23rd Street Ciclovía Pilot Project

RECEIVE an update on the proposed 23rd Street Ciclovía Pilot Project and PROVIDE DIRECTION to staff regarding whether this effort should be prioritized within the current Transportation and Public Works work plan, including consideration of staffing capacity, cost, trade-offs with existing Council-directed priorities, and impacts to ongoing traffic safety, traffic calming, grant-funded project delivery, and resident/Council traffic-related requests - Public Works Department (Gail Payne 510-620-6716/Daniel Chavarria 510-620-5478).

This item was continued from the June 16, June 23, and July 7, 2026, meetings.

Financial Impact

The recommended action to receive an update and provide direction does not require an immediate expenditure of funds. However, if the City Council directs staff to proceed with development and implementation of the 23rd Street Ciclovía Pilot in 2026, the event would require additional funding and staff capacity. Preliminary cost estimates for a pilot event range from approximately $79,000 to $145,000, depending on final program design, operational requirements, and equipment needs. Should the City Council direct City staff to proceed, a detailed budget, identified funding sources, and any required appropriations will be brought forward for City Council consideration.

Previous Council Action

April 22, 2025 May 6, 2025

Statement Of The Issue

City Council requested analysis of a potential Ciclovía pilot event in Richmond. This report provides an update on the proposed 23rd Street Ciclovía Pilot Project, including route considerations, preliminary costs, operational requirements, staffing impacts, and the trade- offs associated with adding this event to the Transportation and Public Works work plan during the current calendar year.

Recommended Action

RECEIVE an update on the proposed 23rd Street Ciclovía Pilot Project and PROVIDE DIRECTION to staff regarding whether this effort should be prioritized within the current Transportation and Public Works work plan, including consideration of staffing capacity, cost, trade- offs with existing Council-directed priorities, and impacts to ongoing traffic safety, traffic calming, grant-funded project delivery, and resident/Council traffic-related requests - Public Works Department (Gail Payne 510- 620-6716/Daniel Chavarria 510-620-5478). This item was continued from the June 16, June 23, and July 7, 2026, meetings.

Discussion

Ciclovías temporarily close streets to vehicle traffic and create car-free spaces for walking, biking, skating, and community gathering. The model began in Bogotá, Colombia, and has since expanded worldwide as a public health, mobility, and community-building strategy. Ciclovía events can offer a wide range of programming beyond street closures, including community bike rides, fitness and yoga classes, food and beverage vendors, arts and crafts activities, bike repair clinics, and bike valet services. Key benefits of Ciclovía events include:

• Encouraging walking, biking, and healthy recreation
• Supporting small businesses and increasing foot traffic
• Offering inclusive, family-friendly activities
• Strengthening community pride and neighborhood connectivity
• Showcasing and activating key commercial corridors

Richmond has incorporated limited Ciclovía components into past community festivals, but has not hosted a full-scale, standalone Ciclovía. City staff evaluated several routes including Gaynor Avenue, Hilltop Circle, Marina Way, Nevin Avenue, Park Place, Wagon Wheel Lane and Dirt World/Greenway loop. The pilot route builds on the Fiestas Patrias Parade & Festival and leverages City staff already deployed for the event. The ultimate vision for Ciclovías in Richmond is to host multiple Ciclovías throughout the year that piggyback on existing events such as the Cinco de Mayo festival (May), the Juneteenth parade (June) and the Fiestas Patrias Parade & Festival (September). For additional standalone Ciclovía events beyond the above leveraged City events, a community member champion would need to organize the event committee and coordinate neighborhood engagement and City approvals.

23rd Street Ciclovía as part of Fiestas Patrias Parade & Festival Proposed Segment: Between Barrett Avenue and Rheem Avenue (0.8-mile segment)

Description: This high-visibility commercial corridor features numerous Latino-owned small businesses, strong transit access and a rich tradition of community events. The

Ciclovía Pilot event could be integrated with the Fiestas Patrias Parade & Festival on Saturday, September 12, 2026, as follows:

• 1. Before the Parade (8:00 AM to 10:00 AM): Along 23rd Street in both directions (1.6-mile segment), community members would be invited to walk, roll and stroll along the car-free corridor prior to the start of the parade.
• 2. During the Parade (10:00 AM to 12:00 PM): Along 23rd Street, parade spectators would be encouraged to join the back of the parade as part of a Ciclovía “caboose.”
• 3. After the Parade (12:00 PM (noon) to 3:00 OM): Along 23rd Street in both directions (1.6-mile segment), the corridor would continue as a car-free space, allowing community members to walk, roll and gather following the parade.

