CITY OF SAN MATEO
CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 7 Section Name: NEW BUSINESS Account Number: 10-4661 File ID: 25-10798 TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Public Works Department
MEETING DATE: February 02, 2026
SUBJECT:
Humboldt Bike Lanes Alternative — Update
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive a presentation from staff on efforts to explore potential alternatives to a portion of the Humboldt Street bike lanes and receive direction/recommendation from City Council.
BACKGROUND:
In 2020, the City Council adopted the Bicycle Master Plan (BMP), which identifies projects and programs organized around five goals: Connectivity, Safety and Comfort, Community, Equity, and Ridership. All BMP projects were subsequently prioritized, resulting in more than 100 planned improvements. The Humboldt Street bike lane segment ranked among the top three priorities citywide. The following timeline summarizes how the Humboldt Street bike lanes were constructed, community response to the project, and how it led to additional outreach looking into the feasibility of an alternative route:
July 2020 – The program year for the FY 2020-21 federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A portion of these funds was allocated towards street and sidewalk improvements, with a goal of repairing deteriorated streets, as well as providing accessibility and public safety improvements to streets and sidewalks in the CDBG Priority Neighborhood.
Specifically, City Council tasked Public Works with prioritizing implementation of its bike master plan, as noted in the 2020-21 Annual Action Plan (AAP) to HUD. The project, which included improvements to target this goal and to help implement the bike master plan, was titled the North Central Bike Lanes Project (Project). May 2021 – Adoption of the 2021-22 AAP to HUD, which discussed planned use of funding for pedestrian and bicycle improvements for the Project, showing continued progress towards meeting the goal of street and sidewalk improvements in a CDBG priority neighborhood.
July 2021 – Design completed for the North Central Bike Lanes Project. November 2021 – Construction began on the paving and pedestrian improvements portion of the North Central Bike Lanes Project.
February 2022 – City Council authorized installation of the bike lanes on Humboldt Street as part of the North Central Bike Lanes Project. The Project included, but was not limited to, approximately 1.3 miles of Class II bicycle lanes on Humboldt Street between 5th Avenue and Peninsula Avenue and required the removal of approximately 170 parking spaces on Humboldt Street.
July 2022 – Construction of the North Central Bike Lanes Project was completed. August 2022 – March 2023 – Residents reported that the parking loss associated with the new bike lanes was having a significant negative impact on the North Central neighborhood, especially those residents living directly on Humboldt Street.
May 2023 – City Council appropriated funds for a new initiative, the North Central Complete Streets Plan, to address circulation and parking impacts resulting from the North Central Bike Lanes Project.
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June 2023 – May 2024 – Through outreach for the North Central Complete Streets Plan and other community contacts, staff continued to receive feedback highlighting ongoing parking loss impacts caused by the 2022 bike lane installation on Humboldt Street.
At the June 17, 2024, City Council meeting, residents reiterated ongoing concerns about difficulty finding parking in the North Central neighborhood that was exacerbated by the Project. City Council directed staff to begin investigating additional ways to address community concerns. In response, staff hosted two workshops: In October 2024, staff met with the smaller North Central Lived Experience Group, which was formed as part of the North Central Complete Streets Plan (NCCSP), to discuss the bike lanes on Humboldt Street and explore potential alternatives that might help alleviate impacts. In December 2024, staff held a larger community workshop at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, where more than 110 residents attended in person to provide feedback on the bike lanes on Humboldt Street, post-installation.
PHASE I DIRECTION FROM CITY COUNCIL
On February 3, 2025, City Council held a Study Session where staff presented the feedback from the October and December 2024 meetings as well as the NCCSP and sought Council direction on how to address community impacts resulting from the Project. Staff presented the five (5) following (paraphrased) alternatives for Council consideration:
Alternative #1 - Keep As-Is: Retains the Class II bike lanes on Humboldt Street and do not restore any parking.
Alternative #2 - Bicycle Boulevard on Humboldt Street: Removal of the existing Class II bike lanes on Humboldt Street, replacement with a bike boulevard with level 2 and 3 traffic calming devices, and restoration of approximately 170 parking spaces on Humboldt Street from Peninsula Avenue to 5th Avenue.
