Palo Alto advances California Avenue car‑free plan; short‑term work to start Feb. 18

City staff told the Palo Alto City Council on Feb. 3 that construction of near‑term improvements on California Avenue will begin Feb. 18, moving the corridor closer to a permanent car‑free street while longer‑term design choices remain under study.

The presentation by economic development staff and consultants described a two‑track approach: implement immediate infrastructure upgrades and planters and then evaluate two long‑term design alternatives — an “adaptive” approach that rearranges the existing street and a more ambitious “reimagined” approach that would remove curbs, add continuous pedestrian surfacing, larger trees and extensive green stormwater infrastructure.

The near‑term work scheduled to start Feb. 18 will repave the street segment between El Camino Real and Ash Street, replace temporary orange barriers with permanent planters and bollards, and install more durable decorative paving and wayfinding elements. “Construction work on the near term improvements on Cal Avenue will be starting this month. On February 18th, it’ll be about a 6‑week construction period,” Bruce Vicucci, a project consultant, said during the presentation.

Staff said the city will pursue the environmental and…