OCTOBER 2026-1

Learn more about El Cerrito city council candidates' positions on open spaces, safe streets, fire safety, and more at a forum hosted by the El Cerrito FireSafe Council, El Cerrito/Richmond Annex Walk & Roll, and El Cerrito Trail Trekkers. (As of Oct. 5, four of the six candidates had confirmed their participation.)

Thursday, October 8
Doors open 5:30 p.m; candidate forum 6–7:30 p.m.

Veterans Memorial Hall
6401 Stockton Ave. (@ Kearney St.) in El Cerrito

Pizza and child care provided for all attendees.

​Registration: RSVPs are not required but will help us get a rough headcount so we know how many pizzas to buy. Click here to RSVP.

​While in-person attendance is encouraged, this event will also be recorded and live-streamed at https://youtube.com/@ElCerritoTrailTrekkers.

Questions? Email info@ecrawalkroll.org.

ECRA WALK & ROLL BUSINESS MEETING – OCT. 14, 7 P.M.: Consultants for the City of El Cerrito’s Crosstown Connect project will share information on the planned all-ages-and–abilities bikeway, which will link south El Cerrito neighborhoods to schools, parks, shopping, the El Cerrito Plaza BART Station, and the Bay Trail. A study underway will consider several potential routes for the BART-to-Bay bikeway, refine options through public and stakeholder outreach, and ultimately select a preferred alternative for conceptual design (learn more below in News and Views). Please attend the meeting to share your priorities for this new bikeway connection on Wednesday, October 14, 7 p.m., on Google Meet.

RICHMOND ANNEX NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MEETING, Oct. 22, 7–9 P.M.: The Richmond Annex Neighborhood Council’s next meeting is October 22, 7–9 p.m. at the Richmond Annex Senior Center, 5801 Huntington Ave. Sign up for updates and learn more here. Source: Richmond Annex Neighborhood Council

ECRA WALK & ROLL FAMILY-FRIENDLY HAPPY HOUR – NOVEMBER 11, 5–7 P.M.: Join us to hang out, eat, have a beer, and talk multimobility and safer streets with like-minded neighbors! Bring the kids/family/friends/partners to family-friendly Fatapples, 7525 Fairmont Ave. (Watch this newsletter for a NEW Happy Hour schedule and locations in 2027!)

Take El Cerrito/Richmond Annex Walk & Roll’s spending and volunteer survey!

The El Cerrito Richmond Annex Walk & Roll coordinationg committee is looking to spend some money on a project or two, and we want to know what our members think should be a priority. We'd also like to hear any thoughts you might be interested in sharing — how we're doing, what you're interested in, and what would get you motivated to be more involved! Here's the link to the survey. Don't worry, the form is super short!

Richmond Annex Traffic Calming Survey

This survey helps the Richmond Annex Neighborhood Council's Traffic Committee understand how traffic affects your daily life. We want to hear directly from neighbors about what you're seeing and where you feel unsafe. Your input helps us advocate for safer streets. Source: Richmond Annex Neighborhood Council Traffic Calming Committee

El Cerrito launches Crosstown Connect project

Source: City of El Cerrito Crosstown Connect website

The Crosstown Connect project realizes a vision of connectivity that has been a consistent community goal for many years. As a result of community feedback, the El Cerrito has been planning for an improved connection to the Bay Trail linking key destinations in El Cerrito. Crosstown Connect will define an east-west route for a new bikeway linking El Cerrito neighborhoods to the El Cerrito Plaza BART Station, parks, schools, and businesses all the way to the Bay Trail. The bikeway will be designed to attract riders of all ages and skill levels.

While the El Cerrito Plaza BART station and Bay Trail are about 1 mile apart, there are numerous physical barriers that block easy access between the city and the shoreline. For these reasons, the City’s 2016 Active Transportation Plan identified the Crosstown Connect corridor as the highest priority bicycle and pedestrian project.

Crosstown Connect complements efforts like the I-80/Central Avenue underpass upgrades. By connecting to and leveraging these projects, Crosstown Connect builds toward a safe, comfortable, and convenient bicycle network. The bikeway will have multimodal safety benefits, with safety improvements for pedestrians as well.

The project will consider potential routes for the bikeway, refine the options through public and stakeholder outreach, and ultimately select a preferred alternative for conceptual design. The planning process is expected to last 12 months, with several opportunities for community input and involvement.

Project consultants will present about the El Cerrito Crosstown Connect project and gather feedback at El Cerrito/Richmond Annex Walk & Roll’s Oct. 14 meeting, 7 p.m. on Google Meet. 

Learn more and share feedback on Crosstown Connect.

El Cerrito receives $13.1 million for San Pablo Avenue improvements

Source: El Cerrito City Manager’s Update (September)

On August 31, the California Transportation Commission announced their approval of a $13,113,000 investment in San Pablo Avenue in the city of El Cerrito, from the Alameda County line to I-80 near Cutting Boulevard. The project, which is anticipated to start construction in 2027, will include:

• Pavement rehabilitation: New asphalt pavement between both curbs in both directions of travel.

