2008 — The Vision for Yellow Brick Road® is Born.
As part of a summer jobs program, Iron Triangle youths dream up a solution to problems in their neighborhood, including gun violence, blight, dangerous streets, and speeding cars. The youths propose stenciling yellow bricks across roads and on sidewalks to create a designated safe bike and walking route through the heart of their community.
2009 — Pogo Park Picks Up the Baton.
Pogo Park hires three of the youths to bring their Yellow Brick Road vision to life. We advocate for the project with local residents, churches, businesses, and government.
2010 — Pogo Park Draws Up Initial Plans.
Pogo Park partners with three urban planning agencies (Local Government Commission, Fehr and Peers, and Blue Zones), who contribute to the project pro bono.
2011 — Richmond Includes the Yellow Brick Road in its Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.
The City also calls the Yellow Brick Road a model that can be replicated in other neighborhoods.
2012 — Pogo Park Secures a $243,355 Environmental Justice Grant from Caltrans.
The City of Richmond, Local Government Commission, and Pogo Park secure this competitive grant to translate the rough plan for Yellow Brick Road into an actionable master plan.
2013 — Community Members Identify the Yellow Brick Road Route.
Over 14 days, a team of 30 neighborhood children, youth, adults, and seniors walk every single street and block of the Iron Triangle to map the Yellow Brick Road. Photos
2014 — The Iron Triangle Neighborhood Gets a Living Preview.
Pogo Park builds a full scale, 3-D model of the Yellow Brick Road between Peres Elementary School and Elm Playlot. Thousands of people walk and drive through the model during the two days it is live. Click here to view more photos of the Living Preview.
2015 — Pogo Park and City of Richmond Secure a $6.2 Million ATP grant from Caltrans to design and build the first section of the Yellow Brick Road.
This grant marks an important milestone in the Yellow Brick Road’s progress from vision to reality. Press release.
2016 — Community Members Share Feedback on Construction Plans.
The public engagement process generates ideas for continued improvement to the preliminary design ideas laid out in the Caltrans grant. Photos.
2017 — Pogo Park Builds Another Mock-Up and Secures $4.1 Million in Additional Funding.
In partnership with the NFL before Super Bowl LI, Pogo Park installs a full-scale, 3-D model of a redesigned intersection next to Elm Playlot. This mock-up shows how the Yellow Brick Road will transform intersections to slow down traffic.
Pogo Park and the City of Richmond win a competitive grant from the California Natural Resources Agency to transform six blocks of the Yellow Brick Road into a green street lined with trees and other plants.
2018 — The City of Richmond, Pogo Park, and our Partners Advance the Design Process.
Richmond-based firm NCE designs the Yellow Brick Road’s grayscape: its sidewalks, grading, roads, and curves. Berkeley architectural firm MIG draws up plans for its greenscape: its trees, plants, and bioswales.
2019 — The Yellow Brick Road Gets a Trademark.
New York law firm of Fross Zelnick and x – famous for their work on Tiffany Blue, the first trademarked color – helps Pogo Park file for a trademark pro bono.
2020 — The Final Design is Complete, and the Project Goes to Bid.
Ghilotti Brothers, a 100-year old construction company based in San Rafael, wins a $7.3 million bid to build the Yellow Brick Road.
2021 — Construction of Yellow Brick Road Begins!
Lasting from June to December 2021, the project will completely redesign and rebuild 25 intersections to make it easier and safer for pedestrians to walk, bike, and push strollers through the Iron Triangle neighborhood.