Alternative #3 - Partial Removal of Bike Lanes, and Establishment of a Bike Boulevard on a Parallel Street: This alternative was broken down into a short-term plan and a long-term plan. Humboldt Street Parking Restoration (2nd Avenue to Indian Avenue Only): In the short-term restore approximately 100 parking spaces on Humboldt Street from 2nd Avenue to Indian Avenue and establish a north-south street parallel to Humboldt Street as a pilot bike boulevard between 2nd Avenue and Indian Avenue.
Pilot Parallel Bike Boulevard: Implementation of a pilot bike boulevard on a different street (Idaho Street or Fremont Street) after community vetting.
Long-Term Plan: In the long-term perform a connectivity study in the North Central neighborhood to reanalyze destinations within the community and see how to improve bike connectivity north of Indian Avenue and south of 2nd Avenue and further within the North Central neighborhood.
Alternative #4 - Restore Parking with No Bike Infrastructure: Remove bike lanes and restore approximately 170 parking spaces on Humboldt Street from Peninsula Avenue to 5th Avenue. Alternative #5 - Streetlighting Upgrades: Upgrade existing cobrahead streetlight fixtures to brighter fixtures to help address community concerns about low lighting while assessing negative effects of additional light on residential properties.
City Council directed staff to further explore the feasibility and community support surrounding Alternatives 3 and
5. In particular, the City Council was interested in piloting the streetlighting upgrades associated with Alternative 5, and they were interested in engaging the community further, especially the residents who live on Fremont and Idaho Street, to understand whether the community was in support of Alternative 3.
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PHASE II ENGAGEMENT
Phase II evaluated the feasibility of Alternatives 3 and 5 through an extensive and inclusive community engagement process. The strategy centered on three public workshops and one pilot streetlighting demonstration, all designed to gather direct public input. To ensure broad participation, staff implemented a multi-faceted outreach campaign that included:
Partnering with trusted local networks to amplify awareness Mailing over 35,000 notices to residents and stakeholders Distributing more than 1,000 flyers along the corridor and at City facilities Conducting four citywide surveys
Placing over 140 A-frame signs throughout the North Central community Performing targeted door-to-door canvassing
Sustained digital promotion via Nextdoor, Instagram, Facebook, X, the City’s website, and community partner networks
Meetings with administrators and faculty from Fiesta Gardens International School and San Mateo High School
This comprehensive effort generated over 50,000 digital and in-person engagements (likes, shares, comments, views, and QR code scans), successfully driving community participation at in-person and virtual workshops and providing critical feedback. Recognizing the linguistic and cultural diversity of the North Central community, all engagement activities prioritized accessibility and inclusion:
Workshops were held in person at accessible, familiar venues, including the Martin Luther King Jr.
Center and Fiesta Gardens Elementary School
Evening sessions included childcare, food, and refreshments Virtual attendance options were optimized for mobile devices and multi-tasking participants All materials and presentations were provided in English, Spanish, and Chinese Live interpretation in Spanish and Chinese was offered at all in-person and virtual workshops Surveys were available in English, Spanish, and Chinese, both online and in print
This inclusive, multilingual, and multi-channel approach ensured meaningful participation from a broad cross- section of the community throughout Phase II. Below is a summary of each of the three workshops and the streetlighting pilot efforts. Copies of the presentation slides and concept designs presented at these workshops are also available on the City’s website: https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/4871/Community-Workshop-Humboldt- Street-Bike-.
Workshop No. 1 - Initial Feedback
The first community workshop focused on gathering input on current travel patterns and experiences along Humboldt Street, Idaho Street, and Fremont Street. A total of 56 participants signed in at the registration table, with several additional attendees who did not sign in but completed surveys. The session began with a staff presentation outlining the project goals and City Council direction, followed by facilitated small- group discussions that followed a structured set of questions to understand the impacts of the existing Humboldt Street bike lanes and current usage of the three corridors. Discussion groups reported key findings back to identify common themes.
Summary of Meeting: Overall, the first community workshop was energetic and well-attended, with robust participation throughout the evening with approximately 60 attendees. A total of 58 in-person surveys were completed, and 155 post-meeting online surveys were received, resulting in 213 responses overall.
