San Pablo Avenue Safety and Access Project
About This Project
San Pablo Avenue is one of the East Bay’s most important local and regional corridors. It connects neighborhoods, businesses, schools, BART, bus service, Contra Costa College, and destinations across El Cerrito, Richmond, and San Pablo. The broader corridor also continues south through Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, and Oakland, linking West Contra Costa communities with major job centers, education, shopping, housing, and regional destinations.
The San Pablo Avenue Safety and Access Project will help shape a safer, more connected, and more accessible future for the Contra Costa portion of the corridor, approximately 5.5 miles from the Alameda County line to Contra Costa College. The project will build on previous planning work and community input to identify improvements that can reduce crash risk, improve transit reliability, support walking and biking, maintain access to local businesses, and expand cleaner transportation choices.
San Pablo Avenue is also part of State Route 123 between Oakland and Richmond, which means improvements require coordination across local jurisdictions, regional partners, transit providers, and Caltrans. The corridor also parallels I-80 and can serve as an important alternate route during major freeway incidents or emergencies.
No final design has been selected. CCTA and its partners are studying corridor needs and gathering input from community members, businesses, transit riders, local jurisdictions, and other stakeholders to help develop a future vision for San Pablo Avenue.
Project at a Glance
| Corridor | Approximately 5.5 miles of San Pablo Avenue, from the Alameda County line to Contra Costa College. |
| Communities | El Cerrito, Richmond, and San Pablo. |
| Purpose | Improve safety, access, transit reliability, and connections for people walking, biking, taking transit, driving, and reaching local businesses. |
| Current phase | Planning, technical analysis, and community engagement. No final design has been selected. |
| Partners | CCTA, WCCTC, the cities of El Cerrito, Richmond, and San Pablo, AC Transit, BART, Caltrans, Alameda CTC and other corridor partners, as applicable. |
| Outreach | Community and business engagement is anticipated in Summer 2026. |
| Future construction | Future construction funding, phasing, and schedule would be determined after project recommendations are developed. |
Project Need
San Pablo Avenue is a critical commercial street and transportation corridor connecting Downtown Oakland to Hilltop Mall in Richmond and many neighborhoods in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. In Contra Costa County, the corridor serves local businesses, BART access, AC Transit service, schools, community destinations, and Contra Costa College.
The corridor is also expected to continue changing over time. Cities along San Pablo Avenue are planning for additional housing, mixed-use development, and more activity near transit, local businesses, and key destinations. This project will help the corridor respond to existing safety and reliability needs while also planning for future growth.
One of the project’s most important objectives is safety.
During the five-year analysis period from July 2020 through June 2025, 35 people were severely injured and 6 people were killed along the project segment. Of the 6 people killed, 4 were walking or biking.
The corridor should be designed to reduce conflict points, improve crossings, manage vehicle speeds, and ensure people are more visible. Safer street design and crossing infrastructure can help reduce crash risk and make it easier for people of all ages and abilities to walk, bike, take transit, and reach destinations along San Pablo Avenue.
Transit reliability is another major need. San Pablo Avenue is one of the highest-ridership corridors in the AC Transit system, but transit service can be significantly slower than driving. In some areas, bus speeds are about 70 percent slower than auto travel times. Key routes, including the 72 and 72L, operate at low average speeds of roughly 10 to 11 mph.
During commute periods, transit service can be up to three times slower than driving on San Pablo Avenue.
Improving transit reliability, walking and biking access, and connections to BART and local destinations can help make cleaner travel choices more practical for everyday trips. That supports CCTA’s broader goals for safety, accessibility, connectivity, and environmental stewardship.
What has not been decided yet?
No final design has been selected. The project team is currently studying corridor needs, reviewing past planning work, and gathering input from residents, businesses, transit riders, local jurisdictions, and other stakeholders.
Future recommendations will consider safety, accessibility, transit reliability, business and customer access, parking and loading needs, traffic flow, cost, constructability, environmental benefits, jurisdictional coordination, and community feedback.
