phase being funded or total project. Include prior and proposed future funding of the project. Planning funds may only be used for comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian plans. Project level planning is not an eligible use of TDA Article 3.
Project Elements: Bicycle Safety Education, Multi-Use Path Maintenance, Multi-Use Path Construction
Funding Source All Prior FYs Application FY Next FY Following FYs Totals TDA Article 3 $ 100,000 $ 100,000
list all other sources:
1. Local Funds $27,310 $27,310
Totals $127,310
Project Eligibility: YES/NO
A. Has the project been approved by the claimant's governing body? (If "NO," provide the approximate date approval is anticipated).
NO –
2/16/2021
B. Has this project previously received TDA Article 3 f unding? If "YES," provide an explanation on a separate page. NO Reso. No. xx-19
C. For "bikeways," does the project meet Caltrans minimum safe ty design criteria pursuant to Chapter 1000 of the California Highway Design Manual? (Available on the internet via: http://www.dot.ca.gov).
YES
D. Has the project been reviewed by a Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC)? (If "NO," provide an explanation). Enter date the project was reviewed by the BAC: __11/9/2020, 12/14/2020, 1/11/2021________________________________ YES
E. Has the public availability of the environmental complianc e documentation for the project (pursuant to CEQA) been evidenced by the dated stamping of the document by the county clerk or county recorder? (required only for projects that include construction).
YES
F. Will the project be completed before the allocation expires? Enter the anticipated completion date of project (month and year) _____December, 2023
YES
G. Have provisions been made by the claimant to maintain the project or facility, or has the claimant arranged for such maintenance by another agency? (If an agency other than the Claimant is to maintain the facility provide its name:
Safe Organized Spaces Richmond )
YES
Audit Requirement
In January of 2019, City of Richmond staff contacted MTC staff via telephone to inquire on the audit requirement. City staff was informed the City is clear to submit this grant application.
PHOTOS
Bike East Bay Urban Cycling Road Class
SOS! Richmond at work on the Richmond Greenway
Before
After
Trash and Illegal Dumping on the Richmond Greenway
Cycle track extending Richmond Greenway on West Ohio Ave
Multi‐use path and sidewalk rehabilitation
Richmond Greenway at 23rd Street facing west
Richmond Greenway at 20th Street facing east
Looking north along sidewalk leading from Ohio Ave to Richmond Greenway
Looking south from end of Greenway along sidewalk leading to Ohio Ave
January 28, 2021
Laura Snideman
City Manager
City of Richmond
Dear Ms. Snideman,
The Richmond Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (R‐BPAC) supports the City of Richmond’s application for the 2021/2022 Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 fund. Because this grant program provides funding for a variety of purposes, Richmond proposes a project that includes bicycle
safety education with Bike East Bay, maintenance of the Richmond Greenway in collaboration with Safe Organized Spaces Richmond (SOS! Richmond), and the rehabilitation of a segment of the Richmond Greenway multi‐use path. City staff presented several infrastructure, maintenance, and programmatic ideas to the R‐BPAC where these ideas were explored, vetted, and decided upon in a collaborative process over several meetings.
As R‐BPAC understands, opportunities to fund education and maintenance are rare. Both the lack of bicycle safety education and multi‐use path maintenance are serious issues in Richmond. The City has made significant investments in improving active transportation infrastructure in the ten years since Richmond Bicycle Master Plan was created ‐ creating this plan was one of the first projects the R‐BPAC took on. But physical changes alone cannot create a safe environment for new or less‐confident bike riders. Having bicycle safety education programming tailored to the City’s needs will go a long way to encourage more local residents to try out bike lanes and paths. Bike East Bay is a logical partner, as they are the established leader in bicycle safety education throughout the East Bay, and Bike East Bay staff attend R‐BPAC meetings and provide support to the group and the City in multiple ways.
