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Menlo Park commission backs no‑stopping zone and bike facilities on Pierce Road, asks staff to pilot flexible bollards
Summary
After staff presented a resurfacing proposal, the Complete Streets Commission voted unanimously to recommend a south‑side no‑stopping zone and southbound bike striping on Pierce Road (Carlton–Del Norte), and asked staff and Council to consider a pilot of flexible bollards and speed‑hump detail that spares the bike lane.
Cassandra Cortez, Associate Transportation Planner, presented a resurfacing proposal for Pierce Road between Carlton Avenue and Del Norte Avenue and recommended removing parking on the south side of the street to make room for a southbound Class 2 bicycle lane and a northbound Class 3 shared lane. Cortez said the road is scheduled for resurfacing in 2026 and that "parking removal was required to accommodate bicycle facilities due to the limited roadway space on Pierce Road."
Commissioners pressed staff on several practical issues: why signs would be posted as "no stopping" versus "no parking," how enforcement and maintenance would prevent debris and illegal stops in the bike lane, and whether the lane should be on the south side (adjacent to the U.S. 101 Ravenswood bicycle/pedestrian overcrossing) or the north side (closer to neighborhood destinations). Public‑works Director Azalea Mitch noted that parking in a bicycle lane is technically illegal and has been enforced in other parts of the city, but staff said maintenance capacity and debris are constraints for adding physical barriers.
Commissioners proposed a friendly amendment to the staff recommendation asking staff to explore a pilot of flexible, reboundable bollards that can be driven over by sanitation equipment and to revise the speed‑hump detail so the hump does not extend fully into the bike lane where feasible. The amended motion to recommend installation of a south‑side no‑stopping zone between Carlton Avenue and Del Norte Avenue, paired with resurfacing/striping to provide a southbound bike facility and consideration of flexible bollards as a pilot, passed unanimously.
Staff said next steps include presenting the City's recommendation to City Council in early 2026 and including Pierce Road in the 2026 resurfacing bid; implementation of resurfacing and striping would follow in summer 2026 if scheduled and funded.
The Commission's recommendation is advisory to City Council; the Council will consider the staff report and the Commission's motion during its review.