Potential changes to parking, lane configurations, transit priority, bicycle facilities, or curb space would be evaluated through the planning process. CCTA and its partners will share information and gather input before recommendations are finalized.
Project Goals
Plan for expected growth while keeping people moving safely and reliably
Improve connections to homes, schools, businesses, and transit
Put safety first for everyone on San Pablo Avenue
Support economic development and adopted land use policies
Support equitable, sustainable transportation choicesProject Schedule
| Phase | Anticipated timing | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Project launch and technical review | Spring-Summer 2026 | Launch project page, review previous planning work, confirm key issues, and prepare outreach materials. |
| Community and business engagement | Summer 2026 | Gather input through a survey, interactive map, stakeholder conversations, business outreach, and community events or meetings. |
| Concept evaluation | Fall-Winter 2026 | Review community feedback, evaluate potential improvements, identify tradeoffs, and coordinate with local and regional partners. |
| Recommendations and next steps | 2027 | Share draft recommendations, refine the project approach, and identify funding, phasing, and implementation next steps. |
Upcoming Opportunities for Input
Community and business engagement is anticipated in Summer 2026. CCTA will share opportunities to provide input, including a project survey and interactive map, once those tools are ready.
Potential Improvements
- Safer and more visible crossings for people walking, biking, rolling, and accessing transit.
- Signal upgrades, transit signal priority, and other tools to improve reliability and reduce unnecessary delay.
- Bus stop and boarding improvements that make transit easier and more comfortable to use.
- Dedicated or priority transit treatments where they are feasible and supported by the project analysis.
- Bicycle facilities and low-stress connections that help people reach local destinations safely.
- ADA accessibility improvements, including curb ramps, sidewalks, and crossing improvements where needed.
- Curb management strategies for parking, loading, deliveries, passenger pick-up and drop-off, and business access.
- Traffic operations and safety improvements that support predictable travel for all modes.
- Opportunities for streetscape, shade, stormwater, and green infrastructure improvements, where feasible and consistent with local priorities.
Examples of Potential Safety and Access Improvements
High-Visibility Crosswalks
High-Visibility Crosswalks feature high-contrast paint that make it easier for drivers to see where pedestrians are crossing the street.
Pedestrian Bulbouts
Pedestrian bulbouts make the sidewalk wider at intersections so that pedestrians spend less time in the roadway when crossing the street. These also help slow down vehicle turn speeds.
Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon
A pedestrian hybrid beacon is a type of traffic signal that allows pedestrians to stop traffic with a red light to cross the street.
Better Lighting
Better pedestrian lighting helps improve safety and visibility at night.
Slip Lane Removal
Slip lanes are dedicated turn lanes that encourage vehicles to turn at high speeds. Removing slip lanes reduces potential conflict between vehicles and people crossing the street.
Bus Stop Relocation
Moving a bus stop to the far side of an intersection makes riders getting on or off the bus more visible to drivers when crossing the street.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has a final design been selected?
No. The project is currently in a planning and engagement phase. Community input and technical analysis will help shape future recommendations.
Will parking be removed?
No final parking or curb-space changes have been decided. Parking, loading, deliveries, customer access, passenger pick-up and drop-off, and business needs will be important considerations in the planning process.
Are dedicated bus lanes being proposed?
The project may study a range of transit priority treatments, including dedicated or priority bus treatments where feasible. No final transit design has been selected.
How will local businesses be involved?
CCTA will have robust business outreach as part of the engagement process. Input from businesses and property owners will help the project team understand customer access, loading, parking, deliveries, visibility, and construction concerns.
Is this a construction project?
This phase is focused on planning, technical analysis, and community engagement. Future construction funding, phasing, and schedule would be determined after project recommendations are developed.
How does the project support environmental stewardship?
By improving access to transit, walking, and biking, the project can support cleaner travel choices, reduce reliance on short car trips, and help communities along San Pablo Avenue grow in a safer, healthier, and more sustainable way.
