City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: INFORMATION REPORTS
Lead Department: Public Works
Meeting Date: December 15, 2025
Report #:2507-4978
TITLE
Semiannual Update on the Status of Capital Improvement Program Projects; CEQA Status – Not a Project
RECOMMENDATION
This report is provided for information only and requires no Council action.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council and Palo Alto community can be proud of the City’s capital improvement program (CIP). The CIP represents major investments in infrastructure functionality and sustainability, funded largely through the transfer of funding from the General Fund, including dedicated Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) funding, as well as utility rates and various other sources. The 2025-2029 five-year CIP totaled $1.7 billion for 206 projects as reviewed by the Council in its adoption of the FY 2025 Capital Budget. Since July 2016, the City of Palo Alto has completed 112 individual community-serving projects totaling $446,969,862 in improvements.
Given the volume of projects included and to provide accurate financial accounting, this report presents information current as of July 2025.
A summary of all completed CIP projects is provided at the end of Attachment A. The CIP also represents a major effort for much of the City workforce. The following table summarizes the status of all projects for the six-month period of January to June 2025.
One Time Projects
CIP Workgroup
Recurring
Projects
Pre-Design Design Construction Completed
Airport 0 0 5 1 0
Buildings and Facilities 13 5 10 9 0
One Time Projects
CIP Workgroup
Recurring
Projects
Pre-Design Design Construction Completed
Electric 9 2 3 6 0
Fiber Optic 2 0 2 0 0
Gas 4 0 2 0 1
Parks and Open Space 8 2 5 8 1
Stormwater Management 2 0 1 3 0
Streets and Sidewalks 8 0 3 0 0
Traffic and Transportation 5 1 8 3 0
Wastewater Collection 4 0 0 1 0
Wastewater Treatment 2 1 2 4 0
Water 7 1 1 1 0
Subtotals 64 12 42 36 2
Totals 156
BACKGROUND
This report provides Council with an update on the status of CIP projects, with detailed and useful information for the Council and public regarding general fund and enterprise fund projects that appear on Council agendas and will be visible throughout the community. The report does not include Internal Service Funds projects (Information Technology and Vehicle).
ANALYSIS
Project Update Organization
The City of Palo Alto has a robust capital improvement program, and many individual projects are in progress at any given time. The 2025-2029 five-year CIP totaled $1.7 billion for 206 projects as reviewed by the Council in the adoption of the FY 2025 Capital Budget. The attached CIP project tables are intended to provide a quick overview of each project, including budgetary information, the anticipated completion date, a brief description of the project scope, the status of the project, and upcoming activities including Council actions. Also included in the report is a list of all completed projects since the introduction of the Infrastructure Management System.
Major/Significant Projects Summary
The 2014 Council Infrastructure Plan is a major focus of staff’s capital improvement program efforts and ties to several 2024 City Council Priorities and related objectives. The following table details the Total Project Budget and Total Actual Expenses through September 09, 2025, for the Infrastructure Plan projects.
Council
Infrastructure
Plan Projects
CIP
Number Project Update Total Project
Budget
Total Actual
Expenses Completion
Date
Fire Station 3
Replacement
PE-15003 Completed $10,600,734 $10,600,734 Spring
2020
New California
Avenue Area
Parking Garage
PE-18000 Completed (Day 2 items are in
progress)
$50,207,727 $49,481,033 Winter
2020
Highway 101
Pedestrian/Bicycle
Overpass Project
PE-11011 Completed $23,734,218 $23,734,218 Fall 2021
Charleston
Arastradero
Corridor Project
PE-13011 Completed $21,600,000 $20,810,587 Summer
2024
Downtown
Automated
Parking Guidance
Systems
PL-15002 Council approved a design-build
contract in May 2023.
Construction is underway and
expected to be completed in
spring 2025.
$5,197,827 $4,415,679 Winter 2025
New Public Safety
Building
PE-15001 Phased staff move-in is expected
in summer 2025, following May
2025 issuance of a Temporary
Certificate of Occupancy.