Strengths: The expected strengths of this pilot proposal are as follows:

• Builds on the existing Fiestas Patrias Parade & Festival
• Activates 23rd Street during planned street closures
• Leverages City staff already deployed for parade operations
• Enhances a vibrant commercial frontage and active mixed-use environment
• Aligns with established community cultural events and traditions
• Provides access to AC Transit service

Challenges: The expected challenges of this pilot proposal are as follows:

• Extends the duration of street closures associated with the parade
• Requires more complex traffic control needs after the parade
• Limits business access including loading and deliveries
• Requires coordination and buy-in with key stakeholders
• Requires AC Transit detours

Work Plan Trade-Offs and Staff Capacity Impacts

The proposed Ciclovía Pilot would require a meaningful commitment of staff time during the same period that the Transportation and Public Works teams are advancing several City Council and community priorities. Since January 2025, Public Works and Transportation have received approximately 34 Council-related requests involving traffic safety, traffic calming, street safety improvements, corridor evaluations, grant implementation, and other transportation-related initiatives.

Adding the Ciclovía Pilot to the 2026 work plan would require staff to redirect time from some of these existing priorities. This includes staff time currently needed for traffic calming evaluations, high-injury corridor safety work, pavement and striping coordination, grant-funded project delivery, traffic control review, resident and Council inquiries, and implementation of previously directed street safety measures.

While the Ciclovía concept has community, mobility, health, and economic development benefits, staff does not currently have unlimited capacity to absorb another event-level project without affecting the timing of other work. Therefore, if City Council directs staff

to proceed with the Ciclovía Pilot this year, that direction should be understood as prioritizing this effort within the existing work plan and accepting potential delays or reduced staff capacity for other Transportation and Public Works priorities.

Estimated Cost (preliminary): $79,000 or $145,000 with street barrier rentals. City staff will return to City Council with a detailed budget and potential partnership opportunities. Preliminary line-item cost estimates are shown in the table below.

Staffing Description Cost Estimate Security The event would require 29 security guards from a private security company for a 10-hour shift on Saturday, September 12 (7 am to 5 pm).

$11,500 Police The post-parade Ciclovía pilot would extend police staffing needs by five hours, which includes 10 officers, 1 sergeant and 1 lieutenant.

$7,825 Fire Two crews of Fire personnel would be on standby for the 10-hour event. The estimate is based on the fee schedule of $743 per hour.

$14,860 Ambulance A standby ambulance would be available to respond to emergencies.

$2,500 Programming It depends on the ultimate pilot event and could include fitness classes, food vendors and business pop-ups, arts and crafts stations, bike repair clinics and performances, etc.

$17,500 Miscellaneous Restrooms, marketing, other $17,633 Contingency Includes 10% for unknown expenses.

$7,182 Total Cost Estimate

$79,000 Street Barriers Meridian barriers: 29 intersections (purchase is $1.8 million for 273 barriers)

$66,000 (rental)

Total Cost w/Barriers

$145,000

Operational Considerations: The expected operational considerations of this pilot proposal are as follows:

• Staff capacity impacts, including the need to redirect Transportation and Public Works staff time from existing Council-directed priorities, including traffic calming evaluations, high-injury corridor safety work, grant-funded transportation projects, traffic control review, pavement/striping coordination, and responses to resident and Council traffic-related inquiries.
• Traffic control planning, including detours and signage
• Emergency access coordination and safety staffing
• Public Works and Police staffing requirements
• Provision of restrooms, waste management and water stations
• Vendor coordination and special event permitting
• ADA accessibility and mobility accommodations, including transit access
• Multilingual community outreach and marketing
• Partnerships with nonprofits, business associations, and health organizations
• Programming such as community bike rides, fitness classes, food vendors and business pop-ups, arts and crafts stations, bike repair clinics and performances

Staff Capacity and Workload Considerations:

Development and implementation of the Ciclovía Pilot will require a meaningful commitment of staff time across multiple departmen