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Regional partners pitch $750 million vision to modernize El Camino Real
Summary
Regional transportation agencies presented the Grand Boulevard Initiative action plan to San Bruno council members, proposing a safety‑first, multimodal redesign of El Camino Real with an estimated corridor cost of about $750 million and an 8–10 year project timeline.
Millie Tollison, director of planning at SAMR, told the San Bruno City Council on Oct. 14 that the Grand Boulevard Initiative (GBI) seeks to transform El Camino Real from a highway‑like road into a safe, multimodal corridor serving pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders. The plan is a multi‑agency effort intended to coordinate local design preferences with Caltrans project development.
The action plan is being developed as a feasibility and design refinement document that will inform Caltrans’ Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan, Tollison said. She described three priority problems GBI aims to address: a disproportionately high rate of fatal and serious injury crashes for people walking and biking; the corridor’s current highway design that discourages active modes and transit; and the difficulty individual cities face in developing, funding and implementing projects on El Camino Real.
Suwellyn Atkinson, manager of planning and fund management at the San Mateo County Transportation Authority, told council the TA could co‑sponsor the initiative and help phase and combine projects to improve competitiveness for grants, saying county involvement could reduce the financial burden on individual cities. "By co‑sponsoring, the TA would make a project of countywide significance eligible for highway funding and help minimize individual city costs," Atkinson said.
Caltrans District 4 planning chief Jake Buffenberger said his agency will adjust its corridor planning procedures for El Camino Real because the highway also functions as main street in many jurisdictions. He said Caltrans plans to directly incorporate the GBI vision and projects into its corridor plan and use the GBI stakeholder framework as the backbone of regional engagement.
Staff estimated the full corridor buildout could take about 8–10 years to reach construction and placed a ballpark capital cost at roughly $750 million for 22 miles of streetscape improvements. Tollison and presenters emphasized the GBI action plan does not decide final local designs but provides a cohesive blueprint so neighboring jurisdictions can align projects, funding and schedules.
Council members and attendees were invited to provide local feedback during a council presentation series the GBI team is scheduling, and bicycle advocates who spoke during public comment encouraged the city to use the current planning momentum to improve crossing safety and walking and biking access.
Next steps: the action plan will be finalized this fall, followed by project initiation and subsequent design phases with Caltrans; funding and phasing discussions are expected to continue across participating cities and agencies.
