AGENDA
-Introduction
-Presentation
Caltrans paving project on State Route (SR) 82 (ECR)
Planning & Mobility
Safety Discussion for the proposed bikeway
Design Considerations & challenges
Engagement & Outreach
-Q&A
City Council Meeting
April 1, 2024, at 8:30 PM in the city Hall
Proposed Bikeway Implementation in Palo Alto
on State Route 82 (El Camino Real)
Caltrans SR 82 Paving Project
• Pavement Rehabilitation
• Curb ramps, sidewalks, and
driveways to comply with
Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) standard.
• High visibility crosswalk
markings
• Electrical work
• New bikeways in Mountain
View and Los Altos
• New bikeway proposal in
Palo Alto
Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon
Class IV Bike Way
High Visibility Crosswalk
APS
Scope:
Caltrans SR 82 Paving Project
Funding:
• Total project cost : $44.6 M
• Construction capital cost: 30.1 M
• SHOPP: $40.9 M (SB 1:$4.47 M)
• Local: $3.7 M (City of Mountain View)
• Bikeway in Palo Alto: $3.2 M (IIJA Safety)
Schedule:
Construction began in November
2023 and completion is in fall 2025(T) Class II Bike Lane
Strategic Priorities
and Policy
Safety, Equity,
Climate Action
+ Prosperity
El Camino Real in South San Francisco
Director’s Policy 37
Complete Streets
It is “Caltrans’ organizational
priority to encourage and
maximize walking, biking, transit,
and passenger rail.”
Planning
The need for bikeway improvements on El Camino Real has been documented in numerous county, regional and city planning efforts:
- VTA Bicycle Superhighway Implementation Plan (2021)
- Peninsula Bikeway Wayfinding, Safety and Feasibility Study (2021) - Grand Boulevard Initiative Palo Alto Safety Study (2019) - Caltrans District 4 Bike Plan (2018)
- VTA Countywide Bike Plan (2018)
Improving Mobility for Bicyclists on El Camino Real
• Most direct connection to many downtowns and business districts between San Jose and San Francisco
• Connects to existing local bikeways within Palo Alto and complements parallel routes
• Aligns with FHWA and Caltrans contextual guidance
El Camino Real Bikeways
In Development
Caltrans SHOPP projects proposing
bikeways on El Camino Real (tentative
construction years):
- Mountain View and Los Altos (2024)
- Redwood City and Atherton (2026)
- Daly City, Colma, South San
Francisco (2026)
- Santa Clara (2026)
- South San Francisco (2028)
- Palo Alto (potential in 2024)
SAFETY DISCUSSION
ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BIKEWAY
IN PALO ALTO ON SR 82 (ECR)
Bicyclist
Safety
Improvement
Monitoring
Program
Purpose: identify and
investigate areas with high
concentration of bicyclist-
involved crashes
Date range covered by the
Monitoring Program:
Jan 1, 2016 – Dec 31, 2020
(5-year period)
Bicyclist Safety Improvement Monitoring Program
1. Bonita Ave to Mariposa Ave (Mountain View)
2. West Charleston Rd to Maybell Ave (Palo Alto)
3. Wilton Ave to Matadero Ave (Palo Alto)
4. California to Park Blvd (Palo Alto)
5. Entrance to El Camino Park to Quarry Rd
(Palo Alto)
1 2
34 5
Bike Related Crash History Review
Highway Segments Along El Camino Real
Number of Bicyclist-related Crashes
(1/1/2016 – 12/31/2020)
Fatality Injury
1. Bonita Ave to Mariposa Ave (MV) 0 12
2. West Charleston Rd to Maybell Ave 0 4
3. Wilton Ave to Matadero Ave 0 4
4. California Ave to Park Blvd 1 8
5. Entrance to El Camino Park to Quarry Rd 0 4
Total 1 32
33 Broadside, 79%
Sideswipe, 6%
Head on, 3%
Other, 12%
Bike Related Crash History Review
(Crash Type)
Other violations
52%
Failure to yield
30%
Improper turn
9%
Not stated
6%
Speeding
3%
Bike Related Crash History Review
(Primary Collision Factor)
Bike Related Crash History Review
(Location of Collisions)
Location Number of
Crashes
Mid-block on El Camino Real 7 (21%)
At intersection with bicyclists
entering from El Camino Real
10 (30%)
At intersection with bicyclists
entering from side streets
12 (37%)
On local side streets near the vicinity
of El Camino Real
4 (12%)
Mid-block on
ECR
21%
At intersection
entering from
ECR
30%
At
intersection
entering
from side
streets
37%
On local
side
streets
near ECR
12%
Bike-Related Crash Pattern /
Mitigation
1. Drivers’ Failure to Yield
2. Bikes Going Against Flow of Traffic
3. Red Light Violation
Bike-Related Crash Pattern / Mitigation
Potential Underlying Issues Potential Mitigations
• Distraction
• Visibility issue
• Unclear right-of-way
assignment
• Upgrade / improve signs, markings
• Ensure clear line of sight
• Driver education
