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City Council approves no‑parking zone to make way for protected bike lanes on Pierce Road
Summary
Menlo Park’s council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing a south‑side no‑parking zone on Pierce Road between Carton and North Avenue to accommodate protected bike lanes as part of a 2026 resurfacing project; council asked staff for additional parking studies and maintenance planning.
Menlo Park’s City Council on Feb. 24 unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing a no‑parking zone on the south side of Pierce Road between Carton and North Avenue to make room for protected bicycle lanes connected to a planned 2026 roadway resurfacing.
Casandra Cortés, the city’s associate transportation planner, told the council the proposal would remove about 110 parking spaces from the south side of Pierce Road and add Class II bike lanes and other improvements. Staff said two short parking counts (separate observations) indicated on‑street capacity and that the Complete Streets Commission recommended the change.
Public commenters and the Complete Streets representative expressed support for protected infrastructure but urged physical separation — flexible delineators, bollards or low barriers — rather than just painted lanes. “A painted line will not provide the protection cyclists need,” resident Nicolás Pataqui said during public comment.
Public Works Director Asalia told the council staff are developing criteria to evaluate where physical delineation is appropriate and noted maintenance constraints: some street‑sweeping equipment cannot pass easily where raised elements are installed. Asalia said staff will weigh operations and equipment needs during final design.
Several councilmembers said the parking observations felt limited — two observation periods — and asked staff whether additional counts or a weeklong study would be appropriate for longer projects. Councilmember Taylor moved to adopt the resolution; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
The council asked staff to return with design details, maintenance implications and any options for locating the bike lane or additional mitigation (tree planting, trash‑reduction measures) before construction begins in summer 2026.
The city plans to include the improvements in the Pierce Road resurfacing project and issue bidding in early 2026; construction is anticipated in summer 2026.
