Atherton City Council
July 15, 2026

MEMORANDUM
Alta Planning + Design, Inc. 1 Town of Atherton
To: Town of Atherton
From: Mauricio Hernandez, Alta Planning + Design
Date: January 30, 2026
Re: Town of Atherton Active Transportation Plan – Non-Infrastructure Recommendations (FINAL) This memo summarizes non-infrastructure recommendations to support and complement the engineering and infrastructure improvements of the Town of Atherton’s Active Transportation Plan. The document addresses the programs that can help make biking and walking more accessible to residents and visitors in Atherton, as well as the ongoing evaluation of these programs and new infrastructure. Recommendations are based on best practices and proven records of effectiveness and incorporate equity principles. The document includes a summary of previously proposed and existing programs and identifies specific goals supported by each recommended program.

It is important to note that some recommendations reaffirm programs proposed in previously approved plans (e.g., 2014 Town of Atherton Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, 2019 General Plan, etc.). The Town may not have had the opportunity to expand existing programs as recommended or may not have had the available funding to implement recommended programs.

Existing Programs
Table 1 provides a summary of existing programs in support of active transportation in the Town of Atherton. These programs are run by the Town, local organizations, and/or San Mateo County. The table references the 2014 Town of Atherton Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.

Table 1: Existing Programs
Programs
Proposed in 2014 Plan Existing
 SRTS curriculum partnership
 Outreach & Enforcement Campaigns
 Roadway Safety Solutions Team (RSST) Collaboration
 Include information from this Plan and links to other pedestrian/bicycle resources on the Town’s website,
including the Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance (www.commute.org)
 Get 2 School on SamTrans – resources for students to
take transit
 Youth Safety (SamTrans)
 San Mateo County Safe Routes to School (Resources &
Community Involvement)
 San Mateo County Office of Education Safe Routes to
School Annual Report 2022-2023Back-to-School Safety
Campaign & Office of Traffic Safety Grant
 Prioritize enforcement of sight distance setbacks at
intersections
 Encourage school districts to fund crossing guards
 Intersection Daylighting
 Safe Routes to School – San Mateo County Office of
Education
o Crossing Guard Appreciation Week
 Crossing guards City of Menlo Park
Attachment 3
January 30, 2026
Alta Planning + Design, Inc. 2 Town of Atherton
Programs
Proposed in 2014 Plan Existing
 Consider a 15/20 mph zone speed limit for application in select school zones and along bicycle boulevards.
 Communicate safe and appropriate “Rules of the Road”
for all roadways users through targeted enforcement and education. This should include education and
enforcement activities related to AB 1371, the recent bill that prohibits motorists from passing a bicycle with less than three feet between any part of the vehicle and any part of the bicycle or driver. This law is to go into effect September 16, 2014
 Atherton 15 mph speed limits in school zones during
school hours
 Support Bike to Work Day in May
 Support International Walk and Roll to School Day
(October), and Bike to School Day (May)
 Partner with local student groups to provide youth
engagement opportunities
 Consider Personal Travel Encouragement programs
 Step into Wellness: Atherton Library’s Walking Club
 Safe Routes to School – San Mateo County Office of
Education
o Walk to School Wednesdays
o Walk and Roll Day
o Walking School Bus and Bicycle Train
o Park and Walk
o Pedestrian Safety Months (September and October)
o International Walk to School Day
o Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
o Golden Sneaker Events
o Crossing Guard Appreciation Week
o Earth Month
o Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day
o Bike to Wherever Day
o Bike Mobile
o Safe Moves
 Safe Routes to School – San Mateo County Office of
Education (Safe Routes to School Reporting)
o Walk Audits
o Annual Reports
o Safe Routes to School Strategy – Five Year
Evaluation
o Student Travel Tally
o Youth Based High Injury Network (HIN) Analysis
 Bicycle Sunday (San Mateo County Parks Foundation)
 Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition Events
 Active Transportation in Unincorporated San Mateo
County
 Emergency Ride Home Program (Commute.org)
 San Mateo County Trails
 Create a program to conduct regular pedestrian and
bicycle data collection efforts at strategic screen lines to assess activity level trends.
 Atherton Neighborhood Traffic Management Program
Attachment 3
January 30, 2026
Alta Planning + Design, Inc. 3 Town of Atherton
Proposed Programs
This section describes proposed new or expanded programs supporting active transportation. Where appropriate and available, each section presents examples of existing programs within the city and best practices from other cities. The table of programs encompass education, enforcement, encouragement, and evaluation programs to help institutionalize safe biking and walking networks.

