DATE:
June 23, 2026
CATEGORY:
Consent
DEPT.:
Public Works
TITLE: 2025-26 North Bayshore Trip Cap
Monitoring Reports
RECOMMENDATION
Review and accept the fall 2025 and spring 2026 North Bayshore Trip Cap Reports
BACKGROUND
The City began monitoring the vehicle volumes at each of the three North Bayshore gateways in February 2014 as part of the North Bayshore Precise Plan (NBPP). This monitoring occurs in fall and spring of each year to ensure compliance with the maximum number of trips allowable during the AM and PM peak period. Annual reports are generally submitted to the City Council in late spring. Past monitoring reports are available on the City’s North Bayshore Precise Plan webpage.
North Bayshore Precise Plan
In December 2017, the City Council adopted an updated NBPP, including the following key policies:
• North Bayshore Gateway Peak -Hour Vehicle Trip Cap: The District Vehicle Trip Cap was established as the maximum number of trips allowable at the three North Bayshore gateways (San Antonio Road, Rengstorff Avenue, and Shoreline Boulevard) during morning and evening peak-hour periods. The cap was established by the 2014 Precise Plan at 18,850 vehicles in the a.m. and 16,630 in the p.m . In December 2021, the City Council approved the Circulation Study (discussed below) to modify the Trip Cap policy to include directional monitoring for both inbound and outbound trips. As part of required monitoring activities, City staff collects traffic volumes and observes transportation mode share at the three major entry points into North Bayshore.
• Vehicle Trip Cap Penalties: Based on the NBPP, if monitoring data shows that the trip cap is exceeded at any of the three gateway locations for two consecutive monitoring periods,
2025-26 North Bayshore Trip Cap Monitoring Reports
June 23, 2026
the City may cease granting any new building permits for net new square footage in the NBPP area until the number of peak hour vehicle trips is reduced below the trip cap.
As an alternative to withholding building permits, the City can request an applicant propose trip reduction strategies, including, but not limited to, physical improvements to the transportation network and /or additional Transportation Demand Management (TDM) measures. The proposed strategies would include traffic analysis demonstrating that the proposed strategies and/or improvements will achieve the adequate levels of effectiveness for trip reduction to comply with the District Vehicle Trip Cap prior to project entitlement.
The developer-proposed strategies and/or improvements shall be implemented prior to building occupancy, unless deemed otherwise by the City Council or designee. The City Council will consider applications proposing improvements to the transportation network and/or additional TDM measures according to the review process established by Council policy.
North Bayshore Circulation Feasibility Study
The North Bayshore Circulation Feasibility Study (Circulation Study) developed updated transportation strategies for the full development of the North Bayshore Precise Plan. The City Council approved the final study and recommendations on December 7, 2021. The Circulation Study recommendations were developed to manage vehicle capacity at the gateways through a combination of travel demand management, modal shift, and limited infrastructure strategies.
The recommendations included an updated list of Priority Transportation Improvement projects and a requirement that future office development achieve a lower single -occupancy vehicle (SOV) rate in the range of 35% to 40% for both existing and future employees, which is lower than the NBPP’s current 45% SOV target.
The Circulation Study approved by Council included modified gateway trip cap policies to revise the time period and locations for compliance and to update gateway capacity estimates as follows:
• Continue the twice-yearly gateway monitoring program to track post-COVID traffic patterns and compliance trends. The monitoring should measure three -hour peak-period trips in both directions at each gateway and mode-share trends.
• Expand the monitoring program as new growth occurs to better understand characteristics of peak traffic, use of non-SOV modes, and trip characteristics of new residents.
• Measure compliance by comparing actual peak direction trips (a.m. inbound and p.m. outbound) with the gateway capacity for both the a.m. and p.m. three -hour peak periods as opposed to just the peak hour.
2025-26 North Bayshore Trip Cap Monitoring Reports
June 23, 2026
• Measure compliance by combining the Shoreline Boulevard and Rengstorff Avenue gateways. The San Antonio Road gateway should continue to be measured separately.
• Adjust the Shoreline Boulevard and Rengstorff Avenue gateway capacities as new infrastructure projects are completed.
Staff issued an RFP on February 13, 2026, for North Bayshore Semiannual Trip Counts (CIP 27-17) to continue the monitoring program. Staff expects to execut e a contract with the selected consultant for fiscal years 2026 -2029 with an option to extend for an additional two -year fixed term, at the discretion of the City.
ANALYSIS
The following focuses on the key findings from the fall 202 5 and spring 202 6 North Bayshore District traffic monitoring reports . Fall 2025 observations were collected in October 2025 and spring 2026 observations were collected in February and March 2026. The data gathered includes peak-hour and peak period vehicle trip volumes and transportation mode share , such as SOV, high occupancy vehicle, transit, biking and walking. The main reports are included as Attachments 1 and 2, with appendices to the reports located on the City’s North Bayshore Precise Plan webpage.
Post-Covid Observations
While the vehicle volumes into the district have steadily increased post -COVID, the rate of increase has somewhat stabilized as return-to-office policies have become more established and accepted by employees. Since monitoring activities resumed in 2021, traffic at the North Bayshore gateways has rebounded to levels between 60% to 80% of pre -covid volumes (spring 2020).
