PABAC’s Requested Changes to the Final 2026 BPTP and City Staff’s Response PABAC’s Requested Change City Staff Response
1. Policy & Programmatic Amendments
a. Amend SI-1.9: Street Closure Policy: On page
107 and on Appendix C: Amend SI-1.9
description to include the following language:
Clarify Comprehensive Plan Policy T-4.1 with
PABAC’s recommended language: “Keep all
neighborhood streets open as a general rule.
Street closures may be considered when such
closure will enhance safety or will increase use
of active transportation modes.”
Not recommended. PABAC recommended
a formal amendment due to concerns that
T-4.1 might inadvertently block modal
filters on bike boulevards or school routes.
Staff has reexamined T-4.1 and finds that
an amendment is unnecessary. Modal
filters do not close streets as defined by
the California Vehicle Code; they safely
manage and reroute traffic under the clear
authority of Comp Plan Policies T-4.2 and
T-4.3.
b. Bicycle Friendly Street Design: In the Final Plan’s
Policies and Programs section (3.4): Include a
new policy that reads: In accordance with
Comprehensive Plan Policy T-3.5 (When
constructing or modifying roadways, plan for
use of the roadway by all users), include a
directive that the City should affirm that all City
streets—not only designated bikeways—should
be bike friendly streets to the extent possible.
This includes exploring speed limits, traffic
calming, restriping, and parking removal on non-
bikeway streets to accommodate cyclists whose
origins/destinations lie outside the designated
network.
Not recommended. The City’s Complete
Streets Policy1 addresses this concern.
c. Class IV and Class I Implementation Guidance:
In the Final Plan’s Policies and Programs section
(3.4): Include a new policy that reads: The City
should implement Class IV separated bikeways
and Class I multi-use paths adjacent to roadways
with caution. Evaluation must prioritize
mitigating potential turning conflicts at
driveways/intersections (especially for e-bikes)
and ensuring facilities do not introduce new
hazards that cannot be reasonably mitigated.
Not recommended. The City’s
commitment to a Safe Systems Approach
as well as best practices and use of
context-sensitive designs will address this
concern.
d. Enhancement of Education (Program CC-1.4):
Rewrite CC-1.4 (Bike Education Program) on
page 104 and on Appendix C to read: The City
should take further steps to develop and partner
with groups to advertise and carry out bike
safety and education classes in the city,
Agreed. Staff will incorporate the
requested change into the Adopted Final
Plan.
1 City of Palo Alto, California. Complete Streets Policy (Resolution 9562). November 30, 2015. https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/transportation/misc-transportation/resolution-9562_complete-streets-policy.pdf PABAC’s Requested Change City Staff Response
including classes oriented towards children,
older adults, and non-English speakers. Include
driver education to encourage safer driving
behavior, including in the presence of bicycles.
e. Removal of Program CE-1.10: On page 102 and
on Appendix C, remove reference to "Bike Racks
on Buses" as VTA’s Wheels On The Bus program
is not currently being implemented.
Agreed. Staff will incorporate the
requested change into the Adopted Final
Plan.
2. Project-Specific Modifications
a. Project SB_19 (Alma Street Separated Bikeway
South): Rewrite project description to read:
Evaluate the feasibility of a two-way separated
cycle track on Alma Street from San Antonio
Road to E. Meadow Drive.
And remove the project from the Plan’s Near-
term project list
Agreed. Staff will include the requested
text in the project description as another
option to consider, instead of replacing
the existing text, for the Adopted Final
Plan.
Not recommended. Staff does not
recommend removing the project from
the near-term project list since it aligns
with the San Antonio Road Area Plan
recommendations and Council’s recent
action to use TDA3 monies to expedite
construction of the South Palo Alto
Bikeways Demonstration project from E.
Meadow Dr. to Fabian Way, which
connects to this recommended project.
b. Project SB_20c (San Antonio Road Separated
Bikeway): Amend the project description and
scope to focus instead on a joint planning effort
with the City of Mountain View to develop a
high-capacity facility serving the Caltrain Station,
connecting through to the San Antonio Shopping
Center via Pachetti Way and California Street
Agreed. Staff will amend the project
description as follows: Construct a new
separated bikeway along San Antonio
Road from Middlefield Road to Mountain
View either along the Caltrain
overcrossing or via other connections
through to the San Antonio Shopping
Center via Pacchetti Way and California
Street.