The survey included questions to help staff understand existing uses of Humboldt Street, Idaho Street, and Fremont Street, such as for commuting, recreation, or school travel, and by what mode (bike, walking, or vehicle). The results of this survey were presented back to the community at the second community meeting
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on August 25, 2025 (slides 12-14). A copy of the presentation slides is available on the City’s website:
https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/4871/Community-Workshop-Humboldt-Street-Bike-.
Participants repeatedly emphasized that the removal of on-street parking to accommodate the existing Humboldt Street bike lanes has created a significant burden on residents and surrounding neighborhoods.
Streetlighting improvements along the Humboldt corridor were very well received, with widespread agreement that upgraded lighting would substantially enhance safety and visibility for all users. There was no clear consensus on whether Idaho Street or Fremont Street would be the preferred location for a bike boulevard. Strong concerns were raised about implementing a bike boulevard on either street due to their narrow roadway widths, existing vehicle speeds, traffic congestion, and limited visibility. Several attendees proposed Amphlett Boulevard as a viable alternative route that should be considered for bicycle facilities.
Overall, the feedback highlighted a strong community desire to address parking impacts, improve safety through better lighting, and carefully evaluate any new bicycle route to avoid shifting problems to already constrained local streets.
Workshop No. 2 - Draft Concept Designs
Building on the feedback from Workshop No. 1, the second workshop presented draft concept designs that addressed the community’s priorities of not removing more parking beyond what is required under State daylighting laws, meaningful speed reduction, and enhanced safety for all users. The draft concepts featured two parallel bicycle boulevard alternatives to the existing Humboldt Street facility, both running from Indian Avenue to 2nd Avenue: Idaho Street Bike Boulevard and Fremont Street Bike Boulevard. Each option incorporated traffic-calming measures designed to lower vehicle speeds and improved safety while preserving on-street parking. Participants engaged in group discussions guided by a knowledgeable facilitator and used visual aids. Dedicated scribes captured detailed feedback. The structured format allowed residents to examine the proposed treatments in detail, ask technical questions, and provide targeted input on each corridor, setting the stage for final refinement of the preferred alternative.
Summary of Meeting: The second workshop, attended by 38 in-person residents and 9 virtual participants with more than 70 survey respondents, centered on the proposed traffic-calming measures for both the Idaho Street and Fremont Street bike boulevard alternatives. Attendees showed strong interest in examining the specific treatments presented for each corridor. Staff noted specific participant preferences for these treatments, based upon feedback received at the meeting and through the survey following the meeting, for incorporation into the bike boulevard concept designs:
For the Idaho Street alternative, participants immediately and consistently expressed a clear preference for speed humps over rumble strips.
The six proposed intersection safety treatments—developed in direct response to Workshop No. 1 feedback emphasizing intersection safety on Idaho Street—were very well received. High-visibility crosswalks and the introduction of four-way stops at key locations were also strongly supported for both alternatives.
Feedback on curb extensions was mixed; several residents noted that they can make turning movements more difficult for larger vehicles, while traffic circles were viewed favorably as an alternative calming tool.
Overall, the proposed calming measures for both alternatives received positive feedback, with participants acknowledging that the designs are projected to reduce operating speeds from the current 25 mph to approximately 15–18 mph. However, skepticism remained about whether those speed reductions would be fully achieved once constructed. Concerns about driveway visibility when vehicles back out were raised during both the question-and-answer period and table discussions. There was notable support for creating a bike boulevard on either Idaho Street or Fremont Street, with many citing the anticipated reduction in vehicle speeds and volumes as a significant benefit. At the same time, there was equally strong sentiment against removing the existing bike lanes on Humboldt Street, with many participants stating they would not support any alternative that eliminates the current bicycle facility.
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Workshop No. 3 - Final Concept Design
This third and final workshop incorporated all feedback received from Workshop No. 2 and presented refined final concept designs for both the Idaho Street and Fremont Street bike boulevard alternatives. The primary objective was to obtain clear feedback from the community on their preferred outcome:
Implementing the Idaho Street bike boulevard;
Implementing the Fremont Street bike boulevard; or
Retaining the existing Class II bike lanes on Humboldt Street in their current configuration
Staff clarified to participants in attendance as well as in the survey that the bike boulevard alternatives proposed for Idaho Street and Fremont Street did not involve removal of parking on these streets (beyond what may be required by State daylighting laws), as this was a point of confusion for some community members.