Why does this project focus on the southern portion of San Pablo Avenue in Contra Costa County?
This planning effort focuses on approximately 5.5 miles of San Pablo Avenue from the Alameda County line to Contra Costa College, including portions of El Cerrito, Richmond, and San Pablo. This segment builds on previous corridor planning and is directly connected to related work in Alameda County. While San Pablo Avenue continues farther north, improvements north of Contra Costa College are not part of this project scope and would need to be evaluated through separate planning, funding, and jurisdictional coordination.
How can I provide input?
CCTA will share opportunities for input as engagement begins. Check this page for survey links, meeting dates, project materials, and contact information.
How This Project Relates to Other Work on the Corridor
Previous San Pablo Avenue Corridor Analysis
In 2017, CCTA partnered with WCCTC and Alameda CTC to complete a comprehensive analysis of San Pablo Avenue in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, spanning seven cities from Downtown Oakland to Hilltop Mall. That effort was followed by a more detailed technical analysis in 2021 focused on safety needs and potential improvement alternatives in Contra Costa County, including transit priority, dedicated bus lanes, bicycle facilities, and pedestrian safety improvements.
Alameda CTC is now advancing related San Pablo Avenue corridor projects in Alameda County, including safety enhancements, parallel bike improvements, and bus and bike lane improvements in different segments of the corridor. CCTA will continue coordinating with Alameda CTC and corridor partners as the Contra Costa segment moves forward.
Building on Previous Corridor Planning
This project builds on prior San Pablo Avenue corridor planning completed by CCTA, WCCTC, Alameda CTC, local jurisdictions, and transit partners. Earlier phases studied the full corridor from Downtown Oakland to Hilltop Mall and identified safety, transit reliability, walking, biking, and access needs across Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Alameda CTC is advancing related corridor improvements in Alameda County, and CCTA will continue coordinating with Alameda CTC and other partners so the Contra Costa planning effort supports a more connected regional corridor.
Countywide Smart Signals
CCTA’s Countywide Smart Signals project is modernizing traffic signals across Contra Costa County, including along major regional corridors. These upgrades can support safer crossings, smoother travel, better signal coordination, emergency response, and transit signal priority where appropriate. The San Pablo Avenue Safety and Access Project will coordinate with Smart Signals work where improvements overlap or can support the broader corridor vision.
The El Cerrito del Norte Transit-Oriented Development Complete Streets Improvement Project is delivering transportation improvements identified in the San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan and Active Transportation Plan. These improvements support safer and more comfortable access for people walking, biking, taking transit, and driving in the Uptown area. The San Pablo Avenue Safety and Access Project represents a longer-term corridor vision and will look for ways to continue advancing those local plans while creating a cohesive regional strategy for the Contra Costa segment of San Pablo Avenue.
The City of El Cerrito has initiated construction of transit-oriented development at the El Cerrito Plaza BART Station. The first phase includes affordable housing and resident amenities near the station. While that project does not include design changes to San Pablo Avenue, the corridor will serve as a major access route to the future development. The San Pablo Avenue Safety and Access Project will consider design needs that support safer and more reliable access to this growing area.
The City of San Pablo’s San Pablo Avenue Bridge Replacement and Intersection Improvement Project will replace the existing bridge and improve the intersection at San Pablo Avenue, Road 20, and 23rd Street. As part of that work, alternative intersection configurations are being analyzed to improve safety and flow for motorists, transit riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The San Pablo Avenue Safety and Access Project will coordinate with this work as the broader corridor vision advances.
Because San Pablo Avenue crosses city and county lines and serves local, regional, and transit travel, CCTA will coordinate with corridor partners to support consistency where possible while respecting local needs and decision-making. This includes coordination with local jurisdictions, transit providers, regional agencies, and state partners as applicable.
Accessibility and Language Access
CCTA is committed to making project information and outreach opportunities accessible. To request language assistance, interpretation, translated materials, or materials in an accessible format, please contact Director of Planning Matt Kelly at mkelly@ccta.ca.gov.