The Richmond Greenway is a treasured walking, biking, and recreational path running east‐west through the heart of Richmond. Along the corridor are parks, playgrounds, community gardens, green infrastructure elements, native landscaping, and a bicycle skills park. The serious problems of Illegal
dumping and homelessness, and the lack of maintenance, especially litter removal, threaten the viability of this public space and active transit corridor. BPAC members have heard that some bicyclists have biked up the Ohlone Greenway, crossed over San Pablo Ave via the recently built traffic signal, and promptly turned around due to the broken glass and unsightly conditions on the Richmond Greenway.
SOS! Richmond is a community network that engages with, provides stipends to and employs leaders of the unsheltered community to self‐manage shared public spaces and already has experience working on the Greenway. These maintenance funds would allow for a deepening of its partnership with Friends of the Richmond Greenway (FORG) and City of Richmond Parks & Landscaping.
The first bike park in the East Bay, Dirt World is a 2‐acre free, public bicycle terrain park on the Richmond Greenway between 20th and 23rd Streets. Dirt World and its creators are frequent City and R‐ BPAC collaborators. The portion of the multi‐use path in the vicinity of Dirt World is deteriorating and needs to be rehabilitated, which will improve safety and comfort along the path and will allow Dirt World to focus their improvement efforts on the bike skills park itself.
The Richmond Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee urges the Contra Costa County reviewing committee to consider this multi‐benefit proposal which was crafted in part by our organization. If awarded, this funding could create city‐wide educational programming, create local jobs for an underserved community, help clean and maintain the Richmond Greenway, and improve a section of the Richmond Greenway multi‐use path.
Sincerely,
Tawfic N. Halaby
Richmond Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Chair
January 25, 2021
Laura Snideman, City Manager
City of Richmond
Dear Ms. Snideman,
The Friends of Dirt World is pleased to offer our support for the City of Richmond’s application for the 2021/2022 Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 fund. We understand that Richmond is proposing a project that includes bicycle safety education with Bike East Bay, maintenance of the Richmond Greenway in collaboration with Safe Organized Spaces Richmond (SOS! Richmond), and the rehabilitation of a segment of the Richmond Greenway multi-use path at Dirt World (20th to 23rd Street).
We appreciate this opportunity to explore and develop ideas in a collaborative process.
In partnership with the Friends of the Richmond Greenway (FORG), the City of Richmond and R-BPAC, we have worked very hard to design and build Dirt World, a bmx bike park, on our adopt-a-spot on the Greenway. With an average of 75 visitors a day, and an active volunteer group, we have successfully activated this segment of the greenway, providing a clean, green, safe space for Bay Area youth and families to enjoy positive, outdoor experiences. Dirt World is the only bike park in the East Bay, and provides a unique recreational opportunity for local residents who are not able to travel further away visit to bike parks and regional trails.
Because bike riders visit Dirt World from all over the region, we want people to feel welcome and safe, and we want to represent Richmond in the best possible light. Illegal dumping, encampments, and biohazards have been a real challenge at our site on the Richmond Greenway, and this grant would allow our volunteers to focus on maintenance of the recreational bike facility. The proposed solution helps SOS participants get back on their feet by providing paid work for stewardship on the Richmond Greenway, and helps keep the parks along the greenway safe and clean. Also, the class I multi-use Richmond Greenway Trail along our segment is in poor condition and does not meet ADA accessibility standards.
Thanks to an ECIA grant and private donations, we completed the first phase of construction of the bmx facility in 2018. The Watershed Project recently received a $400k Urban Greening Grant from the Coastal Conservancy, so investment in the trail infrastructure of this segment of the greenway allows us to leverage that funding for an amazing park! The Friends of Dirt World appreciates that this funding could create city-wide educational programming, create local jobs for an underserved community, help clean and maintain the Richmond Greenway, and improve a section of the Richmond Greenway multi-use path.
Sincerely,
Jeanine Strickland, Landscape Architect
on behalf of the Dirt World Crew
January 26, 2021
Laura Snideman
City Manager
City of Richmond
Dear Ms. Snideman,
Pogo Park supports the City of Richmond’s application for the 2021/2022 Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 fund. Because this grant program provides funding for a variety of purposes, Richmond proposes a project that includes bicycle safety education with Bike East Bay, maintenance of the Richmond Greenway in collaboration with Safe Organized Spaces Richmond (SOS! Richmond), and the rehabilitation of a segment of the Richmond Greenway multi-use path. City staff presented several infrastructure, maintenance, and programmatic ideas to the Richmond Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee (R-BPAC), where these ideas were explored, vetted, and decided upon in a collaborative process.