The session included a concise, high-level staff presentation that highlighted the most significant changes made to the bike boulevard concept designs in response to Workshop No. 2 feedback, summarized results from the streetlighting pilot demonstration, and strongly encouraged participants to complete a focused four-question survey designed to capture the community’s final preferences for the future of bicycle facilities on Humboldt Street. The streamlined format and clear choice presented in the survey allowed staff to gather decisive input to bring to the Commission and City Council. As this was the final survey of Phase II, staff significantly expanded distribution beyond the in-person, virtual, and online options by mailing approximately 4,500 prepaid-postage survey mailers to every household and business in the North Central community.
Summary of Meeting: The third and final workshop was attended by 41 residents in person and 10 virtually.
Driveway visibility emerged as a recurring concern, with several participants noting increased bicycle usage on the narrower Idaho and Fremont corridors could exacerbate sight-line issues for vehicles backing out.
While participants expressed appreciation for the substantial speed-reduction and safety enhancements incorporated into both final alternative designs, a notable portion of attendees maintained that either option would still represent a downgrade from the existing protected Class II bike lanes on Humboldt Street and reiterated their preference to keep the current facility unchanged.
Summary of Survey Results:
As a follow up to this meeting, more than 400+ individuals submitted surveys (either in-person, online, or mailed). In the survey, staff presented three clear options (as listed below) and asked participants to rank them from most preferred to least preferred (1 = most preferred and 3 = least preferred):
Keep Existing on Humboldt Street - Retain the existing Class II bike lanes on Humboldt Street in their current configuration; or
Idaho Street Alternative - Remove the Humboldt Street bike lanes, restore approximately 100 on- street parking spaces from Indian Avenue to 2nd Avenue, and implement the refined Idaho Street bike boulevard; or
Fremont Street Alternative - Remove the Humboldt Street bike lanes, restore the same parking segment, and implement the refined Fremont Street bike boulevard.
Below are the results for the final survey as part of this effort broken into each distribution format (in- person, online, or mailed). Because it was possible for someone to take the survey via multiple formats (in- person, online, and mailed), these results are presented separately, and summarized by format, rather than presented collectively. All results within each format category have been reviewed and any duplicates or attempts to take the online survey multiple times have been removed from the summary below, but the results of the online survey results including the duplicates are also included in Attachment 3 (see Tables 3A
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and 4A). Please note some survey participants did not fill out every question, so the results are based on the responses that were provided by participants. Full detailed survey results of each distribution format are provided in Attachment 3.
In-Person Survey Results
Staff received a total of 40 surveys at the workshop with 34 from residents of the North Central neighborhood. When asked directly which of the three alternatives they support, 35% of North Central respondents oppose keeping the existing bike lanes on Humboldt Street, with 65% in support of retaining them. Among residents who live directly on Humboldt Street, the split is more drastic: 0% oppose keeping and 100% support keeping the bike lanes, noting that two in-person respondents lived on Humboldt Street. The priority ranking indicates a preference across all groups to keep the existing bike lanes on Humboldt Street compared to the other alternatives. This demonstrates consistent neighborhood-wide sentiment to maintain the current Humboldt Street configuration.
Online Results
Staff received a total of 219 online surveys, with 99 survey responses from residents of the North Central neighborhood. When asked directly which of the three alternatives they support, 27% of North Central respondents oppose keeping the existing bike lanes on Humboldt Street, with 73% supporting retaining them. Among residents who live directly on Humboldt Street, the split is nearly identical: 26% oppose and 74% support keeping the bike lanes. The priority ranking indicates a preference across all groups to keep the existing bike lanes on Humboldt Street compared to the other alternatives. This demonstrates consistent neighborhood-wide online sentiment for maintaining the current Humboldt Street configuration. These results are consistent with the in- person survey results.
Staff also reviewed the survey findings inclusive of duplicate IP addresses (Tables 3A and 4A of Attachment 3) and determined that the findings did not significantly change, where the majority of responses were in support of keeping the bike lanes.
