Richmond City Council passes policy to allow community members to install benches at bus stops

The Richmond City Council has passed a policy that instructs staff to create a permitting program that would allow community members and groups to install benches at bus stops thrughout the city of Richmond, Calif. The policy, a first for the region and likely the state, was spurred by community members taking matters into their own hands by installing benches at bus stops throughout the East Bay. 

The San Francisco (SF) Bay Area Bench Collective has installed benches at over 70 bus stops in the East Bay, including several in Richmond.

“We're looking forward to being able to work with more groups, nonprofits, houses of worship, schools and others to get more benches out while also working with the city to make sure the benches are reliable and built to the highest standards," said SF Bay Area Bench Collective Founder Mingwei Samuel.

“So many of Richmond’s bus stops lack benches, which means that people, including seniors and people with disabilities, are left standing in the sun while they wait, but by creating a simple permitting process and establishing installation standards, Richmond will make it easy for people to make the city a more comfortable and transit-friendly place.“ said Carter Lavin of Transbay Coalition, a Bay Area transit advocacy group who helped lead the legalization effort.