CITY OF FOSTER CITY
(EOC) EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER
1040 E. HILLSDALE BLVD.
FOSTER CITY, CALIFORNIA
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WISH TO ATTEND AND/OR PARTICIPATE IN A MEETING MAY DO SO IN PERSON OR BY JOINING THE ZOOM MEETING HTTPS://FOSTERCITY ORG.ZOOM.US/J/82592136594 PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED BOTH IN PERSON AND VIA ZOOM MEETING. ANY EMAILS SENT TO [email protected] WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
To Attend the Meeting in Person:
Location: 620 Foster City Blvd, Foster City, California, 94404 To Provide Public Comment in Person:
Members of the public wishing to speak will be asked to fill out a Request to Speak Form. Forms will be accepted until the staff presentation on an agenda item ends, or until the public comment period on non agenda items is closed. For special meetings, public comment is limited to item(s) on the agenda only.
To Observe the Meeting via Teleconference/Video Conference:
To access the meeting by computer / smartphone, go to: https://fostercityorg.zoom.us/j/82592136594 To dialin via phone:
16694449171 or
14086380968
And enter Webinar ID: 825 9213 6594
To Participate in the Meeting by Providing Public Comment via Teleconference/Video Conference:
During the Meeting: Live verbal public comments may be made by members of the public joining the meeting via Zoom. Zoom access information is provided above. Use the “raise hand” feature (for those joining by phone, press *9 to “raise hand”) during the public comment period for the agenda item you wish to address. The Zoom Host will call on people to speak by name provided or last 4 digits of phone number for dialin attendees. Please clearly state your full name for the record at the start of your public comment.
Before the Meeting: Written public comments for the record may be submitted in advance by 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting by email to: [email protected] and will be made part of the written record but will not be read verbally at the meeting. Written public comments submitted by email should adhere to the following:
Clearly indicate the Agenda Item No. or specify “Public” in the Subject Line for items not on the agenda Include the submitter’s full name (Recommended but not required) Written public comments received by 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting will be provided in their entirety to the City Council prior to the meeting and will be made part of the written record but will not be read verbally at the meeting.
Written public comments will be posted to the City’s website for review prior to the meeting.
AGENDA
Monday, May 04, 2026 5:00 PM
SPECIAL MEETING AS CITY COUNCIL
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
Councilmembers Stacy Jimenez, Suzy Niederhofer, Patrick Sullivan, Phoebe Venkat, and Mayor Art Kiesel
3. PUBLIC
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.3(a), members of the public wishing to address the Council may do so, and the comments shall be limited to the Special Meeting notice topic(s). Speakers may join the Zoom meeting via the meeting link and using the “raise hand” feature and the Zoom host will call on people.
4. STUDY SESSION
4.1. Update on the Foster City Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Including Five (5) Projects Recommended for Further Project Development a) Staff Report
b) Action By Minute Order, Receive and Accept Report and Provide Policy Direction
5. ADJOURNMENT
The public is invited to attend.
Any attendee wishing special accommodations at the meeting should contact the City Clerk’s Department at (650) 2863250 or [email protected] at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. The City has a procedure for receiving and swiftly resolving requests for reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities, consistent with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12132), and resolving any doubt in favor of accessibility.
That procedure for receiving and resolving requests for accommodation is available at the City Clerk’s Office. All meetings are conducted in a manner consistent with applicable civil rights and nondiscrimination laws.
Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda after the agenda packet was distributed will be made available for public inspection in the City Clerk Department at City Hall located at 610 Foster City Boulevard during normal business hours and at the meeting.
City Council meetings on FCTV on Comcast Channel 27 and AT&T Channel 99:
LIVE every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month
REPLAY next day at 1:00 pm (that week only)
REPLAY Saturday at 5:00 pm (only on Saturday the week the actual meeting occurs) City Council meetings on https://www.fostercity.org/community/page/fctvlivestream:
STREAMED LIVE every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month
City Council meetings ondemand:
https://www.fostercity.org/agendasandminutes
1 CITY OF FOSTER CITY
(EOC) EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER
1040 E. HILLSDALE BLVD.
FOSTER CITY, CALIFORNIA
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WISH TO ATTEND AND/OR PARTICIPATE IN A MEETING MAY DO SO IN PERSON OR BY JOINING THE ZOOM MEETING HTTPS://FOSTERCITY ORG.ZOOM.US/J/82592136594 PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED BOTH IN PERSON AND VIA ZOOM MEETING. ANY EMAILS SENT TO [email protected] WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
To Attend the Meeting in Person:
Location: 620 Foster City Blvd, Foster City, California, 94404 To Provide Public Comment in Person:
Members of the public wishing to speak will be asked to fill out a Request to Speak Form. Forms will be accepted until the staff presentation on an agenda item ends, or until the public comment period on non agenda items is closed. For special meetings, public comment is limited to item(s) on the agenda only.