Mailed Results
Staff distributed prepaid postage mailed surveys to the North Central neighborhood and received a total of 150 survey responses. Of these, 42 (28%) were located on Humboldt Street, 13 (9%) were located on Idaho Street, 19 (13%) were located on Fremont Street, and 76 (51%) were located in the greater North Central area. Other communities outside of North Central were not sent a mailed survey.
When asked directly which of the three alternatives they support, 68% of North Central respondents oppose keeping the existing bike lanes on Humboldt Street, with only 32% in support of retaining them. Among residents who live directly on Humboldt Street, the split is similar: 66% oppose and 34% support keeping the bike lanes. Idaho Street residents in particular were highly opposed to a bike boulevard on Idaho Street. This demonstrates consistent neighborhood-wide mailed survey sentiment against maintaining the current Humboldt Street configuration. These results diverged noticeably from the in-person and online surveys.
Priority Ranking Summary: When respondents were instead asked to rank the three alternatives from most to least preferred (1 = most preferred, 3 = least preferred), the results varied between North Central and Humboldt Street residents.
Overall North Central residents ranked the options as follows:
1. Keep the existing bike lanes on Humboldt Street (highest average ranking)
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2. Fremont Street bike boulevard alternative
3. Idaho Street bike boulevard alternative (lowest average ranking)
Humboldt Street and Idaho Street residents specifically ranked the alternatives differently:
1. Fremont Street bike boulevard alternative
2. Keep the existing bike lanes on Humboldt Street
3. Idaho Street bike boulevard alternative (least preferred)
This shift between the responses to questions #1-#3 and the ranked-choice question suggests that while a clear majority actively oppose keeping the Humboldt configuration unchanged, many still view it as preferable to the bike boulevard options when forced to rank all three alternatives. A detailed table comparing the survey question results versus ranked choice is provided in Attachment
3. Streetlight Pilot
The City conducted a streetlighting pilot between 9/17/25 and 10/15/25. The streetlighting pilot was designed to gather direct community feedback on appropriate lighting levels and fixture styles for Humboldt Street and for a potential bike boulevard alternative. Two demonstration locations were established:
oHumboldt Street: Three cobrahead fixtures were installed side-by-side for comparison — the existing standard cobrahead, a medium-intensity version, and a high-intensity version. oIdaho Street: Two pedestrian-scale fixtures were displayed — the existing pedestrian-scale standard and a high-intensity version. (A medium-intensity pedestrian-scale option was not included because the City does not currently have an approved standard for that output level.)
Residents were able to view the fixtures at night and provide input on preferred brightness, glare, color temperature, and overall suitability for each corridor. Feedback from this pilot was summarized and presented at Workshop No. 3 to help inform final lighting recommendations.
Survey Summary: Staff received a total of 71 survey responses. Of these, 63% preferred the high-brightness option for pedestrian-scale lights, while 46% preferred the high-brightness option for roadway streetlight fixtures. Full detailed survey results are provided in Attachment 3 (Table 7 and 8) School Engagement
On January 23, 2025, the San Mateo-Foster City School District Board unanimously adopted a resolution strongly supporting retention of the existing Class II bike lanes on Humboldt Street. The resolution describes the Humboldt corridor as one of the most vital bicycle segments in the City of San Mateo and states that removal of the lanes would pose a threat to safety. On February 1, 2025, staff also received a letter from the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) of the San Mateo City School District (SMFCSD) stating their position to keep the bike lanes on Humboldt.
During Phase II outreach, staff met separately with administrators and faculty from San Mateo High School and Fiesta Gardens International School. Both schools emphasized that safety must remain the highest priority in any final decision. Fiesta Gardens International School representatives acknowledged the parking loss caused by the Humboldt bike lanes and noted that the already-constrained on-street parking supply in the surrounding neighborhood indirectly affects staff, families, and visitors. They welcomed any additional speed-calming measures on Indian Avenue, which experiences heavy vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic before and after school.
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Phase II Engagement Summary
Overall, the engagement efforts made for this entire process were comprehensive and consistent. The feedback received was mixed, but there are some common themes, as listed below:
Support for measures to slow speeds and volumes in neighborhood streets are welcomed, but not at the trade-off of removing parking or existing bicycle infrastructure. Streetlighting upgrades are well supported as the community perceives it as having a safety benefit. When looking at the overall priority ranking survey results during and after workshop #3, there is consistent support for retaining the bike lanes on Humboldt Street by in-person and online survey respondents. Mailed survey responses indicated residents living on Humboldt and Idaho Streets preferred the Fremont Street bike boulevard over retaining the Humboldt Street bike lanes.
