The City Council voted 5-0 Wednesday to approve a plan to remove one southbound travel lane on Matilda Avenue and install a class 2 buffered bicycle lane between Ohlone Avenue/Alamoire and Maude Avenue. Mayor Klein, Vice Mayor Sall and Council members Mellinger, Srinivasan and Chang voted for the measure; Council members Cisneros and Lay were absent.

"What we are looking to emulate is the other photo on the right-hand side, which is the northbound lanes, which shows 3 vehicular lanes and a buffered bike lane," said Angela Obezo, the city's transportation and traffic manager, describing the proposal to make the two directions consistent. Staff said the project is intended to close a gap in the city's bike network and produce a safer continuous north-south route for cyclists.

The staff-recommended "build" alternative (Alternative 1) would reallocate pavement to create a class 2 buffered bike lane on the southbound side and remove one vehicle lane. The city's cost estimate for the build alternative is about $800,000. Staff told council the study and public outreach included two rounds of community outreach, pop-up events and electronic message signs to reach commuters; the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee voted 6-0 to recommend Alternative 1 and also urged staff to consider upgrading to a separated (Class 4) facility in design if feasible.

Council and staff discussed the potential to convert buffered bike lanes to Class 4 protected facilities in the future and the costs and logistics of doing so. Staff said converting a single short segment to Class 4 now, without a corridor-wide strategy, could be substantially more expensive and recommended a more comprehensive design if the city wants continuous separated lanes along Matilda.

The council approved the staff recommendation and directed staff to include the project on the list of future unfunded projects; the estimated $800,000 is not currently appropriated for design or construction. The motion carried 5-0 with Council members Cisneros and Lay absent.