$123,529,764 $123,914,461 Fall 2025
Fire Station 4
Replacement
PE-18004 Project is going through building
permit review. Staff completed a
pre-qualification process, with
construction bidding anticipated
in summer 2025.
$18,225,946 $3,602,142 Spring 2027
Byxbee Park
Completion
PE-18006 On hold pending completion of
the Baylands Comprehensive
Conservation Plan.
$3,699,189 $368,192 Spring 2028
Bicycle and
Pedestrian
Transportation
Implementation
Plan
PL-04010 This project funds the Bicycle and
Pedestrian Transportation Plan
Update, which has kicked off
recently and is slated to take
approximately 18 months to
complete. This project also funds
the implementation of various
bicycle and pedestrian projects.
$14,400,000 $10,233,139 On-Going
Council
Infrastructure
Plan Projects
CIP
Number Project Update Total Project
Budget
Total Actual
Expenses Completion
Date
New Downtown
Parking Garage
PE-15007 Council gave direction to staff in
December 2023 to advance the
project in conjunction with
advancement of affordable
housing in the Downtown area. A
design contract for the garage was
approved by Council in December
2024. Design is ongoing.
$17,300,000 $1,745,648 Spring 2028
The last phase of the Public Safety Building project is expected to be completed in fall 2025.
Current Infrastructure Plan project schedules can be found at https://www.infrastructure.cityofpaloalto.org
Key considerations for the information presented in the project update tables include:
Project status information is current as of June 30, 2025. The individual project tables align with the Capital Improvement Fund categories in the Fiscal Year 2025-2029 capital budget: Buildings and Facilities, Parks and Open Space, Streets and Sidewalks, and Traffic and Transportation.
Enterprise Fund projects follow the order of their respective Fund in the capital budget. Department Technology Upgrades and Improvements projects and Cubberley Property Infrastructure Fund projects are included in the Buildings and Facilities table. Additional project information is available in the Fiscal Year 2025-2029 capital budget. Each project table is divided into a section for one-time projects and a section for recurring projects that have ongoing annual funding.
Budgetary figures include staff oversight costs for projects to which staff costs have been allocated.
The table of completed projects, located at the end of Attachment A provides a summary of all CIP projects completed since the Biannual CIP updates to council began in 2016. The data is sorted from most recent to oldest.
Completed Projects
There were two completed one-time projects in the second half of Fiscal Year 2025 (January through June 2025).
Cubberley Field Restroom (CB-17002)
Gas Main Replacement Project 24 (GS-14003)
One-time projects do not include the significant amount of annual work completed under ongoing recurring projects, such as streets and sidewalks repairs, parking lot maintenance, roofing replacements, and regular maintenance of Utilities assets.
Below are some photos of completed projects:
Cubberley Field Restroom (CB-17002)
Gas Main Replacement Project 24 (GS-14003)
One-Time Projects Under Construction
The 36 projects underway as of June 30, 2025 include the following:
Capital Improvement Fund (general fund):
Baylands Interpretive Signage Program (OS-24001)
Boulware Park Improvements (PE-17005)
Churchill Avenue/Alma Street Railroad Crossing Safety Improvements (PL-20000) Churchill Avenue Enhanced Bikeway (PL-14000)
Civic Center Fire Life Safety Upgrades (PE-18016)
Downtown Automated Parking Guidance Systems, Access Controls & Revenue Collection Equipment (PL-15002)
Eucalyptus Tree Removal (PG-25002)
Foothills Nature Preserve Dam Seepage Investigation and Repairs (PE-20000) Heritage Park Site Amenities Replacement (PG-21000)
Homekey Facilities (PE-24005)
JMZ Renovation (AC-18001)
Library Automated Material Handling (LB-21000)
Lucie Stern Community Theatre Stage Rigging System Refurbishment (AC-24000) New Public Safety Building (PE-15001)
Palo Alto Art Center Ceramics Equipment (AC-28003)
Ramos Park Improvements (PG-14000)
Roth Building Rehabilitation Phase 1 (PF-23001)
Performing Arts Venues Seat Replacement (AC-18000)
Roth Building Rehabilitation Phase 1 (PF-23001)
