Residents are fed up with speeding on Carlson Boulevard: ‘It’s too fast, it’s ugly, and it’s unsafe.’

Carlson Boulevard may look like any other residential street on a calm day, but according to residents and city officials, it has become a hotspot for reckless speeding, near-misses and accidents. 

Data from the Richmond Police Department shows close to 50 collisions on Carlson Boulevard this year alone.

Antonio Davis was involved in one of those accidents, near Huntington Park, as he tried to enter Interstate 80.

“Six, seven months ago, I was in an accident because someone rushed a turn that wasn’t their right of way,” he said. “Since then, I’m paranoid every time I pull out or get on the freeway.”

The accident has had repercussions, he said, in the parking lot of a market on Carlson Boulevard and 47th Street. “It may not mess you up right away, but later on it can. I didn’t go to the hospital right away, and now I’ve got headaches and paranoia.”

District 5 residents pepper City Council candidates with questions about safety, Chevron and the environment

Voters raised the issue at a District 5 City Council voter forum in October, asking the two candidates how they would reduce speeds on Carlson Boulevard. 

“Every two months, there is either an accident or a near miss,” responded candidate Ahmad Anderson, who did not win a council seat in the November election. 

Anderson, a longtime Richmond resident, emphasized the need for better road engineering, noting that previous efforts, such as using orange flags and trimming trees to improve visibility, have been ineffective.

 “It should not be used as a thoroughfare when 80 or San Pablo are backed up,” he said.

Sue Wilson, the newly elected District 5 City Council member, described Carlson Boulevard as “a death trap.” She mentioned the street’s safety hazards and lack of maintenance as significant concerns.

“It’s too fast, it’s ugly, and it’s unsafe,” Wilson said, pointing to overgrown weeds and poor upkeep as contributing factors.

 “I know of at least three car-related deaths there in the last year,” she said. 

The city has a plan — the Carlson Crosstown Project — to improve traffic flow, safety, and overall mobility along the Carlson Boulevard corridor. But the plan has hit funding snags.

At a Nov. 26 City Council meeting, Public Works Director Daniel Chavarria reported a $1.3 million shortfall for phase two of the project and an additional $1.7 million needed for phase three, which focuses on traffic calming measures. Phase one, covering Broadway to Tehama Avenue, remains incomplete, though the city plans to use its allocated funding to finish this section.

Chavarria said the city also is exploring grants to close the gap.

Elijah Lewis, who was born and raised in Richmond, said driving on Carlson has given him anxiety.

“It’s a lot of fast motion going on down Carlson Boulevard,” he said, while at a market on Carlson Boulevard. “There’s a turn where people just hop straight on the freeway and cut you off. That’s what causes the accidents.”

Lewis believes better signage on Carlson and Imperial Avenue right next to the freeway on-ramp could help. 

Davis suggested a stronger police presence. “Stop signs don’t work for everybody. Some people just don’t follow the rules,” he said. “Put the police on the corner, and I guarantee people will slow down.

Wilson proposed a “road diet” to reduce Carlson to one lane and introduce a protected bike lane, turning it into “a slow street,” similar to nearby San Pablo Avenue.

Some safety measures are already in progress. The city is installing solar-powered rapid flashing beacons at key intersections — Carlson and Sutter Street, Carlson and Shasta Street, and Carlson and Tehama Street—to improve pedestrian visibility. Chavarria said these projects will be completed by March.

The city also is working on improving safety at the railroad crossing at Carlson and Cutting Boulevard. A consultant has been hired to design safety upgrades for the at-grade crossing, which, although not as extensive as an overpass, will include enhancements such as gates, striping, and coordinated signals to significantly improve safety.

(Photo by Paul Ghusar)

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