• Curb and gutter: Replacing damaged sections of the curb and gutter at multiple locations.

• Sidewalk and street trees: Replacing damaged sidewalks at three locations. Removing and adding new street trees at 16 locations.

• Road safety and Complete Streets: Adding new safety lighting, high-visibility signage and improved pavement markings at crosswalks, and rectangular rapid flashing beacons at San Pablo Ave/Carlos Ave and San Pablo Ave/Sacramento Ave.

An article in Richmond Standard (funded by Chevron) noted that Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, state Sen. Jesse Arreguín and the California Public Policy Group advocated for funding the El Cerrito project.

El Cerrito/Richmond Annex Walk & Roll coordinating committee members Janet Byron and Steve Price also spoke at a California Transportation Commission meeting in support of the project earlier this year.

2026 El Cerrito surface quick-build traffic safety improvements

Source: El Cerrito City Manager Monthly Update (September)

As a part of the 2026 Street Surface Seal Project, the City will be installing several quick-build safety features throughout the city, primarily within the project paving limits. Consistent with the City’s Active Transportation Plan and Complete Streets Policy, the project is implementing many quick-build pedestrian and bikeway improvements.

Typical quick-build pedestrian improvements consist of painted curb bulb-outs with vertical delineator posts and low-profile plastic bumps to narrow travel lanes and calm traffic along with high-visibility crosswalk signs and markings. As part of the 2026 Street Surface Seal Project, these include 21 refreshed or newly installed high-visibility crosswalks, 34 refreshed or newly installed painted bulb-outs, and more formalization of the California Daylighting Law (AB413) on collector and arterial roadways.

Quick-build bikeway improvements to be implemented include:

• Bike lanes on Potrero Ave. between San Pablo Ave. and Ohlone Greenway

• Shared bike route on Potrero Ave. between Ohlone Greenway and Navellier St.

• Bike boulevard on Blake St. between San Pablo Ave. and Navellier St.

• Shared bike routes on Cutting Blvd. between Jordan Ave. and Wilson Way, Wilson Way, Ganges Ave. between Wilson Way to Blake St., and Navellier St. between Blake St. and Potrero Ave.

Because this is a routine resurfacing project rather than a full street improvement project, parking removal associated with the quick-build improvements will be limited.

Note: A committee of El Cerrito/Richmond Annex Walk & Roll members (Kyle Brunelle, Janet Byron, and Stuart Sonatina) provided feedback on the 2026 Slurry Seal Project, and the project will now include green paint to provide visual friction at Ohlone Greenway crossings at Potrero Ave. and Blake Blvd., and repainting of worn down green paint at Summit School/Hill Street at Elm Street. Our thanks to Yvetteh Ortiz, El Cerrito’s public works director, for considering and adopting these suggestions.

Walkability creates wealth

By Steve Price

Where is the most wealth generated per square foot of real estate? Big parking lots and one-story buildings pale compared to dense, walkable town centers. The 3D map above (it is not El Cerrito) created by consultants Urban3 shows that traditional walkable town centers by far generate more property taxes, rents, sales taxes, parking fees, and income taxes per area measure (taller colored bars) than low-density commercial areas with lots of parking.

El Cerrito and the Richmond Annex do not have dense, mixed-use commercial areas. The proposed library on Fairmount Avenue might have jump-started development on Fairmount Avenue, and over time even further development on the El Cerrito Plaza Shopping Center. But the timing was poor for a tax measure given our nation’s present economic chaos. Nevertheless, we have to keep in mind that a purely auto-oriented future will not give communities the wealth that builds local economic stability. More people walking, bicycling, and riding transit is the aspiration that makes for a healthy and prosperous community, not streets and parking lots dominated by cars.

THANK YOU, GRIZZLY PEAK CYCLISTS!: Every year, Grizzly Peak Cyclists distributes proceeds from its annual Grizzly Peak Century (which includes rides from 30 to 100 miles) to organizations and causes that promote or help bicycling in some way, including advocacy, safety, education, awareness, or the bicycling environment. This year Grizzly Peak Cyclists awarded El Cerrito/Richmond Annex Walk & Roll $1,000 to support our work making local streets safer for biking and walking. We are so grateful for your support!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Help us get the word out about safer streets in El Cerrito and Richmond Annex! ECRA Walk & Roll is looking for volunteers to serve as our newsletter editor and events coordinator. We will train you! Write to info@ecrawalkroll.org to learn more!

POINT RICHMOND BIKE CALMING SURVEY: If you sometimes ride through downtown Point Richmond, please complete the new survey of options for improving cycling safety through this area by going to Get Involved! and clicking on “Take the Online Survey Now.” Your feedback to the City of Richmond’s consultant team will help shape the Preferred Design to be developed next. Source: Trails for Richmond Action Committee

Traffic safety requests: Use El Cerrito’s online traffic request form, Richmond’s traffic calming inquiry form, and Bike East Bay’s hazard reporting page to report traffic-related hazards and suggest improvements on local roadways.

Capital improvements: The El Cerrito Capital Improvements Projects dashboard and Richmond Capitol Improvements Dashboard include planned safety improvements for city streets.