Stanford Palo Alto Community Playing Fields Turf Replacement (PG-26000) Airport Fund:
Airport Layout Plan (AP-21000)
Electric Fund:
Colorado Distribution Feeder Outlet Replacement (EL-22002) Grid Modernization for Electrification (EL-24000)
Inter Substation Line Protection Relay (EL-17005)
Foothills Rebuild Fire Mitigation (EL-21001)
Smart Grid Technology Installation (EL-11014)
Substation Physical Security (EL-16003)
Stormwater Management Fund:
Corporation Way System Upgrades and Pump Station (SD-21000) West Bayshore Road Trunk Line Improvements (SD-23000)
West Bayshore Road Pump Station (SD-20000)
Wastewater Collection Fund:
Wastewater Collection System Rehabilitation Augmentation Project 32(WC-20000) Wastewater Treatment Fund:
Joint Intercepting Sewer Rehabilitation (Phase 1) (WQ-24000) Secondary Treatment Upgrades (WQ-19001)
Horizontal Levee Pilot (WQ-22001)
Local Advanced Water Purification System (WQ-19003)
Water Fund:
Water Tank Seismic System Upgrades (WS-09000)
As described above for completed projects, the list of projects under construction does not include work currently being conducted under recurring CIP projects.
Below are some photos of one-time projects under construction:
Boulware Park Improvements (PE-17005)
Joint Intercepting Sewer Rehabilitation (Phase 1) (WQ-24000) New Public Safety Building (PE-15001)
Secondary Treatment Upgrades (WQ-19001)
Homekey Facilities (PE-24005)
Projects Implemented by other agencies:
Caltrans Improvements to El Camino Real
The Caltrans paving project along El Camino Real was progressing well with several key milestones already completed. The pavement rehabilitation, including AC paving and concrete
pavement repairs, has been finished. Electrical work is approximately 45% complete, including loop installations, modifications to lighting systems, and traffic signal work. Roadway striping is about 80% complete, with bike lane striping underway in Mountain View. The bike lane striping in Palo Alto began in May. The bike lane implementation was scheduled for completion in fall 2025, pending weather and the progress of other related tasks.
Palo Alto Flood Basin Tide Gate Project
Valley Water will design and construct a seismic retrofit and rehabilitation of the existing Palo Alto Flood Basin (PAFB) Tide Gate structure to extend its service life. Phase 2 of this project includes working with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to establish a long-term replacement tide gate structure, under the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Phase II Project.
That structure will be located where the PAFB connects to the San Francisco Bay, half a mile northeast of the Byxbee Park parking lot on the Adobe Creek Loop Trail.
Caltrain San Francisquito Creek Bridge Project
The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain), City of Palo Alto and Menlo Park are working under a joint agreement to stabilize the San Francisquito Creek bank at Caltrain’s railroad bridge and City of Palo Alto’s El Palo Alto Bike/Ped bridge due to the significant damage caused by the storms in December 2022. The project design has been completed. Caltrain is currently updating the cost estimates. Construction is anticipated in 2026 within the creek work window of June 15, 2026 through October 15,2026.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
Funding for the projects discussed in this report was appropriated in the Fiscal Year 2025 Adopted Capital Budget and reviewed for the 2025-2029 Five-Year CIP. Funding for projects in future years of the CIP is subject to Council approval as part of the annual budget process.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
This report was coordinated with staff in the Administrative Services, Community Services, Office of Transportation, Public Works, and Utilities Departments. Stakeholder engagement is conducted separately for each project.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This report is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as it is an informational report to Council. CEQA compliance is reviewed separately for each capital project.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Semiannual Update on the Status of Capital Improvement Program Projects APPROVED BY:
Brad Eggleston, Director Public Works/City Engineer