Table 2: Recommended Programs
Support Program Description Plan Goal Examples
Mini Main Street and
other Education
Events (SRTS)
Coordinate with local schools to host mini main
street safety education events, Bike Rodeos and ebike safety education events.  Roadway Safety
 Improved Health
 Mountain View, CA
 Atherton Police
Department E-Bike
Safety Education
Class
 Atherton Bike
Rodeo
New Infrastructure
Education Campaign
When new improvements are implemented,
coordinate an education campaign to provide
materials for local residents to increase awareness
about how to use and travel through traffic control
and active transportation improvements, which may
be new to the area and which residents may not be
familiar with.
 Network
Cohesiveness
and Connectivity
 Roadway Safety
 SFMTA Education
Campaign: Get
Your Right Turns
Right
City Level Safe Routes
to School Programs
and Coordination
Dedicate Atherton staff time to work with existing
Safe Routes to School Programs, San Mateo County
and Menlo Park and the broader school community
(i.e., teachers, administrators, students, parents/
caregivers, and neighbors) to enhance the safety of
students accessing all schools that serve Atherton
residents. The dedicated staffing will support San
Mateo County Safe Routes to School Programming
and collaboration with schools and neighborhoods
to offer more consistent bike and walk safety
education as well as Track progress on the
implementation of all recently completed Safe
Routes to School walk audit report
recommendations. Complete walk audits and
reports for all schools within Atherton.
 Roadway Safety
 Improved Health
 Menlo Park Safe
Routes to School
Program
 Palo Alto Safe
Routes to School
Program
Programs
Proposed in 2014 Plan Existing
 Update town-wide traffic counts for all modes, including automobile counts, to assist with the feasibility and design for including pedestrian and bicycle facilities in new
projects
Attachment 3
January 30, 2026
Alta Planning + Design, Inc. 4 Town of Atherton
Support Program Description Plan Goal Examples
Annual Bicycle and
Pedestrian Collision
Reports
Conduct annual assessments of bicycle and
pedestrian collisions to understand traffic safety
issues and track progress toward a safer community
for people walking and biking. Through the annual
assessment, monitor and install safety
countermeasures based on best practices to
improve the conditions for people walking and
biking.
 Roadway Safety
 Funding and
Implementation
 Network
Cohesiveness
and Connectivity
 SFMTA Collision
Report
 UC Berkeley
SafeTREC’s
Community
Pedestrian and
Bicycle Safety
Program
Bike Lane and Parking
Enforcement
Coordinate with Traffic Safety officers to enforce no
parking in a bike lane and in a "no parking" zone,
especially near schools and with reported issues,
such as Valparaiso Avenue and along Middlefield
Road.
 Roadway Safety  San Francisco, CA
 Oakland, CA
End of Year Workplan
Reporting
Catalog all finished projects from the previous fiscal
year and calculate the number of miles of new
and/or upgraded bicycle and pedestrian facilities
installed. This will help keep Town staff and the
public informed on progress towards implementing
the Active Transportation Plan, as well as identify
potential new projects.
 Funding and
Implementation
 Network
Cohesiveness
and Connectivity
 City of Alameda
2024 Annual
Report & 2025
Work Plan
Proposed Policies
This section describes proposed new or expanded polices supporting active transportation. Where appropriate and available, each section presents examples of existing policies within the Town and best practices from other jurisdictions. The table of policies encompass education, enforcement, encouragement, and evaluation programs to help institutionalize safe biking and walking networks.

Table 3: Recommended Policies
Support Policy Description Plan Goal Examples
Frontage
Improvements &
Developer Fees
Ordinance
Review and update planning documents, building
codes, development permit requirements and
ordinances to require development projects to
construct or contribute to bicycle and pedestrian
facilities through the development permitting
process, particularly along key routes, accessing
schools, multi-family areas and supporting key
transit stops. To maintain the Town’s semi-rural
character, consider adopting ordinances that
collect developer fees toward active transportation
improvements, such as accessible walking paths
and biking facilities, where appropriate.
 Network
Cohesiveness
and Connectivity
 TransitOrientedDevelopment
 Funding and
Implementation
 Improved Health
 San Bruno
Development
Impact Fees &
Capacity Charges
 Menlo Park
Frontage
Improvement
Requirements
Attachment 3
January 30, 2026
Alta Planning + Design, Inc. 5 Town of Atherton
Support Policy Description Plan Goal Examples
Update Street Design
Standards
To ensure maintenance of the Town’s semi- rural
character, develop Town design standards for
bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. The design
standards could provide consistency of
requirements related to the various
neighborhoods, routes, street designations, and
zoning districts.

Once developed, establish a five-year cycle for
reviewing and updating the Town’s design
standards for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure,
incorporating best practices from Caltrans, Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA), National
Association of City Transportation Officials
(NACTO), and other leading agencies to ensure
safe, modern, and effective facilities.
 Network
Cohesiveness
and Connectivity
 Funding and
Implementation
 Improved Health
 Small Town and
Rural Design Guide
Daylighting In compliance with the California Vehicle Codes Section 22500 that prohibits people from parking,
stopping, or leaving a motor vehicle unattended
within 20 feet of the vehicle approach side of any
marked or unmarked crosswalk or within 15 feet of
any crosswalk where a curb extension is present.

The Town can improve enforcement of the
California Vehicle Code by installing a red-painted
curb, curb extensions, bicycle parking or other
space activation, and/or signage, where
appropriate.
 Roadway Safety
 Network
Cohesiveness
and Connectivity
 Fremont, CA
Attachment 3