The City of Richmond and R-BPAC accomplish many common goals by partnering with other local organizations and non-profits. Bike East Bay staff attend R-BPAC meetings and advise City staff on project design, active transit policies, and community outreach. Bike East Bay's award-winning education program has provided free classes to tens of thousands of adults, youth, and families in multiple languages over two decades. However, much of this programming is currently based in Alameda County, with little education funding specifically for Contra Costa County. These grant funds would bring important programming to Richmond, providing one-on-one support and encouragement for residents to take advantage of the investments being made in active transportation infrastructure.
The Richmond Greenway is a 2.4 mile long multi-use path running in a former rail right-of-way through the heart of Richmond. Along the corridor are parks, playgrounds, community gardens, green infrastructure elements, native landscaping, and a bicycle skills park. The serious problems of Illegal dumping and homelessness, and the lack of maintenance, especially litter removal, threaten the viability of this public space and active transit corridor. Volunteers and non-profit groups spend more time picking up trash than running their engagement programs. SOS! Richmond is a community network that engages with, stipends and employs leaders of the unsheltered community to self-manage shared public spaces. Fiscally sponsored by Richmond Friends of Recreation, SOS deploys its teams throughout greater Richmond. The Greenway is an excellent candidate for deepening its partnership with Friends of the Richmond Greenway (FORG) and City of Richmond Parks & Landscaping.
The first bike park in the East Bay, Dirt World is a 2-acre free, public bicycle terrain park on the Richmond Greenway between 20th and 23rd Streets. Dirt World and its creators are frequent City and R- BPAC collaborators. The portion of the multi-use path in the vicinity of Dirt World is deteriorating and needs to be rehabilitated, which will improve safety and comfort along the path and will allow Dirt World to focus their improvement efforts on the bike skills park itself.
Pogo Park appreciates that Contra Costa County provides TDA funding for construction, education, maintenance and planning, and encourages the involvement of local BPACs. If awarded, this funding could create city-wide educational programming, create local jobs for an underserved community, help clean and maintain the Richmond Greenway, and improve a section of the Richmond Greenway multi- use path.
Sincerely,
Toody Maher
Executive Director
January 27, 2021[a]
Laura Snideman
City Manager
City of Richmond
Dear Ms. Snideman,
Rich
City
Rides
supports
the
City
of
Richmond’s
application
for
the
2021/2022
Transportation
Development
Act
(TDA)
Article
3 fund.
Because
this
grant
program
provides
funding
for
a
variety
of
purposes,
Richmond
proposes
a
project
that
includes
bicycle
safety
education
with
Bike
East
Bay,
maintenance
of
the
Richmond
Greenway
in
collaboration
with
Safe
Organized
Spaces
Richmond
(SOS!
Richmond),
and
the
rehabilitation
of
a
segment
of
the
Richmond
Greenway
multi-use
path.
City
staff
presented
several
infrastructure,
maintenance,
and
programmatic
ideas
to
the
Richmond
Bicycle/Pedestrian
Advisory
Committee
(R-BPAC),
where these ideas were explored, vetted, and decided upon in a collaborative process.
The
City
of
Richmond
and
R-BPAC
accomplish
many
common
goals
by
partnering
with
other
local
organizations
and
nonprofits.
Bike
East
Bay
staff
attend
R-BPAC
meetings
and
advise
City
staff
on
project
design,
active
transit
policies,
and
community
outreach.
Bike
East
Bay's
award-winning
education
program
has
provided
free
classes
to
tens
of
thousands
of
adults,
youth,
and
families
in
multiple
languages
over
two
decades.
However,
much
of
this
programming
is
currently
based
in
Alameda
County,
with
little
education
funding
specifically
for
Contra
Costa
County.
