June 2, 2025 www.paloalto.gov
Bicycle and Pedestrian
Transportation Plan Update:
Project Prioritization Framework
City Council Meeting
Ozzy Arce (he/él)
Senior Transportation Planner
[email protected]
Amanda Leahy
Project Manager
[email protected]
Sylvia Star-Lack
Transportation Planning Manager
[email protected]
Agenda
• Meeting Purpose
• Project Overview
• Bicycle Network Recommendations
• Project Prioritization
• Key Community Feedback from Phase 3 engagement
33 Meeting Purpose & Council Questions
Purpose: Share and get feedback on the Draft
Project Prioritization Framework and Project Lists.
Council Questions:
• Do you support using both initial and supplemental criteria? • Do you agree with the selected criteria?
• Do you agree with the project list?
• Are there projects that should be removed?
• Are there projects that should be added?
• Are there projects that should be re-considered?
4 Project Overview
www.paloalto.gov
6 The City adopted the current BPTP in July 2012
Project Overview & Timeline
Introduction & Visioning: introduced project effort & early visioning July ‘23 – Jan ’24
January 22, 2024: Information Report to the City Council Needs & Concerns: Existing conditions analysis, draft vision, objectives, and performance measures Nov ‘23 – Jul ’24
April 29, 2024: City Council Study Session
Recommendations: Develop network & corridor recommendations Jun ‘24 – May ’25
June 2, 2025: City Council Study Session
Plan Development & Adoption: Develop draft & final Plan Update; Present to the City Council for adoption in late 2025
May ’25 – Dec ‘25
7 Vision
We envision a city where sustainable, safe, efficient,
equitable, and enjoyable transportation thrives.
Together, we will create a comfortable and connected
street and trail network that supports walking, biking, and rolling for people of all ages and abilities. We
continue to be a leader in Safe Routes to School and
invest more in active transportation infrastructure,
education, and encouragement programs.
8 Objectives
The objectives of the project are:
• Safe and Inclusive
• Connected and Accessible
• Community-Led and Cooperative
• Comfortable and Enjoyable
• Integrated and Collaborative
9 10
11 Safety Action Plan
Bicycle and Pedestrian
Transportation Plan
Update
Specific/Area Plans
(e.g. San Antonio Road Area
Plan; Cubberley Plan,
Connectivity Project)
Policy foundation
for transportation
planning
Identification of
network and facility
types, supporting
policies and programs
for active
transportation
Land use and
mobility concepts
and implementation
planning
What is the Relationship of the BPTP Update to Other Plans? Bicycle Network Recommendations
Networks, Facilities, and Projects
www.paloalto.gov
BICYCLE NETWORK RECOMMENDATIONS www.paloalto.gov
Bicycle Network Development Approach
• The Palo Alto Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Update started with the 2012 Network Plan as a foundation.
• The team cross referenced recent plans and related active transportation networks to identify new or alternate routing. • The selection of final network links was refined by observation counts and community input.
1 Network Development: Primary Inputs
2012 Bicycle and
Pedestrian
Transportation Plan
2016 Bicycle
Boulevard Planning
2024 Existing Bicycle
Facilities Map
Palo Alto Bicycle
Map
Bicycle Network
Development
Workshops
Regional Plans: MTC
Regional Active
Transportation Plan
High Injury Network
for Bicyclists
Walk and Roll
Suggested Route Maps
Selected planning documents for illustration purposes.
14 Draft Updated Bicycle Network
The updated network proposes two bike plan classifications to frame policy and influence street design decisions.
Bikeways are streets and corridors enhanced to support bicycling. Bikeways connect to form the city's bikeway network and are intended to serve high volumes of bicycle traffic and provide direct, seamless, efficient travel across the City and between neighborhoods. These routes will maximize bicyclist comfort and minimize delay.
Bike Friendly Zones are cohesive areas with concentrations of destinations, commercial activity, and pedestrian activity. These areas should see area- wide investment in bicycle friendly amenities, signal timing, and traffic calming.