FINAL FREMONT AND IDAHO STREET ALTERNATIVE AND STREETLIGHT UPGRADE
Existing Bicycle Usage Data: During Phase II, staff conducted weekday bicycle counts to establish baseline ridership and travel patterns on the three study corridors: Humboldt Street, Idaho Street, and Fremont Street. Counts were performed at multiple key intersections during the combined AM + PM peak periods (7:00–9:00 AM and 4:00–6:00 PM).
Key findings are as follows, presented as total weekday AM+PM peak hour bicycle trips for each street, across all study intersections:
Humboldt Street (Peninsula Avenue to 3rd Avenue, 7 intersections):
o343 total intersection bicycle trips
oDirectional split: 68% north–south travel, 32% east–west travel (reflecting strong through- movement demand along the corridor).
Idaho Street (Indian Avenue to 2nd Avenue, 4 intersections):
o124 total intersection bicycle trips during the same combined peak periods. oDirectional split: 43% north-south on Idaho Street and 57% east-west Fremont Street (Indian Avenue to 2nd Avenue, 4 intersections):
o226 total intersection bicycle trips during the same combined peak periods. oDirectional split: 37% north-south travel on Fremont Street, 63% east-west travel These counts confirm that Humboldt Street currently carries a large number of bicycle volumes. The data helped inform the design of traffic-calming treatments, intersection improvements, and diversion assumptions in the final alternatives. Detailed intersection-by-intersection counts are included in Attachment 3 (Table 9).
Potential Idaho Street Alternative
The final bicycle facility concept for Idaho Street, as presented to the community, proposes a potential bike boulevard alternative along Idaho Street between Indian Avenue and 2nd Avenue. The potential alternative route is approximately 4,000 feet long, compared to the existing 3,200-foot bike facility on Humboldt Street over the same general alignment. This alternative incorporates traffic calming and safety improvements along the entire corridor.
Safety enhancements are provided at seven intersections and include two new traffic circles at Monte Diablo Avenue and Indian Avenue and high-visibility crosswalks at all seven intersections. Additionally, eight speed humps are proposed along Idaho Street, with a total of ten-speed humps throughout the connecting route. Combined, these measures are projected to reduce prevailing vehicle speeds from approximately 25 mph to 15–18 mph and lower peak-hour traffic volumes from 130–289 vehicles per hour to 31–150 vehicles per hour. The final proposed concept can be found in Attachment 1 – Final Idaho Street Alternative. Cost Estimate: $1.37M: This cost includes restoration of Humboldt Street from Indian Avenue to 2 nd Avenue to before bike lanes were installed, the design work needed to bring the 15% concept designs to construction, construction and inspection services and a contingency. It should be noted that safety enhancements are proposed at the intersection of Indian Avenue and Humboldt Street as part of a funded and planned project (Local Roadway Safety Plan Priority Package 1) and therefore not included in the cost
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estimate.
Potential Fremont Street Alternative
The final bicycle facility concept for Fremont Street, as presented to the community, proposes a bike boulevard along Fremont Street between Indian Avenue and 2nd Avenue. The existing bike facility on Humboldt Street is approximately 3,200 feet long; the new proposed route along Fremont Street extends roughly 4,700 feet before reconnecting to the existing Class II bike lane on Humboldt Street. This alternative includes safety improvements at ten intersections. Proposed treatments include high-visibility crosswalks, all-way stops, centerline hardening, and curb extensions at Monte Diablo Avenue. In total, ten speed cushions are proposed, along with high-visibility crosswalks at Cypress Avenue, Tilton Avenue, both Monte Diablo Avenue intersections, Santa Inez Avenue, and Indian Avenue. Additionally, the proposal converts 2nd Avenue between S. Grant Avenue and Fremont Street to westbound-only motor vehicle traffic, allowing contraflow (two-way) bicycle travel on that segment. Combined, these measures are projected to reduce existing vehicle speeds on Fremont Street from 23–26 mph to 15–18 mph and lower peak-hour traffic volumes from 100–200 vehicles per hour to 50–120 vehicles per hour. The final proposed concept can be found in Attachment 2 – Final Fremont Street Alternative. Cost Estimate: $1.32M: This cost includes restoration of Humboldt Street from Indian Avenue to 2 nd Avenue to before bike lanes were installed, the design work needed to bring the 15% concept designs to construction, construction and inspection services and a contingency. It should be noted that safety enhancements are proposed at the intersection of Indian Avenue and Humboldt Street as part of a funded and planned project (Local Roadway Safety Plan Priority Package 1) and therefore not included in the cost estimate.
