San Mateo staff outline multiyear push for protected bike lanes, school corridors and intersection safety

Good evening, commissioners. My name is Nicolette Chan, associate transportation planner in the public works department, and with me I have Catherine Sheehan, our deputy public works director.

The Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission on July 9 received an extensive update on bicycle and pedestrian work across San Mateo City, including new designs for separated bike lanes, intersection safety projects near schools and a string of paving projects that will add bike facilities where feasible. Staff said the work is funded through a mix of grants and local funds and will unfold over several years.

The commission heard that the city is pursuing a mix of protected (Class 4) bike lanes, buffered on-street lanes (Class 2) and neighborhood bike boulevards (Class 3), and that several projects now in design respond directly to prior community outreach and safety studies. "This route is particularly important because it provides north–south connectivity and gives key access to destinations like the event center, Fiesta Gardens International School, the Nueva School, and the commercial corridor along Delaware Street," Nicolette Chan said about the Delaware Street Safe Routes to School corridor.

Most immediate projects and status - Delaware Street Safe Routes to School corridor: Design and construction of a Class 4 separated bike lane and bike boulevard from 19th Avenue to Pacific Boulevard. Chan said the project is a city priority and has a design+construction budget of about $3,200,000 drawn from grants and local funds. Staff reported two community meetings in April, a study session with City Council in May and additional outreach planned for Aug. 19. Concerns raised by residents and stakeholders include removal of five on‑street parking spaces on the segment between Saratoga and Bermuda and removing one southbound travel lane in that same stretch. - 20th Avenue gap-closure: Design work to add Class 4 lanes on part of 20th Avenue and Class 2 lanes on another segment, with the project adjusted to remove Delaware intersection work after coordination with the separate Delaware project. Staff expect the design phase to finish next year and have added two community meetings in September to show 35% designs. - Nineteenth Avenue / Fashion Island multimodal improvements: Design and early funding in place; construction cost estimated at about $21.5 million. Staff said the design is largely grant‑funded through SMCTA and regional sources and that a public 35% design meeting is scheduled the week after the commission meeting. - Third Avenue & Norfolk intersection: Phased construction is underway on protected bicycle crossings and pedestrian work. Staff reported three construction phases, with Phase 2 (paving, signage) nearly complete and Phase 3 (traffic signal work and bike crossing markings) remaining. - Hillsdale Boulevard & Alameda de las Pulgas: Staff are designing a new traffic signal and a protected intersection at the location; local funds are secured for design and construction and staff said they are applying to SMCTA for $450,000 in construction funding. - Poplar & Humboldt signal/safety project: Design complete and construction contract in place; construction was expected to begin soon to improve protected left turns and leading pedestrian intervals ahead of a new school opening. - Pavement-management-linked bike facilities: Pavement projects this year will add three Class 2 lanes (Fifth Avenue, South B Street, Campus Drive) and a Class 3 bike boulevard (South Grant Street). Chan said Fifth Avenue’s bike lane will remove seven parking spaces on the north side at El Camino Real; staff say on‑street counts showed spare capacity and nearby garage spaces available.

Community feedback and safety context Commissioners and several public commenters pressed staff on community concerns and outcomes. Public commenter Michael Reagan said the Hillsdale/Alameda project has been delayed repeatedly and urged clearer timelines. Max Motner, speaking remotely, urged clarity on Humboldt corridor improvements and identified a recent pedestrian fatality: "Yolanda Viar, our neighbor, resident of San Mateo, hit from behind while walking in the crosswalk with the light," he said, urging expedited safety work on Peninsula and Delaware corridors. Mike Swire, also on the call, asked the commission to weigh in on the 101/92 Direct Connector project and emphasized transportation’s outsized contribution to county greenhouse gas emissions.

Staff responses and next steps Deputy Public Works Director Catherine Sheehan and other staff said projects are moving through design and funding phases and that more community meetings and Council study sessions will follow. Staff acknowledged controversial tradeoffs—removing parking or travel lanes to make space for protected bike lanes, and concerns from event operators about access during large events—and said they are coordinating with emergency services, the San Mateo County Exposition and Fair Association and other stakeholders. Sheehan said staff will present updated designs and promised additional outreach where prior notices did not reach all affected residents.

Construction and maintenance details Stephanie (city construction manager) responded to a resident’s question about subsidence on the Edgewater Boulevard/92 overpass, saying temporary repairs would begin the Monday after the meeting as an interim fix while staff continue to seek funding for a long‑term solution. Staff also described a program of "quick build" treatments—painted lanes and temporary bollards—to trial safety changes before permanent construction. Chan said quick build can be used by field crews to test changes that can later be hardened with grant funding.

Why this matters Officials said the work targets corridors that connect schools, Caltrain stations and neighborhood shopping and that many projects respond to collision history or community requests for safer crossings. "We are implementing all high and medium‑high priority projects," Chan said, describing alignment with City Council priorities and the Bicycle Master Plan.

Clarifying details - Delaware Street design+construction budget: about $3,200,000 (grants + local funds). Source: Nicolette Chan presentation. - Nineteenth Avenue / Fashion Island estimated construction cost: approximately $21,500,000. Source: project briefing. - Fifth Avenue bike lane: removal of seven on‑street parking spaces reported in staff analysis. - Poplar & Humboldt project: roughly $1,000,000 in local funds for design and construction; design completed in April and a construction contract is in place.

Outlook Staff said several projects will return to commissions or Council with 35% or later designs, and they urged community members to watch for August‑October public meetings. The commission asked staff to report back to the commission on projects of particular local concern, including Fashion Island/Nineteenth Avenue and the Delaware corridor.

Sources: Presentation and discussion by Nicolette Chan (associate transportation planner) and Catherine Sheehan (deputy public works director); construction remarks by Stephanie (construction manager); public comments from Michael Reagan, Max Motner and Mike Swire.