When I first made the switch to clipless I got some Shimano MT33 shoes and Eggbeater pedals. I had a lot of trouble unclipping with this combo and I felt the shoes were uncomfortable. I eventually moved to Shimano 105 pedals with a road shoe and SPD SL. The on bike experience is much better. Clipping in and out is easy, foot retention is great and I can definitely feel the difference with the stiffness of a of a shoe that is designed for one thing : pedaling.

But...I cross a minimum of 12 intersections with lights every day and have to unclip and stop a lot and have to walk short distances when I get to work and home. The one sided pedals can be a pain to get into leaving a stop light and it makes walking a pain when I get to work or if I want to stop at a store on my route. I'm thinking about trying the Eggbeaters again but I need a new shoe and want some suggestions for something cheap (preferably under $75) with a recessed cleat that is stiff enough that I won't notice a big on bike performance drop off from my road shoes and also prefer something with ratcheted and velcro as opposed to laces.

I like my Exustar, they were reasonably priced and reasonably stiff. I haven't tried any others for years (I have an old pair of inexpensive road shoes but I don't remember what they're like).

I have been commuting with some Shimano 105 peddles and road shoes, as that is what I had when I started commuting. They fit comfortably and are great for peddling, but I have the same two problems you point out
1) one sided is a bit more of a pain when clipping in at tons of intersections. You get better at it overtime, but compared to the two sided peddles on my mountain bike its can be cumbersome.
2) Walking in road shoes, even ones like I have that are designed with a bit of rubber, is not fun.

Most people I have seen around here with longer commutes use Shimano mountain bike peddles and mountain bike shoes, and I plan to switch to do the same.

I am thinking about the Shimanno Trail XT peddles, as you can clip in both sides and they have a cage around them that gives a bit of a platform for when you need to peddle a bit before you clip in. I think that factor is worth the extra weight and people who I have talked to who have them like them.

As for shoes, mountain shoes will definitely be better for walking in, but its hard to recommend a specific shoe to someone as what is comfortable for one person may not be comfortable for another.

I would recommend
1) trying on a lot of different shoes to find something comfortably.
2) Don't skimp on the shoes to save money. A light, stiff, comfortable shoe will make you happier. If you shop smart you could probably get a nice shoe on sale that meets your price target.
3) Try walking on a few surfaces when trying them to see how they are walking. Material on the sole can make a difference form my experience

If walking is very important, there are some "hybrid" style MB shoes that look more like sneakers, but can have velcro or ratchets. These look more normal as you walk around and are more comfortable to walk in. I have a pair that I used on my old mountain bike when riding with potential destination in mind. If you go this route, I recommend one that is still pretty stiff so you don't loose to much peddling. There is a slight sacrifice waking as the shoe doesn't flex, but it isn't to bad.

You Might have to re consider the need for clipless pedals and shoes, at all, with that many stoplights.

save them for the long day rides. ...

go with a platform pedal and your favorite shoes with an Arc support Insole..
to give some of the bike shoe stiffner in the arch.

My primary commuter is a fixed gear bike so I need some sort of foot retention. I've considered trying some bmx pedals and straps but I've heard they are harder to get out of then clipless.

.. theres the Power Grip thing too, the strap is angled , so when your foot is straight it's tighter ,
but twist your foot and its easy to get your foot out.

those Strap things some of them are velcro closed, so too tight , is a User Error.

You could get a freewheel on the back wheel . lose the fixie thing.

those make the difference . you dont have to chase the pedal around. then.

I don't know about these pedals but I had heard that SPD pedals designed for downhill use are harder to clip out of, you might want to look into this. Likely, they have adjustable tension but if they are downhill pedals, even the lightest setting might be too hard for a newbie.

I like my Giro Privateers. https://www.giro.com/us_en/privateer.html

They're my CX shoes and have a nice balance of stiff enough for long riding but supple enough to walk/run normally. Velcro and rachet enclosure. Retail is $150, I think I probably paid about $100, and the cheapest I've seen is $89, so they're a bit out of your stated price range. They pair up nicely with Shimano M540 pedals. Hop, stamp, and go.

Or, you could just learn to trackstand. When I use my SSCX bike for commuting I usually have the wheel flipped to the FG side. Takes a little practice, but it's a fun diversion at the lights, and you do get away a little quicker.

Ha. Yeah , I've been working on the track stands but I'm definitely not confident enough to do it clipped in at a light in traffic...yet

While that may be true, these are not designed for downhill. They combined the SPD trail pedals with a cage platform around them inspired by downhill peddles. Getting in and out doesn't seem to be a problem based on this review: https://www.bicycling.com/mountainbik...t-trail-pedals

The inner part should be the same as the XT pedals I have on my mountain bike, with a platform wrapped outside of them.

I talked to a fellow commuter on the road who got these as their first clipless peddles and was very happy with them.

I use standard Shimano two-sided SPD mountain bike pedals on my road commuter bike. Easy to slip into without looking, 95% of the time I get in first time, no problem. The other 5% I can still ride until I do clip in, I just have to remember not to pull up!

For shoes: Summer and warm weather Six-Six-One sandals. Winter and cold weather, Answer BMX shoes. Both work well for their chosen time of year. Both sandals and BMX shoes use Velcro closure.

Rick / OCRR

Now that cooler weather is setting in again, I'm riding with my Sidi mtn-bike shoes, however, during the other seasons, for commuting I typically ride in my Keen Commuter sandals. I like these a lot because a. they're cooler to wear in warmer weather, and b. I can use them as my daily footwear at work once I get there. I have various models of Crank Brothers pedals on all my bikes, and have worn my Keen sandals on each one, from my road bike, to commuter to mtn bike, depending upon the type of ride I'm doing.

It looks like Keen is up to the Commuter III at this time, and you may or may not find them under $85.
https://www.rei.com/product/850785/ke...e-sandals-mens

Good luck!