For both fall 2025 and spring 2026 monitoring periods, travel volumes continue to be significantly lower than before the pandemic, likely reflecting the acceptance of hybrid work models. Trip volumes are in compliance with the trip cap policy. However, the SOV rate of those commuting into the workplace remains well above the Precise Plan’s target of 45%. For example, the SOV rate was 66% in the fall and reached an unprecedented level of 74% in the spring. Travel patterns across the week continue to show a h igher share of employees coming to the workplace during the mid -week peak (Tuesday through Thursday) than on Mondays and Fridays. Subsequent monitoring efforts will continue to assess the impacts of ongoing return to work policies and new residential development.
2025-26 North Bayshore Trip Cap Monitoring Reports
June 23, 2026
Combined Gateway Mode Share
Table 1 shows the historical trend for all mode s of travel, including Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOVs), high-occupancy vehicles (HOV), transit, bicycle, and walking, since monitoring began in 2014. The gateway counts include Stevens Creek Trail and Permanente Creek Trail gateways into North Bayshore to determine mode shares.
Table 1: Inbound Morning Peak-Hour Mode Split for Combined Gateways, 2014-2026 1 1 * TNC—Transportation Network Company (i.e., Uber, Lyft). The City started monitoring TNCs in spring 2019. A one-person TNC (driver only) was included in the SOV category, while two -or-more-person TNC (driver plus passenger(s)) vehicles were categorized as HOV.
** Since fall 2019, TNC drivers have been excluded from the mode-share summary. The emergence of TNC vehicles has resulted in an alternative accounting of vehicle occupancy that excludes TNC drivers from the vehicle occupancy observations because they are providing a service and are not part of the traveling public with an origin or destination in North Bayshore.
*** Due to COVID-19 and the dramatic decrease in traffic in Mountain View , and throughout the Bay Area , during this period, the City did not prepare monitoring reports for fall 2020 and spring 2021.
S
'14
S
'15
F
'15
S
'16
F
'16
S
'17
F
'17
S
'18
F
'18
S
'19
*
F
'19
**
S
'20
**
F
'20
***
S
'21
***
F
'21
S
'22
F
'22
S
'23
F
'23
S
'24
F
'24
S
'25
F
'25
S
'26
Ped 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0% 1% 1% 0 0 2% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% Bike 3% 6% 6% 5% 6% 6% 3% 3% 3% 2% 4% 3% 0 0 4% 3% 3% 1% 3% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% Transit 33% 26% 26% 17% 23% 28% 32% 30% 32% 31% 37% 28% 0 0 11% 15% 17% 23% 20% 16% 16% 16% 21% 14% HOV 13% 12% 14% 17% 14% 13% 15% 14% 12% 12% 8% 11% 0 0 13% 18% 10% 10% 12% 17% 16% 11% 10% 9% SOV 51% 55% 53% 60% 56% 52% 49% 52% 52% 55% 50% 57% 0 0 70% 62% 69% 64% 64% 63% 64% 70% 66% 74% 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%Mode share
SOV HOV Transit Bike Ped
2025-26 North Bayshore Trip Cap Monitoring Reports
June 23, 2026
Key findings include:
• The morning inbound peak -hour SOV mode share has been higher since monitoring resumed after COVID-19. Between 2014 and spring 2020, SOV mode share averaged 54%, with a low of 49%. T he morning peak -hour SOV mode share has averaged 6 7% since fall 2021 when monitoring activities resumed —well above the North Bayshore Precise Plan’s 45% SOV target. Fall 2025 and spring 2026 monitoring maintain this trend. The spring 2026 count observations reported an inbound a.m. peak hour SOV mode share of 7 4%, an 8% increase from fall 202 5 count share of 66%, which is significantly higher than the pre- pandemic SOV rate.
• Transit mode share declined significantly following the pandemic and has been slow to recover, mirrorin g similar ridership trends seen by local and regional transit agencies.
Transit saw approximately 30% mode share pre-covid but has hovered around roughly half that at 17% since fall 2021. Through ongoing monitoring , staff will assess the impact of recent increases in MVgo shuttle ridership and further implementation of return to work policies.
• Utilization of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOVs) continues to see wide variations in mode split where it vied with transit for the second most preferred transportation option to SOVs.
• Bicycle mode share was consistent at 2% in both the fall and spring, reflecting a decrease from pre-pandemic rates (2-6%). Starting in fall 2023, three additional days of bike and pedestrian counts are now being collected to better understand evolving active transportation patterns. Additionally, seasonality and rainy weather conditions may explain the lower share of bike commuting in spring 2026, when counts were initially collected in February.
The 2025-26 monitoring data reflects the normalization of return -to-office hybrid models that were implemented by large employers since 2021. The Mountain View Transportation Management Association (TMA), employers, and transit operators all recognize the importance of providing convenient and efficient commute services to bring employees back to transit and multimodal options. In addition, economic uncertainty, major decisions over transit fiscal policy, and return to work policies may further impact travel behavior—providing the basis for ongoing monitoring in North Bayshore. Such data will be important to inform the status of existing priority transportation projects planned in the district.