15 1
Draft Updated
Bike Network
Bikeway
Bicycle Friendly Zones
16 1
Bike Network
Changes since 2012
Added
Removed
17 www.paloalto.gov
Facility Selection Approach
BICYCLE NETWORK RECOMMENDATIONS
The plan recommends a simplified set of high comfort facilities, with strict guidelines for application
• Bike Boulevard and Advisory Bike Lanes
• Bike Lanes and Buffered Bike Lanes
• Protected Bike Lane
• Shared Use Path
1 Bicycle Boulevards
Bicycle Boulevards, a Palo
Alto invention, are streets
designed to prioritize
bicyclists and pedestrians,
with features to promote
bicycle travel (e.g., remove
unwarranted stop signs) and
to reduce vehicle speed and
volumes (e.g., install speed
humps and modal filters)
19 1
Bike Lanes
Bike Lanes delineate a space
in the road, separate from
motor vehicle travel lanes.
Where speeds or volumes
are high, bike lanes should
be configured with a buffer
for increased comfort.
20 1
Protected Bike Lanes
Protected Bike Lanes are a
separated space with a
vertical element designed to
create a safer and
comfortable space on streets
with high motor vehicle
volumes and speeds.
21 1
Shared Use Paths
Shared Use Paths are paved,
off-road facilities that allows
pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other non-motorized users
to travel together. They can
be configured next to
roadways as sidepaths.
22 1
Selection Guidance
Recommendations follow best
practice guidance from Federal
Highways Administration (FHWA)
and the National Association of Of
City Transportation Officials (NACTO)
for serving users of All Ages and
Abilities
This guidance points to high-comfort
facilities that are attractive to the
largest amount of the population.
23 1
Bicycle Facilities
24 Changes from 2012
The bicycle facility selection approach is a significant departure from 2012 with the intent of increasing comfort for all users. Key changes include:
• Embracing the Big Streets with separated facilities such as protected bike lanes.
• Increasing comfort across the board, with strict application of facility thresholds and use of high-comfort designs. • Fills gaps and missing links to offer door-to-door
connections.
25 1
Project Lists
Recommends 125 individual projects across
the city, categorized by facility type.
• 26 Bicycle Boulevard
• 11 Bike Lane
• 9 Buffered Bike Lane
• 26 Protected Bike Lane
• 14 Shared Use Path
• 2 Advisory Bike Lanes
• 28 Crossing Projects
• 9 Studies & Special Projects
26 Project Prioritization
Planning for Implementation
www.paloalto.gov
Project Prioritization www.paloalto.gov
Prioritization Framework
Two-stage process for prioritization to develop an actionable list of projects for near-term implementation.
1.Initial Evaluation applies quantitative criteria aligned with the BPTP Update goals of safety and connectivity.
2.Supplemental Evaluation uses qualitative criteria focused on feasibility and implementation.
