Multiagency Grand Boulevard initiative seeks safety, coordinated funding for El Camino Real; $750 million estimate

The Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission on Wednesday heard a multiagency presentation on the Grand Boulevard Initiative, a countywide effort to redesign El Camino Real to improve safety and multimodal mobility.

SamTrans manager of Major Corridors Cassie Halls and Sue Ellen Atkinson of the San Mateo County Transportation Authority told commissioners the corridor program spans about 22 miles and 15 jurisdictions and would take roughly eight to 10 years to move from planning into construction. Halls said the group estimates about $750,000,000 to implement corridor-wide improvements and is sponsoring the initial Caltrans approval steps to reduce cost and complexity for individual cities.

Why it matters: El Camino Real is a high-injury corridor that crosses many cities and requires coordination of design, policy and funding. Presenters said a coordinated approach will help cities access larger funding sources and achieve continuous facilities for transit, bicycling and walking across city boundaries.

Halls, ident…