To Observe the Meeting via Teleconference/Video Conference:
To access the meeting by computer / smartphone, go to: https://fostercityorg.zoom.us/j/82592136594 To dialin via phone:
16694449171 or
14086380968
And enter Webinar ID: 825 9213 6594
To Participate in the Meeting by Providing Public Comment via Teleconference/Video Conference:
During the Meeting: Live verbal public comments may be made by members of the public joining the meeting via Zoom. Zoom access information is provided above. Use the “raise hand” feature (for those joining by phone, press *9 to “raise hand”) during the public comment period for the agenda item you wish to address. The Zoom Host will call on people to speak by name provided or last 4 digits of phone number for dialin attendees. Please clearly state your full name for the record at the start of your public comment.
Before the Meeting: Written public comments for the record may be submitted in advance by 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting by email to: [email protected] and will be made part of the written record but will not be read verbally at the meeting. Written public comments submitted by email should adhere to the following:
Clearly indicate the Agenda Item No. or specify “Public” in the Subject Line for items not on the agenda Include the submitter’s full name (Recommended but not required) Written public comments received by 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting will be provided in their entirety to the City Council prior to the meeting and will be made part of the written record but will not be read verbally at the meeting.
Written public comments will be posted to the City’s website for review prior to the meeting.
AGENDA
Monday, May 04, 2026 5:00 PM
SPECIAL MEETING AS CITY COUNCIL
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
Councilmembers Stacy Jimenez, Suzy Niederhofer, Patrick Sullivan, Phoebe Venkat, and Mayor Art Kiesel
3. PUBLIC
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.3(a), members of the public wishing to address the Council may do so, and the comments shall be limited to the Special Meeting notice topic(s). Speakers may join the Zoom meeting via the meeting link and using the “raise hand” feature and the Zoom host will call on people.
4. STUDY SESSION
4.1. Update on the Foster City Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Including Five (5) Projects Recommended for Further Project Development a) Staff Report
b) Action By Minute Order, Receive and Accept Report and Provide Policy Direction
5. ADJOURNMENT
The public is invited to attend.
Any attendee wishing special accommodations at the meeting should contact the City Clerk’s Department at (650) 2863250 or [email protected] at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. The City has a procedure for receiving and swiftly resolving requests for reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities, consistent with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12132), and resolving any doubt in favor of accessibility.
That procedure for receiving and resolving requests for accommodation is available at the City Clerk’s Office. All meetings are conducted in a manner consistent with applicable civil rights and nondiscrimination laws.
Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda after the agenda packet was distributed will be made available for public inspection in the City Clerk Department at City Hall located at 610 Foster City Boulevard during normal business hours and at the meeting.
City Council meetings on FCTV on Comcast Channel 27 and AT&T Channel 99:
LIVE every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month
REPLAY next day at 1:00 pm (that week only)
REPLAY Saturday at 5:00 pm (only on Saturday the week the actual meeting occurs) City Council meetings on https://www.fostercity.org/community/page/fctvlivestream:
STREAMED LIVE every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month
City Council meetings ondemand:
https://www.fostercity.org/agendasandminutes
2 CITY OF FOSTER CITY
(EOC) EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER
1040 E. HILLSDALE BLVD.
FOSTER CITY, CALIFORNIA
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WISH TO ATTEND AND/OR PARTICIPATE IN A MEETING MAY DO SO IN PERSON OR BY JOINING THE ZOOM MEETING HTTPS://FOSTERCITY ORG.ZOOM.US/J/82592136594 PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED BOTH IN PERSON AND VIA ZOOM MEETING. ANY EMAILS SENT TO [email protected] WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
To Attend the Meeting in Person:
Location: 620 Foster City Blvd, Foster City, California, 94404 To Provide Public Comment in Person:
Members of the public wishing to speak will be asked to fill out a Request to Speak Form. Forms will be accepted until the staff presentation on an agenda item ends, or until the public comment period on non agenda items is closed. For special meetings, public comment is limited to item(s) on the agenda only.
