The City of Richmond is beginning work on Tuesday, April 4th, on the long-awaited gap closure project that will connect the Richmond and Ohlone Greenways.
During construction, the usual connection will be closed and unaccessible. Greenway users will be directed to the gravel path alongside the Target lot to connect to MacDonald Ave.
The project, which is funded in part by the Safe Routes to Transit program, will install a new 16’ wide at-grade crossing of San Pablo Ave at the endpoint of the Ohlone Greenway. It will also re-route and pave the eastern portion of the Richmond Greenway so that it connects with the new crossing of San Pablo Ave. The crossing design will include bulb-outs, a removal of the median, a new traffic signal for a dedicated bike/ped crossing, and bike-activated crosswalk sensors. The west side of the crossing will run between Home Depot and the Taco Bell. From there the pathway will follow under the BART tracks to the I-80 pedestrian underpass.
The project also includes landscaping and re-vegetation of Baxter creek, which will complement the landscaping improvements already made on the El Cerrito side of the Greenway. Once this gap between greenways is closed, which should be in 3-6 months), the two finished trails will make one continuous, roughly 7.7-mile trail.
