San Mateo presents first annual transportation review; staff, residents press for faster safety fixes

San Mateo City Manager Alex Zikian asked the council to take the transportation item first, and Jay Yu, engineering manager for public works, opened the department's first Transportation Program Annual Review on June 2, 2025. "My name is Jay Yu, the engineer manager for public works, and tonight, I'll be going over the annual transportation review," he told the council and a packed chamber.

The presentation summarized the city's transportation network, recent policy changes and where projects stand. Yu said the new General Plan "STRIVE San Mateo (General Plan 2040)" and earlier master plans (Bicycle Master Plan 2020, Pedestrian Master Plan) set policy directions favoring walking, biking and transit, but he warned many projects remain unfunded. He told council that "about 85% of commuters take vehicles" today and city goals seek a more balanced mode split.

Why it matters: the review framed near-term choices between implementing protected infrastructure and the practical limits of funding, staffing and constrained street right-of-way in a largely built-out city. Yu highlighted four programs: active transportation, congestion management, parking management and safety. He said the Bicycle Master Plan contains 170+ segments and roughly $40 million in project estimates but that most segments are unfunded; the city has completed about 6.4 miles (16.6%) of high and medium-high priority bike projects and is actively working on another 4.9 miles.

Public comments during the item made safety the dominant theme. Kevin Simpson urged better school crossing coverage and cited a bus-stop crossing near Humboldt and Cypress…