Streetlighting Upgrade
Humboldt Street – The limits of the streetlighting upgrade on Humboldt Street will be from Peninsula Avenue to 5th Avenue. This segment has approximately 44 existing cobrahead roadway streetlights and 20 pedestrian scale lights. To upgrade all 66 streetlights, it is estimated to cost approximately $94,000.
Idaho Street – The limits of the streetlighting upgrade on Idaho Street is from Indian Avenue to 2 nd Avenue. This segment has approximately 18 cobrahead roadway streetlights and 9 pedestrian scale lights.
To upgrade all 27 streetlights will cost approximately $40,500.
Fremont Street – The limits of the streetlighting upgrade on Fremont Street will be from Indian Avenue to 2nd Avenue, the same path as the proposed bike alternative. This segment has approximately 25 cobrahead roadway streetlights and 9 pedestrian scale lights. To upgrade all 34 lights would cost approximately $47,500.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Permit Parking Program
Staff have received feedback from the public as early as October 2024 and during the Phase II engagement effort that there was interest in creating a permit parking program on and near Humboldt Street to help alleviate the parking issue in the community. At the Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission Meeting on December 10, 2026, commissioners also expressed an interest in advancing a permit parking program in North Central.
The City’s current Residential Permit Parking Program (RPPP) policy would require amendments to meet the needs of North Central. To better clarify potential amendments that would be needed to the City’s current RPPP policy, a summary table is included below.
Current Policy Potential North Central Policy Amendment Current policy restricts RPPPs to areas within
residential neighborhoods where on-street parking is
impacted by parked cars from non-residents, or
Allow implementation of a Permit Parking Program or
RPPP in North Central with consideration that
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parking generators such as a school, business,
commercial district or commercial use.
Humboldt Street was impacted by a significant loss of
parking from the North Central Bike Lanes Project.
Commercial vehicles are not permitted to park in
RPPP areas.
Some community members in North Central rely on
on-street parking to park commercial business
vehicles. A Permit Parking Program in North Central
could optionally allow parking of both residential and
commercial vehicles.
Other considerations when developing a Permit Parking Program are as follows:
oIf advanced, staff would evaluate the appropriate geographic extent of the program. Because the program is intended to address impacts associated with the North Central Bike Lanes Project, staff would consider including Humboldt Street and nearby adjacent blocks. The program area would be refined to balance effectiveness, equity, and administrative feasibility while targeting areas most directly affected by the project.
oFor the program to be effective, a per-house limit on issued permits would need to be determined.
Staff estimate there are on average 2-3+ vehicles per household, exceeding the availability of on- street parking supply. It is important to note that most residential parking permit programs are designed to manage who may park on a street, not to guarantee a space for every permitted vehicle. While a permit parking program wouldn’t add parking capacity to North Central, it could be designed to offer impacted residents a “leg up” in finding parking amongst available spaces. oAn estimated initial capital investment from $10,000 - $40,000+ is necessary to establish signage throughout the community (various depending on program area). On-going costs will include permit issuance, permit renewal, enforcement, and sign maintenance which is yet to be defined. North Central Private Site Parking Leases
Per City Council feedback at the February 3, 2025, meeting and multiple comments from the North Central community expressing interest in increasing the available parking supply, staff explored pursuing private parking lot leases with private property owners. The table below summarizes the properties contacted and the owners’ responses.
Private Site Leases Matrix
Property Interest Dialogue
San Mateo High School No There are too many evening events including Adult School night classes. Will not be able to provide consistent supply.
San Mateo High School
District Offices
No There are too many evening events including Adult School night classes. Will not be able to provide consistent supply.
