News
We live in cities that are governed democratically “of the people, by the people, for the people.” Thus, in the spirit of common law precedent, the nature of the urban environment must be defined by the people. Recently our Richmond Street community has been beleaguered by well-intended but ill-suited urban street planning that promises to produce significant negative elements, such as traffic congestion, disability barriers, environmental concerns and social inequalities. The plan is heavily influence by small, non-local special interest groups, while the opinions of residents who live, work and commute on Richmond Street were not surveyed or largely ignored. Our city proved shockingly undemocratic regarding our community’s concerns.
What we have done so far:
A group of neighbors found alliance in their protest against the city’s Complete Streets proposal and started the Richmond Street Neighbors Association.
We spoke at city council meetings, wrote to city council members and crafted a 23-page rebuttal to the city’s Complete Streets proposal.
We met with city staff and established a dialogue.
We declared solidarity with other communities like ours, such as Hopkins Street in Berkeley and the North Central Neighborhood in San Mateo, and shared information and ideas.
We created a website and window posters for those who are interested to know or do more. Order your free window posters by contacting us.
Community out-reach advances each week. We would love to hear from you!
Contact us at richmondstreetforall@gmail.com
Our Cause
All local initiatives should begin by engaging residents in participatory research, a process of community-led and solution-focused investigation that identifies issues facing a neighborhood. It should then furnish community members with the tools and support they need to find, access and interpret relevant data to understand why the issues exist. Residents must be allowed to assess the needs of their neighbors and to shape strategies to address local challenges.
The Richmond Street Complete Streets Improvement Project, which intends to transform our street into a “slow” street, did not do any of the above. In fact, the project is so deeply flawed it demands immediate reconsideration. While it claims to enhance safety and accessibility, the Richmond Street Complete Streets Improvement Project fails to deliver on its stated goals, raising concerns about safety, equity, environmental impact, property values, financial responsibility and research integrity. The plans for our street should serve all users equitably, not favor one group at the expense of others. This project, as designed, disregards residents' needs and imposes unnecessary hardships.
Further Reading
“San Mateo Moves to Remove Most of Bike Lanes,” The San Mateo Daily Journal