Millbrae council signs onto county grant applications for bus-stop upgrades and e-mobility programs

The Millbrae City Council on July 22 voted 5–0 to submit two grant applications to the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (TA): one for a bus-stop amenity upgrade under the BRAVE (Bus Rider Access, Visibility and Experience) initiative and a second for an e‑micromobility package that would support the local bikeshare program, establish an e-bike/e-scooter rebate for income-qualified residents and purchase two e-bikes for city fleet use.

Senior Environmental Programs Manager Andrea Pappajohn said the TA’s Cycle 3 call funds transportation-demand-management projects; the maximum award per competitive project is $500,000 and applicants must provide a minimum city match of 10% (5% in equity-priority areas). Millbrae’s BRAVE application requests $58,782 (revised staff resolution reflects a 10% contingency) to fund enhanced amenities at the southbound SamTrans stop at El Camino Real and Victoria Avenue. The project would add a shelter with lighting and bench seating, a printed system map, real-time arrival signage and integrated trash receptacles. Pappajohn said SamTrans identified 16 stops in Millbrae and that seven near-term stops require a “bus bulb” (sidewalk reconfiguration) before amenities can be added; the Victoria/El Camino stop is the only near-term stop that can receive amenities without a bus bulb in the grant performance period.

The second application seeks $500,000 for e-micromobility measures: $250,000 to continue and expand the joint Spin bikeshare program with Burlingame (infrastructure and rider subsidies), $240,000 for an e-mobility rebate program that would award income-qualified residents enrolled in CARE or FERA up to $500 for a standard e-bike/e-scooter or up to $1,000 for cargo/adaptive models (and safety gear), and about $10,000 to procure two e-bikes for City staff use. Pappajohn noted Peninsula Clean Energy already offers a $1,000 rebate for income-qualified residents that could stack with the proposed city rebate for higher-cost cargo or adaptive bikes.

City staff emphasized roles and responsibilities: SamTrans would procure and install bus-stop amenities and maintain the stop; Millbrae would coordinate design and complete TA reporting. Spin operates the shared e-bike program under a vendor contract and is responsible for operations and maintenance; the city has previously used TA funding to install bike corrals and to subsidize rides. Pappajohn said recent use statistics show the program had more than 25,500 rides to date and that Caltrain/BART station origins and destinations are frequent trip endpoints.

Councilmembers asked about long-term operational costs if TA funding ends. Staff said the grant budgets cover the projects as submitted and that long-term maintenance or subsidy decisions would be addressed later as needed. Councilmember questions also focused on responsive removal of improperly parked bikes and coordination with Caltrans for sidewalk or bus-bulb work on El Camino Real.

Council action and next steps: The council adopted two resolutions authorizing staff to apply for the BRAVE and e-micromobility grants and approved the revised contingency in the BRAVE resolution; both applications were submitted for the TA’s Cycle 3 competitive funding. Awards are expected in November; staff will return with any award terms and required match details.

Why it matters: The grants target visible, near-term improvements to transit access and provide financial support for low-income residents to purchase low-carbon mobility alternatives. The projects leverage TA funding and existing programs (SamTrans, Spin, Peninsula Clean Energy) and could increase transit use and first/last-mile options in Millbrae.