These
grant
funds
would
bring
important
programming
to
Richmond,
providing
one-on-one
support
and
encouragement
for
residents
to
take
advantage
of
the
investments being made in active transportation infrastructure.
The
Richmond
Greenway
is
a
2.4-mile-long
multi-use
path
running
in
a
former
rail
right-of-way
through
the
heart
of
Richmond.
Along
the
corridor
are
parks,
playgrounds,
community
gardens,
green
infrastructure
elements,
native
landscaping,
and
a
bicycle
skills
park.
The
serious
problems
of
Illegal
dumping
and
homelessness,
and
the
lack
of
maintenance,
especially
litter
removal,
threaten
the
viability
of
this
public
space
and
active
transit
corridor.
Volunteers
and
non-profit
groups
spend
more
time
picking
up
trash
than
running
their
engagement
programs.
SOS!
Richmond
is
a
community
network
that
engages
with,
stipends
and
employs
leaders
of
the
unsheltered
community
to
self-manage
shared
public
spaces.
Fiscally
sponsored
by
Richmond
Friends
of
Recreation,
SOS
deploys
its
teams
throughout
greater
Richmond.
The
Greenway
is
an
excellent
candidate
for
deepening
its
partnership
with
Friends of the Richmond Greenway (FORG) and City of Richmond Parks & Landscaping.
The
first
bike
park
in
the
East
Bay,
Dirt
World
is
a
2-acre
free,
public
bicycle
terrain
park
on
the
Richmond
Greenway
between
20th
and
23rd
Streets.
Dirt
World
and
its
creators
are
frequent
City
and
R-BPAC
collaborators.
The
portion
of
the
multi-use
path
in
the
vicinity
of
Dirt
World
is
deteriorating
and
needs
to
be
rehabilitated,
which
will
improve
safety
and
comfort
along
www.richcityrides.org
| Rich City Rides | 323 brookside drive, richmond ca 94801 | 510.255.0625 | [email protected]
the
path
and
will
allow
Dirt
World
to
focus
their
improvement
efforts
on
the
bike
skills
park
itself.
Rich
City
Rides
appreciates
that
Contra
Costa
County
provides
TDA
funding
for
construction,
education,
maintenance
and
planning,
and
encourages
the
involvement
of
local
BPACs.
If
awarded,
this
funding
could
create
city-wide
educational
programming,
create
local
jobs
for
an
underserved
community,
help
clean
and
maintain
the
Richmond
Greenway,
and
improve a section of the Richmond Greenway multi-use path.
So,
in
conclusion,
we
believe
this
project
is
very
advantageous
and
beneficial
to
the
city
and
its
citizens.
We
have
worked
with
all
of
these
parties,
so
we
know
that
these
funds
will
be
spent
effectively
and
judiciously.
Rich
City
Rides
will
help
and
support
this
grant
in
any
way
we
can.
Yours sincerely,
Najari Smith,
founding executive director of Rich City Rides
Direct # 1-347-721-7295
www.richcityrides.org
| Rich City Rides | 323 brookside drive, richmond ca 94801 | 510.255.0625 | [email protected]
C ITY OF R ICHMOND B ICYCLE M ASTER P LAN Proposed Bicycle Network | 65
Focus Area 4: Connecting the west and east spans of the Richmond Greenway
The intersections of Carlson Boulevard/Broadway, the railroad tracks, and 23rd Street/Ohio Avenue comprise one of the most significant bar‐ riers on the City’s bicycle network. Located in Central Richmond, just south of the Richmond BART Station and Civic Center area, this site is defined by a series of railroad and BART tracks that restrict bicycle and pedestrian access to key destinations, including the Richmond Greenway, Bay Trail, BART Station and Downtown.
The area’s current configuration provides poor bicycle and pedestrian access. Both 23rd Street and Carlson Boulevard have fast‐moving ve‐ hicle traffic and poor sightlines. At the Carlson Boulevard/Broadway intersection, overhead BART tracks are supported by columns that reduce visibility around the intersection, and at‐grade railroad tracks are a significant barrier to east‐west connections. Additionally, 23rd Street runs below grade in this location, further limiting east‐west access.
