July 21, 2026
Public Works
DATE: July 21, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Janney Lockman, AICP, Associate Transportation
Planner
Gail Payne, Senior Transportation Planner
Daniel Chavarria, PE, Director of Public Works /City
Engineer
Subject:
Accept and Appropriate the California Department of
Transportation Sustainable Transportation Planning
Grant for the Richmond Greenway Gap Closure Project
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Acceptance of this state grant award will provide $700,000 in grant funding to advance planning and
design for the Richmond Greenway Gap Closure Project.
The grant requires a local match of $90,693 (11.47%),
which is available from Measure J Fund 2002, for a total project budget of $790,693. There is no impact on the
General Fund.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
July 28, 2020
January 24, 2023
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The City of Richmond has been awarded a California
Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Sustainable
Transportation Planning Grant for the Richmond
Greenway Gap Closure Project. City Council action is
required to accept and appropriate the grant funds,
commit the required local match, and authorize the City Manager or designee to execute the restricted grant
agreement and related documents with Caltrans.
AGENDA
REPORT
July 21, 2026
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution to ACCEPT and APPROPRIATE the
Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant
award in the amount of $700,000 for the Richmond
Greenway Gap Closure Project; APPROPRIATE $90,693
in Measure J as matching funds, for a total project budget of $790,693; and AUTHORIZE the City Manager or their
designee to execute the grant agreement, any
amendments thereto, and related documents with
Caltrans necessary to implement the grant-funded
planning project – Public Works Department (Janney
Lockman 510-307-8097/Gail Payne 510-620-6716/Daniel
Chavarria 510-620-5478).
DISCUSSION:
The Richmond Greenway is a key regional bicycle and pedestrian corridor. However, the eastern and western segments are separated by 23rd Street, Carlson Boulevard, and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, a barrier collectively known as the “Greenway Gap,” as shown in the Project Area Map (Attachment 1). This gap requires people walking and bicycling to leave the Greenway and navigate rail crossings, truck traffic, and busy roadways.
In 2020, the City received a California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant award of $280,208 to evaluate options for closing the Greenway Gap. In January 2023, the City Council adopted the Richmond Greenway Gap Closure Study, which identified a bicycle and pedestrian bridge as the preferred solution. The proposed bridge would connect the eastern and western portions of the Greenway over 23rd Street, Carlson Boulevard, and the Union Pacific railroad tracks, creating a safer, more continuous route and improving regional connections to the Ohlone Greenway, the San Francisco Bay Trail, and the Richmond- San Rafael Bridge.
The City has since been awarded a second Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant of $700,000 to support the next phase of project development. Grant- funded activities include additional planning, coordination with Union Pacific Railroad and the California Public Utilities Commission, community engagement, technical studies, and preparation for environmental review. This work will refine the bridge alignment and design concepts and will position the City to pursue future funding for environmental documentation, final design, and construction.
As a condition of receiving the grant, Caltrans requires the City to adopt a resolution authorizing execution of the grant agreement. In addition, the grant requires a local match of $90,693 (11.47%), for a total project budget of $790,693 (Attachment 2).
The proposed action does not authorize consultant contracts, approve a final design, authorize construction, or commit the City to future implementation costs. Any
July 21, 2026
subsequent contracts, construction funding, or other actions requiring City Council approval will return for consideration at a later date.
Under the grant agreement, the City must provide regular progress reports, submit reimbursement requests and supporting financial records, fulfill the required local match, complete the grant-funded work by June 30, 2029, and submit final deliverables by August 29, 2029. The City must also coordinate with railroad, regulatory, transportation, and utility stakeholders throughout the planning process.
The grant requires a local match of $90,693 from Measure J funds. If the City Council does not accept the grant and authorize execution of the grant agreement, the City will forfeit the award and will need to identify another funding source to advance planning for the Richmond Greenway Gap Closure Project.
Accepting and appropriating the Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant award will allow the City to advance planning and preliminary design for the Richmond Greenway Gap Closure Project using external funding. City staff recommend adopting a resolution accepting the grant award, committing and appropriating the required matching funds, and authorizing the City Manager or their designee to execute the grant agreement.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Project Area Map
Attachment 2 – Resolution
Attachment 3 – Restricted Grant Agreement Template