• Provide bike boxes at select
intersections
1. Drivers’ Failure to Yield
Bike-Related Crash Pattern / Mitigation
Potential Underlying Issues Potential Mitigations
• Lack of designated area for
bicycling
• High-stress bike riding
environment
• Provide standard bike facility
designating portion of roadway for
bikes
• Installing appropriate signs and
markings to indicate direction of bike
travel
2. Bikes Going Against Flow of Traffic
Bike-Related Crash Pattern / Mitigation
Potential Underlying Issues Potential Mitigations
• Speeding
• Not able to see signal
equipment
• Signal timing
• Traffic enforcement
• Education
• Ensure signal visibility
• Verify appropriate signal timing
3. Red Light Violation
Proposed Bikeway Implementation on SR 82
Bikeway Design Considerations and Challenges
19 • Right of Way
• On-Street Parking
• Intersections, driveways, and
transit Stops (VTA)
Right of Way along SR 82
Proposed Bikeway &
RoW = 130 ft RoW = 121 ft RoW = 100 ft
RoW RoW
Right of Way Various:
• Back of sidewalk (TYPICAL)
• Face of curb
• Or Lip of Gutter
On-Street Parking along SR 82
NB - 253
SB - 350
Proposed Bikeway &
SB near Churchill Dr NB near Cambridge Ave
NB near Los Robles Ave
ENLARGED VIEW OF SHADED AREA
Conflict zones along SR 82
Proposed Bikeway &
• Intersections & Driveways
• Transit Stops: Need space
for buses to pull in and out
Proposed Bikeway Typical Cross-Section
(Before and After)
23 Class IV
(shown)
Before
After
Before
Proposed Bikeway implementation in Palo Alto
Early 2019: Caltrans notified the SR 82 paving project and a complete street element(bike lanes) implementation opportunity to the city Feb 2021: Sent a letter inviting the city’s participation in a Cooperative agreement for Caltrans to design and construct curb ramps upgrade part of SR 82 paving project; City did not participate
Aug 2021: Received 65% plan review comments
March 2022: Meeting with the city to coordinate the city’s Arastradero plan and discussed the 95% plan review comments
April 7, 2023: Shared the first draft bike plan with the city April 19, 2023: Meeting with the city to discuss the need and purpose for the bikeway in Palo Alto
May 4, 2023: Meeting with SVBC to share the draft bikeway plan Aug11, 2023: Meeting with the city to discuss a parking removal and outreach for the bikeway
Nov 15, 2023: Meeting with the city to discuss the bikeway letter from Caltrans Engagement & Outreach
Proposed Bikeway implementation in Palo Alto
Nov 6, 2023: SR 82 Paving project Pre-construction meeting with local agencies Nov 14, 2023: SR 82 Community meeting with local agencies Feb 5, 2024: Started monthly stakeholder meeting for construction and encampment
Feb 21, 2024: Meeting with the city to share the draft slides for the bikeway community engagement
Feb 26, 2024: Meeting with the city to discuss the community engagement preparation
Feb 29, 2024: Caltrans hosted community meeting for the bikeway in Palo Alto Mar 7, 2024: Joint Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee (PABAC)/City/School Transportation Safety Committee (CSTSC) Special Meeting
Mar 13, 2024: Joint Planning and Transportation Commission/Human Relations Commission Meeting
Mar 21, 2024: Meeting with the city and County for encampment removal Monthly: Construction Monthly Stakeholders meeting
Apr 1, 2024: City Council Meeting
Engagement and Outreach(continued)
Additional considerations based on feedback
26 • Design Flexibility - DIB 94
• Intersection treatment: bike box, signs,……..
• Continuous bikeway
• No turn on red signs
• Incorporate best practices
• Speed management/enforcement
• Continue collaboration with the stakeholders throughout the design process
• Continue collaboration with the city and stakeholders on future Roadway Diet feasibility study.
Proposed Bikeway
-Safety enhancement: Safety monitoring report
• Reduces the incidence of bicyclist riding against the flow of traffic
• Lessens potential for conflict between bikes and vehicles • Improves traffic safety on El Camino Real
• FHWA information on safety benefits of bike lanes:
https://highways.dot.gov/safety/proven-safety-
countermeasures/bicycle-lanes
-Funding and schedule opportunity
• Implement bikeway on El Camino Real with the on-going Caltrans pavement rehabilitation project
- Alignment with city and regional plans
- Network & connectivity between various communities
along El Camino Real
Proposed Bikeway
Implementation
THANK YOU!
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS?