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San Rafael outlines Canal neighborhood upgrades; residents press city on pathway lighting and impacts
Summary
City staff and consultants presented the Canal Active Transportation Enhancements project—paid by an Active Transportation Program grant—and received community concerns about proposed pathway lighting, maintenance, and environmental review; staff said lighting is a police-recommended CPTED measure, designs are not final, and the City Council will make final approvals.
City of San Rafael Department of Public Works staff and their consultants presented a plan to add sidewalks, curb ramps, bicycle boulevard treatments, transit shelter upgrades, and new lighting in the Canal neighborhood, emphasizing safety and improved access. The project is funded through the state Active Transportation Program (ATP, cycle 6) with a city match, and staff said environmental review and permits will be required before design and construction proceed.
Consultants described multiple design elements: curb-ramp and sidewalk gap closures to improve accessibility; bicycle boulevards with traffic-calming and bike symbol striping; five transit shelter upgrades and one new transit stop; and two lighting approaches for paths—pedestrian-scale street lights (about 12–15 feet) and low-profile bollard lights (about 3–3.5 feet). Andrew Lee of Parametrics said the City’s police department recommended some lighting as part of a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) review. "Studies have shown that lights and illumination in areas can help discourage unsafe or unwanted behavior," Gray Milgaard, the project’s city manager, said during the presentation. The team repeatedly emphasized that lighting locations and fixture types are not final and will be decided through further public feedback and design.
Residents raised several consistent concerns during the Q&A and chat: the pathway is currently closed at sunset, so why add lighting; whether lighting would encourage nighttime use; effects on nearby homes and wildlife from light spill; where fixtures would be placed so as not to reduce path width; and whether calls for service could increase after installation. Staff responded that the City currently does not plan to change pathway hours, that pathway lights would be sensor-controlled to turn on at dusk and off at sunrise, and that proposed bollards and shields would aim to limit light bleed into adjacent properties. "The lights will be on during low light or darkness with a sensor system that turns on during the dusk and evening so that the lights are not on all day," Andrew Lee said.
Staff also described the environmental and permitting steps ahead: the project will undergo California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review and will need permits or coverage from the San Francisco Bay Conservation & Development Commission (BCDC), which could require a biological resources assessment. Gray Milgaard said environmental documents and 65% preliminary design drawings are anticipated during the environmental phase (late 2026) and that design work would follow environmental review; staff presented an estimated design window of 2026–27 and a potential construction period of 2027–28, noting coordination with PG&E’s Rule 20A undergrounding project on Canal Street.
Staff asked the public to continue providing input through the project website and a Microsoft feedback form; they said meeting slides, recordings, and a compiled FAQ will be posted and that staff are working with the San Rafael Police Department to see what incident statistics can be made available publicly. Gray reminded participants that final project approval and construction award authority rests with the San Rafael City Council. The project team pledged to compile community comments and publish updated FAQs and materials on the project webpage.