To Observe the Meeting via Teleconference/Video Conference:
To access the meeting by computer / smartphone, go to: https://fostercityorg.zoom.us/j/82592136594 To dialin via phone:
16694449171 or
14086380968
And enter Webinar ID: 825 9213 6594
To Participate in the Meeting by Providing Public Comment via Teleconference/Video Conference:
During the Meeting: Live verbal public comments may be made by members of the public joining the meeting via Zoom. Zoom access information is provided above. Use the “raise hand” feature (for those joining by phone, press *9 to “raise hand”) during the public comment period for the agenda item you wish to address. The Zoom Host will call on people to speak by name provided or last 4 digits of phone number for dialin attendees. Please clearly state your full name for the record at the start of your public comment.
Before the Meeting: Written public comments for the record may be submitted in advance by 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting by email to: [email protected] and will be made part of the written record but will not be read verbally at the meeting. Written public comments submitted by email should adhere to the following:
Clearly indicate the Agenda Item No. or specify “Public” in the Subject Line for items not on the agenda Include the submitter’s full name (Recommended but not required) Written public comments received by 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting will be provided in their entirety to the City Council prior to the meeting and will be made part of the written record but will not be read verbally at the meeting.
Written public comments will be posted to the City’s website for review prior to the meeting.
AGENDA
Monday, May 04, 2026 5:00 PM
SPECIAL MEETING AS CITY COUNCIL
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
Councilmembers Stacy Jimenez, Suzy Niederhofer, Patrick Sullivan, Phoebe Venkat, and Mayor Art Kiesel
3. PUBLIC
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.3(a), members of the public wishing to address the Council may do so, and the comments shall be limited to the Special Meeting notice topic(s). Speakers may join the Zoom meeting via the meeting link and using the “raise hand” feature and the Zoom host will call on people.
4. STUDY SESSION
4.1. Update on the Foster City Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Including Five (5) Projects Recommended for Further Project Development a) Staff Report
b) Action By Minute Order, Receive and Accept Report and Provide Policy Direction
5. ADJOURNMENT
The public is invited to attend.
Any attendee wishing special accommodations at the meeting should contact the City Clerk’s Department at (650) 2863250 or [email protected] at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. The City has a procedure for receiving and swiftly resolving requests for reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities, consistent with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12132), and resolving any doubt in favor of accessibility.
That procedure for receiving and resolving requests for accommodation is available at the City Clerk’s Office. All meetings are conducted in a manner consistent with applicable civil rights and nondiscrimination laws.
Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda after the agenda packet was distributed will be made available for public inspection in the City Clerk Department at City Hall located at 610 Foster City Boulevard during normal business hours and at the meeting.
City Council meetings on FCTV on Comcast Channel 27 and AT&T Channel 99:
LIVE every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month
REPLAY next day at 1:00 pm (that week only)
REPLAY Saturday at 5:00 pm (only on Saturday the week the actual meeting occurs) City Council meetings on https://www.fostercity.org/community/page/fctvlivestream:
STREAMED LIVE every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month
City Council meetings ondemand:
https://www.fostercity.org/agendasandminutes
3 DATE: May 4, 2026
TO: Mayor and Members of the Foster City Council
VIA: Stefan Chatwin, City Manager
Marlene Subhashini, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Andrew Brozyna, Public Works Director
Laura Galli, Engineering Manager
Francine Magno, Senior Civil Engineer
Claire McWilliams, Assistant Engineer
DEPARTMENT: Public Works
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON THE FOSTER CITY BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN INCLUDING FIVE (5) PROJECTS
RECOMMENDED FOR FURTHER PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council, by Minute Order, receive and accept this update on the Foster City Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP) and provide general direction and feedback on the five (5) projects recommended by the project team for further conceptual project development.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City’s consultant, Fehr and Peers, has been developing the BPMP Project (“Project”), a comprehensive plan to improve the way people walk, bike, and roll throughout Foster City. The Project kicked off in April 2025 and is currently in its third phase, in which twenty-four (24) projects have been identified and prioritized using the prioritization methodology accepted by City Council at the December 15, 2025, meeting.
While all projects are important to the fulfillment of the plan, five (5) projects have been identified for further exploration and for a more in-depth feasibility analysis. In selecting the five
4.1 4.1 Staff Report
4 (5) projects for further development, the project team considered the scoring methodology, in addition to public feedback received throughout all Project phases, as well as staff’s understanding of the Project’s overarching goals: to develop a safe, well-connected, and sensitively designed bicycle and pedestrian network throughout Foster City.
Prior to finalizing the draft plan, the City Council is asked to provide direction on five (5) projects recommended for further study. The project team will present these projects and provide the rationale for their selection, including the criteria and key factors considered to prioritize these projects. Upon finalization of the draft plan, these five (5) projects will be advanced to a preliminary design stage, which includes written project descriptions, aerial overlays, and rough order magnitude (ROM) costs. These preliminary designs will help guide future capital improvement projects (CIPs) over the next 5 years and position the City to apply for future bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure improvement grants.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS
Methodology
On December 15, 2025, City Council received and accepted, by Minute Order, a status update on the progress of the development of the BPMP and provided general policy direction on the preliminary plan goals, policies, and prioritization methodology. The prioritization methodology consisted of three overarching categories: Safety, Connectivity, and Feasibility. Each overarching category includes multiple criteria, listed in the table below:
Category Criteria Data Score
Fatal or Injury
Bicycle/Pedestrian Collision
Collision Points
Source: Foster City PD
0-1
Bicycle Pedestrian Collision Collision Points
Source: Foster City PD
0-1
Safety
Level of Traffic Stress Level of Traffic Stress
Analysis
Source: Fehr and Peers
0-1
Connectivity Score Connectivity Analysis
Source: Fehr and Peers
0-1
Tier 1 Priority Intersections Priority Intersections
Source: Fehr and Peers
0-1
Connectivity Increases Connectivity across
Major Roads in Foster City
(Hillsdale, FCB, Hwy 92) or
Access to San Mateo Caltrain
Access Project
Major Roads
Source: Foster City
0-1
Available Right-of-Way
(ROW)
ROW Analysis
Source: Fehr and Peers
0-1
Feasibility Estimated Costs Feasibility Analysis
Source: Fehr and Peers
0-1
Maximum Possible Score 8
Following City Council direction to proceed with the prioritization methodology, Fehr and Peers began the process of prioritizing projects shown on the future bicycle network map (Attachment
4.1 4.1 Staff Report
5 1). The future bicycle network map received feedback and direction from both the Traffic Review Committee (TRC) and the public in Fall 2025 during Phase 2 outreach.
Prioritization Results
From the prioritization methodology, the maximum possible score any one project could receive is 8. These high-scoring projects represent the highest measurable increases in the concerns covered by the three (3) evaluation categories. While the prioritization matrix captures empirical inputs such as safety data, available street width, and connectivity, the prioritized project list represents a snapshot in time and will be continuously evaluated against public feedback, underscoring the importance of community engagement throughout the planning process and beyond.
The resulting list consists of twenty-four (24) potential projects, separated into segments with distinct beginning and end points. These projects vary in their level of complexity, with Foster City Boulevard and East Hillsdale Boulevard representing the highest complexity due to their high traffic volume and spatial constraints. Both are currently designated as Class IV Bikeways, pending feasibility due to their potential community and traffic impacts which would need to be evaluated through robust public engagement and traffic studies. In response to an inquiry from Councilmember Jimenez regarding the addition of a Class IV bike lane on Foster City Boulevard as part of the current Street Rehabilitation Project (CIP 726), staff have provided a detailed analysis and response, which can be found in Attachment 2.
While every project is important to the fulfillment of the plan, five (5) projects will be selected to advance to a more in-depth feasibility analysis, consisting of ROM cost estimations, conceptual drawings, and an outline of what further analysis/studies (e.g. traffic impact studies, speed studies, design surveys) are needed to advance the improvements. These five (5) selected projects will help kickstart future CIPs and ascertain the public’s support for the proposed changes. The full project list can be viewed in Attachment 3.
Project Team Recommendations
The projects identified below are the five (5) projects recommended by staff to advance to preliminary design.
Corridor Begin End Type of
Facility
Existing
Facility
Project
Type
Total
Score
Beach
Park Blvd
Foster City
Blvd
Gull Ave Class IV Class III Upgrade 8
Edgewater
Blvd
City Limits E Hillsdale
Blvd
Class IV Class II Upgrade 7
Edgewater
Blvd
Hillsdale
Blvd
Boothbay
Ave
Class IV Class II Upgrade 6
Gull Ave Beach
Park Blvd
E Hillsdale
Blvd
Class III (Bike
Blvd)
Class III Upgrade 5
Marlin Ave Catamaran
St
Beach
Park Blvd
Class III (Bike
Blvd)
Class III Upgrade 5
4.1 4.1 Staff Report
6 The justification for the advancement of each of these projects follows themes identified in the previously approved goals and policies, specifically emphasizing increased regional connectivity and improvements near schools and parks. The project team selected these based on a balance of implementation speed, cost-effectiveness, and community impact.
Projects were selected to include both near-term improvements and those requiring a longer planning effort. This approach allows the City to deliver early, tangible benefits, such as bicycle boulevards near schools, while continuing to plan for more complex efforts along Beach Park Boulevard.
Additionally, cost effectiveness was considered through projects that deliver high-impact safety and connectivity improvements relative to investment, including enhancing connections to the levee, schools, and key destinations. Community impact also played an important role. Some projects, such as Beach Park Boulevard, are expected to be well-received based on prior public engagement, while others in the project list, like Foster City Boulevard, will require additional study and public engagement due to their broader impacts.
This balanced list of short- and long-term projects helps build early momentum while ensuring thoughtful planning for larger initiatives. It also supports alignment with future funding opportunities particularly for the larger long-term projects. The project team will provide a presentation of these five (5) projects.
With Council’s acceptance of the five (5) priority projects, staff will authorize Fehr and Peers to begin drafting project cut sheets, which will detail ROM costs, proposed street cross sections, and improvement details. Once the project cut sheets have been developed, the projects will be incorporated into the draft plan. The draft plan will be shared with the public during Phase 3 public engagement, which will consist of an online survey and one in-person workshop. After public outreach has been completed, staff will bring the final plan to the TRC for review and consideration, followed by a public hearing for review and adoption by the City Council.
CEQA
This agenda item is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21000, et seq. and the CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 15000 et. seq.), including without limitation, Public Resources Code section 21065 and California Code of Regulations 15378 as this is not a "project" that may cause a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
Infrastructure and Facilities; Innovation and Sustainability
4.1 4.1 Staff Report
7 ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 – Existing and Future Bicycle Network Maps Attachment 2 – Memo: Addition of a Class IV Bike Lane to Foster City Boulevard Attachment 3 – Prioritized Project List
4.1 4.1 Staff Report
8 4.1
Attachment 1 - Existing and Future Bicycle Network Maps
9 4.1
Attachment 1 - Existing and Future Bicycle Network Maps
10 City of Foster City
MEMORANDUM
Public Works Engineering
DATE: April 13, 2026
TO: Stefan Chatwin, City Manager
VIA: Marlene Subhasini, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Andrew Brozyna, Public Works Director
Laura Galli, Engineering Manager
Claire McWilliams, Assistant Engineer
SUBJECT: The Addition of a Class IV Bicycle Facility to Foster City Boulevard
Background
Foster City Boulevard (FCB) is a primary north/south corridor serving both residents and visitors to Foster City and is currently configured with multiple travel lanes in each direction with dedicated turn pockets on the southbound side and residential parking on the northbound side. The corridor serves some of the highest traffic volumes for the City and plays an important role in the overall network.
During the design phase of the Street Rehabilitation Project (2025-2026), staff evaluated potential bicycle facility upgrades and safety improvements, ultimately adding intersection stop bars and additional turn lane arrows to enhance pedestrian safety. At the time the construction documents were developed in 2025, however, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP) was still in its early stages. Without finalized recommendations from the consultants and input from Council on its priorities , it was premature to alter the striping plan and layout for FCB. Since improving the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) is a major priority for the City, the paving project proceeded as planned.
Later, as the BPMP progressed, it ultimately led to the recommendation for Class IV bike lanes, with the caveat that it would require a comprehensive feasibility study. If deemed feasible, this would evolve into a large -scale, standalone project requiring extensive public outreach due to anticipated traffic movement changes and new restrictions , meaning the design could take a significant amount of time to be developed.
Current Ask/Proposal
The current ask from the City Council is to incorporate a Class IV bike lane into the paving project, post-award in response to community interest.
While staff support expanding bicycle infrastructure , a Class IV bike lane represents a significant roadway modification and cannot be considered a minor adjustment which may result in a lane reduction and parking loss to an already awarded paving project.
