El Cerrito Eyes Zero Traffic Deaths by 2035 With Citywide Speed Cuts

The El Cerrito City Council dove deep into two policy-shaping study sessions Tuesday night — a road safety plan that would drop speed limits across the city and commit to eliminating fatal crashes within a decade, and a contested effort to clarify senior tax exemptions in the June library ballot measure before confusion hardens into opposition. The consent calendar, including a permanent outdoor dining ordinance, passed unanimously.

• Council backs Vision Zero goal, 25 mph citywide speed limit, and a protected bikeway backbone after crash data reveal 72% of injuries occur on just 5% of roads

• Staff directed to simplify Measure C senior exemption — stripping equity and reverse mortgage requirements while keeping age and income thresholds ahead of the June vote

• Walk and Roll advocates and crash survivors urge faster action on pedestrian safety improvements at dangerous San Pablo Avenue and Carlson Boulevard crossings

• Councilmember Ktsanes requests ACLU speaker for upcoming Flock surveillance camera study session, signaling civil liberties scrutiny

• Permanent outdoor dining ordinance adopted, codifying pandemic-era flexibility for local restaurants

Transportation Program Manager Jarrett Mullen presented El Cerrito's first Local Road Safety Plan, built on five years of crash data (2018–2022) and supplemental records through 2025. The plan proposes four major policy shifts: a Vision Zero commitment to zero fatal and severe injury crashes by 2035, a citywide 25 mph speed limit, designing streets for target speeds rather than for drivers going 10 mph over the posted limit, and readiness to pursue automated speed enforcement.