Prioritization Framework
Prioritization Factor Criteria
Initial
Evaluation
Safety High-Injury Corridors
Safe Route to School
Connectivity Bicycle Level of Traffic
Stress
Access to Transit
Supplemental
Evaluation*
Project Cost & Funding
High, Medium, LowProject Readiness
Project Support
*Only the projects that scored 70-100 in the Initial Evaluation will advance to the Supplemental Evaluation. 29 Initial Evaluation
• Implements NCHRP Report 803
ActiveTrans Priority Tool process
supplemented with GIS
Mapping
• Provides initial priority score for
all 125 projects based on Safety
(70%) and Connectivity (30%)
• Does not consider feasibility or
funding
• Does not provide much
variation in project score
ActiveTrans Priority Tool Output
30 Supplemental Evaluation
Supplemental Evaluation Matrix• Considers 42 projects scoring 70 or more in the Initial Evaluation
+ select additional projects
• Assesses projects in terms of
Project Cost & Funding, Project
Readiness, and Project Support
• Achieves an actionable project
list for near-term
implementation
31 Ranked Priority Project List
Ranked Priority Project List – Top 10
• Projects are ranked based on
the results of the Supplemental
Evaluation (see Attachment D)
• Intended to guide order of
implementation and identify an
actionable project list
• May be revisited and adjusted
based on changing factors, such
as availability of funding
32 Key Community Feedback
Connecting with the community during phase 3
www.paloalto.gov
Phase 3 Engagement Summary
Community Workshop
Pop-Ups
Interactive Map
Committee & Working
Group Meetings
City Council
Pedestrian and Bicycle
Advisory Committee
Planning and
Transportation
Parks and Recreation
Internal Staff Working
Group
Focus Groups with TSRs
and PABAC members
34 Key Themes From Committee and Working Group Meetings • Support and concern expressed for bikeways on “big streets” • Suggestions to expand prioritization framework
• Desire for additional pedestrian-oriented recommendations • Questions about bike boulevard definition and design elements • Emphasis on priority of connectivity and across barrier connections • Interest in quick-build projects and pilots
• Discussion on enforcement including enforcement of bike lane blockages from parked cars and garbage cans and enforcement strategy for e-bikes • Concerns about conflicts between people walking and biking on shared use paths • Importance of maintenance of bike network
35 Key Themes From Community Workshop
36 • April 2, 2025, 6-7:30pm
• Support for treatments in the
pedestrian toolbox and
recommendations for additional
treatments
• Mixture of support and concern for
protected bike lanes
• Desire for better bike boulevard design
• Support for projects and suggestion for
additional projects
Key Themes From Interactive Map
37 • Feb-Apr 2025, 400+ comments
• Support for Homer Way, Channing Ave, Quarry
Rd, Charleston Rd, Park Blvd, Downtown
Connections, and Oregon Expwy
• Concern for projects on Middlefield Rd, San
Antonio Rd, and Embarcadero Rd
• Interest in connections to nearby jurisdictions
and bike routes through Arastradero Preserve
• Desire for improved wayfinding, signage, and
actuated bike signals
Key Themes From Online Comment Box
38 • Over 100 comments
• General support for recommended projects,
including prioritizing separated infrastructure
• Concern about loss of parking and impacts to
access for drivers with implementation of
protected bike lanes on arterials such as
Middlefield Rd
• Suggestions to emphasize alternative
solutions including enforcing and reducing
speed limits, and improving existing bike
boulevards
Key Themes From Tabling Pop-Ups
39 • Feb-Apr 2025
• Need for education and encouragement programs
• Feeling unsafe sharing road with cars, concerns of
speeding and distracted drivers
• Desire for more lighting and increased visibility at
crosswalks and at night
• Concern about bike theft and vandalism
• Desire for increased maintenance and sweeping of
bike facilities
• Desire for more secure and convenient bike
parking
Next Steps
www.paloalto.gov
Next steps: Draft Plan + public review
Introduction & Visioning: introduced project effort & early visioning July ‘23 – Jan ’24
January 22, 2024: Information Report to the City Council Needs & Concerns: Existing conditions analysis, draft vision, objectives, and performance measures Nov ‘23 – Jul ’24
April 29, 2024: City Council Study Session
Recommendations: Develop network & corridor recommendations Jun ‘24 – May ’25
June 2, 2025: City Council Study Session
Plan Development & Adoption: Develop draft & final Plan Update; Present to the City Council for adoption in late 2025
May ’25 – Dec ‘25
41 Council Questions
• Do you support using both initial and supplemental criteria? • Do you agree with the selected criteria?
• Do you agree with the project list?
• Are there projects that should be removed?
• Are there projects that should be added?
• Are there projects that should be re-considered?
42 Ozzy Arce (he/él)
Senior Transportation Planner
[email protected]
Amanda Leahy
Project Manager
[email protected]
Sylvia Star-Lack
Transportation Planning Manager
[email protected]