4.1 Attachment 2 - Memo - Addition of a Class IV Bike Lane to Foster City Blvd
11 Process
The standard process for implementation of any bike facility or alteration of a roadway’s cross section goes through, at a minimum, the following steps:
1. Traffic Study
Implementation of a Class IV bike lane on a major corridor of this type typically requires a detailed traffic analysis to evaluate the overall level of service (LOS), which includes, speed, travel time, and comfort. This level of analysis would need to be completed and requires a transportation consultant to perform the study.
2. Public Outreach
Public outreach is essential. Projects involving lane reductions and parking removal include a robust public outreach process. While general feedback has been received as part of the Bicycle and Pedestrian planning process , a focused effort would guide project development more effectively. During Phase 1 outreach of the BPMP, community members expressed concerns regarding potential traffic impacts, and these concerns should be explored more in depth to identify localized concerns to Foster City Boulevard.
As demonstrated throughout the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, a structured outreach process allows the City to present alternatives, evaluate trade -offs, and refine the design based on community input. Neighboring jurisdictions have followed extensive outreach and evaluation processes for similar projects:
1. The City of San Mateo’s Delaware Street Safe Routes to School Corridor Bicycle Improvements Project included over a year of public outreach prior to implementation.
2. The City of San Mateo’s 19 th Ave and Fashion Island Blvd Multimodal Improvements Project also involved more than a year of community engagement and technical analysis.
3. In contrast, recent implementation of bike lanes on California Drive in Burlingame generated community concerns related to limited outreach and impacts to local businesses.
These examples demonstrate the importance of a deliberate and transparent process, particularly for projects involving roadway reconfiguration and potential traffic impacts.
3. Transit Coordination
Foster City Boulevard also serves as a transit route. The addition of a bike lane to the roadway has implications for bus routes and bus stop configuration, which would be explored through collaboration with SamTrans. Without this phase, there may be unintended consequences for transit us ers and cyclists using the bike facility.
4.1 Attachment 2 - Memo - Addition of a Class IV Bike Lane to Foster City Blvd
12 Constraints and Impacts
While bike lanes allow users to access a roadway through a new mode of transportation, there are multiple constraints and impacts that are considered and evaluated as part of the standard planning process.
The first of these impacts is to traffic. Currently, the width of both the northbound and southbound roadways on Foster City Boulevard cannot support the addition of a Class IV bike lane without the reduction of travel lanes and removal of some on -street parking.
These impacts have not been evaluated through a formal traffic study or public engagement process.
Additionally, the extent of the paving project does not extend along the full length of Foster City Boulevard. As a result, a partial installation of a Class IV bike lane, as proposed, would not provide a continuous bike lane and may direct cyclists onto higher stress roadways, limiting overall effectiveness. A formal capital improvement project (CIP) would examine the entire length of Foster City Boulevard, holistically, and not just limited to the extents of the paving project.
Adopted Policy
Current policy adopted by the City Council includes a Complete Streets policy , which emphasizes creating a transportation network that is safe, equitable, and convenient for all users, while also preserving flexibility, recognizing community context, and using best practices and appropriate design standards.
These principles require balancing the needs of all users, including motorists, transit riders, pedestrians, bicyclists, and ensuring that any improvements are appropriate for the corridor. Advancing a Class IV bike lane without sufficient analysis and outreach may not fully reflect this balanced, context-sensitive approach outlined in the Complete Streets policy.
Risks
Implementing a Class IV bike lane under the current proposed process may result in the following:
- Unanticipated traffic congestion; and
- Diversion of traffic to nearby streets; and
- Public dissatisfaction if impacts are not sought out, understood, and addressed in a thorough public outreach and design process; and
- A facility that does not function optimally due to gaps in connectivity; and - Reduced opportunity to refine the design through public input.
These risks are typically discovered and mitigated through the standard planning and outreach process.
Recommendation
Staff recommend that the installation of a Class IV bike lane on Foster City Boulevard not be incorporated into the current paving project. Instead, staff recommend:
4.1 Attachment 2 - Memo - Addition of a Class IV Bike Lane to Foster City Blvd
13 1. Evaluating the corridor through the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan process
2. Conducting a detailed traffic study
3. Completing a thorough and robust public engagement process, similar to other jurisdictions
This approach ensures the City delivers a project that is not only consistent with policy goals, but also implementable and supported by the community.
