June 23, 2026
Public Works
DATE: June 23, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM: Daniel Chavarria, PE, Director of Public Works/City Engineer
Gail Payne, Senior Transportation Planner
Janney Lockman, Associate Transportation Planner
Subject: Accept the Automated Transit Network Feasibility Study FINANCIAL IMPACT: The Automated Transit Network Feasibility Study is funded by Environmental and Community Investment
Agreement (ECIA) funds and is included in the approved
Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Public Works (11736031-400532-
23074), City staff are requesting that the remaining
balance of approximately $100,000 be directed toward
the installation of solar lighting along bus routes,
consistent with ECIA funding purposes. There is no
impact to the General Fund.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
December 19, 2023
June 17, 2025
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The City Council previously directed City staff to evaluate whether an Automated Transit Network (ATN) could
serve the mobility needs of Richmond residents and
workers. The completed feasibility study evaluates the
potential benefits, implementation strategies, and risks of a possible ATN system. City staff are now requesting
directions to use the remaining study funds,
approximately $100,000, to install solar lighting along bus routes, consistent with Environmental and Community
Investment Agreement (ECIA) funding purposes.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: ADOPT a resolution to ACCEPT the report on the City of Richmond Automated Transit Network Feasibility Study,
including the preliminary concept alternatives and
planning-level capital cost ranges; APPROPRIATE the
remaining funds to install solar lighting along bus routes, AGENDA
REPORT
June 23, 2026
and AUTHORIZE The city manager or their designee to
take administrative actions as necessary – Public Works Department (Janney Lockman/Gail Payne/Daniel
Chavarria 510-231-3008).
DISCUSSION:
Background
In December 2023, City Council directed City staff to evaluate whether an Automated Transit Network (ATN), could effectively serve the mobility needs of Richmond residents and workers. In June 2025, staff returned to City Council to request funding and hire a consulting firm, Kimley-Horn, to conduct an ATN feasibility study. The feasibility study evaluated potential benefits, implementation strategies, and risks associated with a possible ATN system.
An ATN uses small, electric, self-driving vehicles operating on dedicated guideways separated from regular traffic. The guideways may be located above, below, or adjacent to existing streets. The system is intended to provide direct trips between stations with fewer delays from traffic congestion or intermediate stops.
Study objectives included identifying potential routes and station locations, engaging policymakers and stakeholders, incorporating equity considerations, evaluating private- sector participation opportunities, and considering future expansion opportunities outside Richmond. City staff and the consultant team evaluated existing conditions, developed an evaluation framework, conducted community engagement, and identified potential alignments and station locations. Interested private-sector parties could fund future work to define service characteristics, estimate ridership, evaluate alternatives, and continue community engagement.
The study identifies three preliminary concept alternatives:
Alternative 1 – Richmond Parkway Transit Center to Point Richmond. (Estimated cost: $1.4 billion to $1.7 billion): This concept is approximately 7.4 miles with 15 proposed ATN stations and six potential spur connections. The main corridor is Richmond Parkway. Key destinations include Richmond Parkway Transit Center, Hilltop Mall, Pinole Business Park, Kaiser Medical Center, Chevron Richmond Refinery, and Point Richmond.
Alternative 2 – Richmond Parkway Transit Center to Richmond Ferry Terminal. (Estimated cost: $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion): This concept is approximately 7.3 miles with 18 proposed ATN stations and two potential spur connections. The main corridors are San Pablo Avenue and 23rd Street. Key destinations include Richmond Parkway Transit Center, Richmond Ferry Terminal, Richmond BART, Contra Costa College, Richmond High School, Hilltop Mall, Richmond Civic Center, Kaiser Medical Center, and Marina Bay.
June 23, 2026
Alternative 3 – Richmond BART to El Cerrito Plaza BART (Estimated cost: $0.6 billion to $0.7 billion): This concept is approximately 3.7 miles with eight proposed ATN stations and two potential spur connections. The main corridor is Carlson Boulevard. Key destinations include Richmond BART, El Cerrito Plaza BART, Richmond Field Station, Richmond Civic Center, and the Richmond Annex.
Analysis
The feasibility study evaluated each alternative based on connectivity, implementation feasibility, potential ridership, equity considerations, and integration with regional transit services. The feasibility study is intended to help the City evaluate whether an ATN could address local and regional mobility needs, particularly by improving connections between neighborhoods, transit hubs, employment areas, educational institutions, and other key destinations. The study does not recommend approval of a project, selection of a preferred alignment, or commitment of capital funding.
The preliminary alternatives present different opportunities and constraints.
Alternative 1 focuses on the Richmond Parkway corridor and would connect the Richmond Parkway Transit Center to Point Richmond and would serve areas including Hilltop, Kaiser Medical Center, the Chevron Richmond Refinery area, and Point Richmond. Benefits include improved service along Richmond Parkway and enhanced connectivity to Hilltop Mall. Challenges to implementation include crossings at Interstate 580, major intersections, waterways, and railroad tracks, as well as the lack of a direct connection to Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) or ferry service.
Alternative 2 would connect Richmond Parkway Transit Center to the Richmond Ferry Terminal through central Richmond corridors including San Pablo Avenue and 23rd Street. This alternative would connect several regional transit services, including Richmond Parkway Transit Center, Richmond BART, and the Richmond Ferry Terminal.
It also would serve several destinations along a central corridor. Challenges include constrained rights-of-way, frontage adjacent to single-family residential areas, segments within the City of San Pablo, and potential duplication of existing transit service.
Alternative 3 would create a shorter corridor between Richmond BART and El Cerrito Plaza BART along Carlson Boulevard. Benefits include connections between two BART stations, service to destinations along the corridor, and use of a corridor adjacent to the railroad that may reduce some conflicts. Challenges include visual impacts, constrained right-of-way adjacent to single-family residential areas, major crossings involving Interstate 80, Interstate 580, and BART infrastructure, and potential duplication of existing transit service.
The study also identifies systemwide benefits and constraints requiring further evaluation. Benefits include smaller guideways, reduced operating costs associated with automated vehicles, electric operation, and direct station-to-station trips.
Drawbacks include the need for fully separated guideways, reduced operational
June 23, 2026
flexibility, increased infrastructure costs, larger station and vehicle capacity requirements during peak demand, and uncertainty due to the limited deployment of modern ATN systems in the United States and the large costs, which would need private sector investments.
The alternatives remain conceptual, and the planning-level cost estimates are subject to change. Interested private-sector parties would need to complete additional work to estimate ridership, refine alignments, evaluate costs, assess environmental and community impacts, analyze procurement and partnership options, and conduct additional public engagement.
Conclusion
Accepting the report would place the feasibility study into the public record and would allow interested private-sector parties to evaluate potential next steps based on market conditions and private funding opportunities. Accepting the report would not commit the City Council to implementing an ATN system, selecting an alternative, approving funding, or directing further project development. If the report is not accepted, the feasibility study would not receive formal public acknowledgment.
City staff recommend accepting the feasibility study because it documents preliminary alternatives, planning-level cost ranges, evaluation criteria, and possible future implementation considerations without committing the City to project approval or funding. City staff also recommend directing the remaining study funds toward solar lighting along existing bus routes.
SYNERGISTIC POLICIES:
The feasibility study identifies several City transportation and land-use goals that are relevant, which include increasing local transit ridership, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled, closing gaps between transit services and neighborhoods, supporting high-density mixed-use infill development, improving safety and attractiveness for all transportation modes, increasing walkability, improving bicycle and pedestrian connections to transit and development, and promoting renewable energy and clean technologies.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Automated Transit Network Feasibility Study Attachment 2 – Resolution