2025-26 North Bayshore Trip Cap Monitoring Reports
June 23, 2026
Fall 2025 Combined and Individual Gateway Peak-Period Trip Cap Comparison
The fall 2025 total traffic volumes at the three gateways (San Antonio Road, Rengstorff Avenue, and Shoreline Boulevard) combined and individually are lower than the total gateway vehicle limits and comply with the North Bayshore Gateway Vehicle Trip Cap Policy (Table 2).
Table 2: Fall 2025 Gateway Trip Cap Performance—A.M. and P.M. Peak Period
Gateway
Morning Inbound Evening outbound
Volume Trip Cap
Remaining
Gateway
Capacity
Percent of
Gateway
Capacity
Remaining
Volume Trip Cap
Remaining
Gateway
Capacity
Percent of
Gateway
Capacity
Remaining
San
Antonio
Road
1,710 4,590 2,880 63% 1,470 4,020 2,550 63%
Rengstorff
Avenue 4,610 8,880 4,270 48% 3,990 7,140 3,150 44%
Shoreline
Boulevard 6,020 7,470 1,450 19% 5,360 8,190 2,830 35%
Total 12,340 20,940 8,600 41% 10,820 19,350 8,530 44%
Combined
Gateways
Shoreline
Boulevard
&
Rengstorff
Avenue
Combined
10,630 16,350 5,720 35% 9,350 15,330 5,980 39%
Spring 2026 Combined and Individual Gateway Peak-Period Trip Cap Comparison
Total traffic volumes in spring 202 6 closely mirrored those in the fall during the morning peak period and remained well below the gateway trip cap (Table 3 below). Fall and spring traffic counts show 34% and 35% unused gateway capacity, respectively. As such, t he current fiscal year’s monitoring activities support the broader understanding that travel patterns have reached a stasis post pandemic.
2025-26 North Bayshore Trip Cap Monitoring Reports
June 23, 2026
Table 3: Spring 2026 Gateway Trip Cap Policy Evaluation—A.M. and P.M. Peak Periods
Gateway
Morning Inbound Evening outbound
Volume Trip Cap
Remaining
Gateway
Capacity
Percent of
Gateway
Capacity
Remaining
Volume Trip Cap
Remaining
Gateway
Capacity
Percent of
Gateway
Capacity
Remaining
San
Antonio
Road
1,490 4,590 3,100 68% 1,230 4,020 2,790 69%
Rengstorff
Avenue 4,570 8,880 4,310 49% 4,420 7,140 2,720 38%
Shoreline
Boulevard 6,220 7,470 1,250 17% 5,240 8,190 2,950 36%
Total 12,280 20,940 8,660 41% 10,890 19,350 8,460 44%
Combined
Gateways
Shoreline
Boulevard
&
Rengstorff
Avenue
Combined
10,790 16,350 5,560 34% 9,660 15,330 5,670 37%
CONCLUSION
The 2025-26 North Bayshore monitoring reports present the findings that the observed North Bayshore gateway trip volumes complied with the North Bayshore Precise Plan and Circulation Study Trip Cap policies in Fiscal Year 202 5-26. Since late spring 2022, vehicle trip volumes and associated travel patterns have shifted as growing numbers of employees returned to work sites under hybrid work schedules, employer TDM programs modified commute offerings, and transit agencies struggled to maintain service levels . The 2025-26 monitoring reports suggest that the increase in trips has stabilized at approximately 77% pre-pandemic trip volumes. Observed travel behavior continues to indicate a higher- than-typical SOV rate; for example, reaching unprecedented levels at 74% in spring 2026 , exceeding the North Bayshore Precise Plan’s 45% SOV target.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with accepting the fall 2025 and spring 2026 North Bayshore Trip Cap Monitoring Reports. The recommended action is informational only and does not 2025-26 North Bayshore Trip Cap Monitoring Reports
June 23, 2026
require any appropriation of funds. The North Bayshore Trip Cap Monitoring Program, Project 26-24, is funded by the Shoreline Regional Park Community Fund.
LEVINE ACT
California Government Code Section 84308 (also known as the Levine Act) prohibits city officials from participating in any proceeding involving a “license, permit, or other entitlement for use” if the official has received a campaign contribution exceeding $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant within the last 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to- play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
Please see below for information about whether the recommended action for this agenda item is subject to or exempt from the Levine Act.
EXEMPT FROM THE LEVINE ACT
☒ General policy and legislative actions
ALTERNATIVES
1. Do not accept the North Bayshore Trip Cap reports.
2. Provide other direction.
PUBLIC NOTICING
Agenda posting and email notifications were sent to interested North Bayshore stakeholders.
Prepared by:
Ben Pacho
Transportation Planner
Reviewed by:
Allison Boyer
Assistant Public Works Director
Approved by:
Jennifer Ng
Public Works Director
Audrey Seymour Ramberg
Assistant City Manager
Attachments: 1. Fall 2024 NBS Monitoring Report
2. Spring 2025 NBS Monitoring Report