To expedite this process, staff can move forward with the development of a Class IV bike lane prior to the completion of the BPMP, starting with a traffic study, which would include creating a new CIP and rearranging priorities. This would include skipping the public outreach outlined above and potentially streamline the project by 1 year. However, this is not the recommendation of staff for reasons stated earlier . Even with the expedited process, staff would likely not be able to onboard a consultant, perf orm a traffic study, and complete a striping plan prior to the completion of the paving project.
Conclusion
The City has a strong interest in advancing bicycle infrastructure and Complete Streets goals. However, implementing a Class IV bike lane on a corridor such as Foster City Boulevard requires careful study, design, and community engagement.
Incorporating this facility into a paving project at this stage would bypass key steps in that process and introduce normally avoidable risks. Taking the time to complete the appropriate analysis and outreach will result in a more effective, better supported, and ultimately more successful project.
4.1 Attachment 2 - Memo - Addition of a Class IV Bike Lane to Foster City Blvd
14 Project ID Corridor Begin End Type of Facility Existing Facility Project Type Total Score BPMP-06.aBeach Park Blvd Edgewater BlvdShell Blvd Class IV Class II Bike Lane Upgrade 8 BPMP-06.cBeach Park Blvd Foster City BlvdGull Ave Class IV Class III. Green-backed sharrow Upgrade 8 BPMP-05.aEdgewater Blvd /
Mariners Island Blvd City Limits E Hillsdale Blvd Class IV Class II Bike Lane Upgrade 7 BPMP-07.aShell Blvd Metro Center
Blvd Bounty Dr Class IV Class II & IIB Upgrade 7
BPMP-09 Catamaran St Shell Blvd Marlin Ave Class III N/A New Facility 7 BPMP-02.bFoster City Blvd E Hillsdale Beach Park Blvd Class IV pending feasibility N/A New Facility 6 BPMP-05.bEdgewater Blvd E Hillsdale BlvdBoothbay Ave Class IV Class II Bike Lane Upgrade 6 BPMP-06.bBeach Park Blvd Shell Blvd Foster City Blvd Class IV Class III. Green-backed sharrow Upgrade 6 BPMP-07.bShell Blvd Bounty Dr Beach Park Blvd Class IV Class II & IIB Upgrade 6 BPMP-08 E Hillsdale Blvd City Limits Beach Park Blvd Class IV pending feasibility Class II Upgrade 6 BPMP-02.aFoster City Blvd E 3rd Ave E Hillsdale Blvd Class IV N/A New Facility 5 BPMP-04 Metro Center Blvd Edgewater BlvdShell Blvd Class IV Class II Bike Lane Upgrade 5 BPMP-10 Marlin Ave Catamaran St Beach Park Blvd Class III Class III. Green-backed sharrow Improvements 5 BPMP-14 Gull Ave Beach Park Blvd E Hillsdale Blvd Class III Class III. Green-backed sharrow Improvements 5 BPMP-03 Vintage Park Dr Metro Center
Blvd Foster City Blvd Class IV Class III. Green-backed sharrow Upgrade 4 BPMP-11 Tarpon St Marlin Ave Beach Park Blvd Class III Class III. Green-backed sharrow Improvements 4 BPMP-12 Swordfish St Marlin Ave Beach Park Blvd Class III Class III. Green-backed sharrow Improvements 4 BPMP-17 Polaris Ave Beach Park Blvd Sun Ave Class III N/A New Facility 4 BPMP-13 Grebe St Gull Ave Marlin Ave Class III N/A New Facility 3 BPMP-01 E 3rd Ave City Limits Levee/Bay Trail Class IV N/A New Facility 2 BPMP-05.cEdgewater Blvd Boothbay AveBaffin Class IV Class II Bike Lane Upgrade 2 BPMP-15 Marsh Dr E 3rd Ave Vintage Park Class III N/A Improvements 2
PRIORITIZED BICYCLE FACILITY PROJECTS
4.1 Attachment 3 - Prioritized Project List
15 BPMP-16 Chess Dr Vintage Park Dr Foster City Blvd Class IV N/A New Facility 2 BPMP-06.dBeach Park Blvd /
Foster City Elementary Virgo Ln Polaris Ave Class IV N/A New Facility 1 *Assumption is that intersections along any of these facilities would get improved concurrently
4.1 Attachment 3 - Prioritized Project List
16