As the roadway and railroad track configuration is confusing, bicycl‐ ists and pedestrians would benefit from signage and wayfinding di‐ recting users to surrounding destinations.
The western portion of the Richmond Greenway ends at Ohio Avenue and 23rd Street, where there is little accommodation for bicyclists or pedestrians. To connect to the eastern portion of the Richmond Greenway, users are supposed to travel under the railroad tracks on 23rd Street, and then loop back to the Greenway on Carlson Boule‐ vard. This route is neither direct nor intuitive, and as a result path us‐ ers have often used an unmarked trail across private property and cross the railroad tracks to Carlson Boulevard. Once at Carlson Boule‐ vard, there is no marked crosswalk or signal in this location for bicycl‐ ists and pedestrians to cross safely. Current efforts to fence the rail‐ road tracks may deter people from using the at‐grade crossing route, however the suggested route is not viable and vandalism will likely continue to be an issue along the at‐grade route.
The eastern portion of the Richmond Greenway ends at Carlson Bou‐ levard, where there is no comfortable access to and from the north.
The Greenway entrance lacks a curb cut, so northbound bicyclists ride on the sidewalk, and southbound bicyclists entering the Greenway must cut across several lanes of fast moving traffic. There is also an opportunity to provide a Class I connection along the east side of Carlson Boulevard adjacent to sidewalk, which may require right‐of‐ way acquisition.
In the short ‐term, the following improvements may be considered:
Improve crossings at the Carlson Boulevard/ Broadway/ 22nd Street intersection to create a seamless connection between the Greenway and on‐street facilities. Provide a pedestrian/bicycle actuated signal phase to allow Greenway users to cross diagonally across the intersection.
Construct a Class I spur path along the east side of Carlson Boulevard from the Richmond Greenway to Broadway. Right‐of‐ way acquisition may be necessary.
Install Class II physically separated bike lanes on Carlson Boulevard.
Potential lane narrowing or lane reduction on Carlson Boulevard and S. 23rd Street.
Install a two‐way cycle track adjacent to southbound S. 23rd Street below the railroad tracks. Provide switchback connections to the Greenway at Ohio Avenue on the south end and 22nd Street on the north end.
66 | Proposed Bicycle Network O CTOBER 2011
Install a bike lane along the section of 22nd Street that bridges 23rd Street, from the two‐way cycle track on S. 23rd Street to the Broadway/ Carlson Boulevard intersection.
Install a bike box on 23rd Street at Bissell Avenue to transition bicyclists east. Consider a switchback path that would connect to a two‐way cycle track on the 23rd Street frontage road to provide a direct connection between 23rd Street northbound bike lane and the eastern span of the Richmond Greenway. Install wayfinding and signage
Improve the Ohio Avenue crossing for bicyclists and pedestrians
In the medium ‐term, the following improvements may be considered:
At‐grade bicycle and pedestrian railroad crossing, and associated crosswalk improvements across Carlson Boulevard and 23rd Street to connect the east and west portions of the Richmond Greenway. Right‐of‐way acquisition may be necessary to provide a pathway connection from 23rd Street to the railroad tracks. Permission from the Public Utilities Commission to construct a new at‐grade railroad crossing at this location may be difficult. This improvement should be considered in combination with safety enhancements of other nearby railroad crossings at Carlson Boulevard/Maine Avenue and Carlson/Cutting Boulevard.
Install a staggered crosswalk with median refuge across Carlson Boulevard to connect to the railroad crossing
In the long ‐term, the following improvements may be considered:
Grade‐separated bicycle and pedestrian crossing over 23rd Street to connect the east and west portions of the Richmond Greenway.
Figure 6‐4 | Richmond Greenway gap closure
Proposed short, medium‐and long‐term improvements
Richmond Greenway gap closure – proposed short‐term improvements C ITY OF R ICHMOND B ICYCLE M ASTER P LAN Proposed Bicycle Network | 67
Richmond Greenway gap closure – proposed mid to long‐term improvements
Graphic Source: Richmond Pedestrian Plan