Fiesta Gardens
International
School
No San Mateo Foster City School District does not rent out spaces for overnight parking.
Sturge Presbyterian
Church
No The lot is used for evening events and food distribution events for the neighborhood in partnership with Second
Harvest.
Community Baptist
Church
Unresponsive Staff reached out five times via phone and twice in person.
State of California
Administrative Office of
the Courts
No The Judicial Council already has an agreement with a local organization for after hours and weekend/holiday use of the Central Branch lot, so spaces are not available for regular overnight use.
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Army National Guard
Office
Maybe There are concerns over security specifically in the back gated area. Staff are primarily on-site at night during the weekend so availability will be limited. Front parking lot might potentially be available depending on leasing
compensation.
Department of Motor
Vehicles (DMV)
Maybe Leases will be on a non-exclusive basis; agreements are negotiated at market rate and limit the types of use and hours of use. Staff often arrive around 6AM so vehicles will need to be out of the lot before 6AM. Insurance as well as daily routine cleanup will be required.
Other Humboldt Projects
Outside of the Humboldt Bike Lane Alternative effort, the City currently has two other active safety improvement projects on Humboldt Street and identified additional traffic calming measures that could be implemented.
oPoplar/Humboldt Traffic Signal Improvement: This project was completed in late September 2025 and installed protected left turns at the Poplar Avenue and Humboldt Street intersection. This project was listed as the top priority project out of 10 in the City’s adopted Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP).
oLocal Roadway Safety Plan Priority Package 1: This project was awarded approximately $1 million in federal funding to implement Priority Projects 1, 2, 4, and 6 from the City’s adopted LRSP. Priority Project 4 specifically includes safety improvements at three intersections along Humboldt Street (Humboldt Street/Indian Avenue, Humboldt Street/E. Santa Inez Avenue, and Humboldt Street/Tilton Avenue). Improvements include, but are not limited to, all-way stop control, intersection lighting upgrades, raised crosswalks, curb extensions, and enhanced sight-distance improvements. The project will start the design phase in early 2026. oOther Humboldt Street Calming Measures: Based on consistent community feedback in support of additional traffic calming measures, staff explored whether additional safety enhancements along Humboldt Street between Peninsula Avenue and 2nd Avenue could be implemented. Staff identified the option of installing two raised crosswalks between Peninsula Avenue and Poplar Avenue, one at the existing crossing at the San Mateo Superior Court and the other at the existing crossing at College Way. When combined with all other ongoing Humboldt Street projects, these additional measures are projected to reduce prevailing vehicle speeds from the current 24–31 mph to approximately 22–26 mph. The two proposed raise crosswalks are estimated to cost approximately $130,000, for which there is currently not any identified funding.
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDING The City of San Mateo receives annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the HUD. To qualify for these funds, the City follows a structured review and approval process. Each year, the City prepares and submits an AAP to HUD for approval prior to the allocation of funds. Prior to submission to HUD, the AAP draft is published for a 30-day public comment period and is presented to the Community Relations Commission for review and recommendation, followed by approval by the City Council.
The original North Central Bike Lanes Project, which included installation of Class II bike lanes on Humboldt Street from 2nd Avenue to Indian Avenue, had a total construction contract value of approximately $1.5 million. Of this amount, an estimated $273,000 in CDBG funds was used specifically for the bike lane installation on Humboldt Street from 2nd Avenue to Indian Avenue.
Should the bike lanes be removed, the portion of CDBG funds expended on the bike lanes (approximately $273,000) would need to be credited back to the City’s local CDBG account. HUD may require these funds to be returned to HUD first before being reprogrammed back to the City’s CDBG account.
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In other words, the City Council would need to reallocate funds in the amount of $273,000 from another funding source to replace the CDBG funds expended on the bike lanes and restore the City’s local CDBG account in accordance with HUD requirements. These reallocated funds would then become available for redistribution to other eligible projects within the City of San Mateo, in full compliance with HUD program requirements and national objectives.
POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVES
Staff is providing a range of potential alternatives for Council consideration to address community concerns about safety and the loss of parking on Humboldt Street, as described below. These alternatives take into consideration the feedback from community engagement process, including the consistent and widespread support for additional traffic calming/safety measures and enhanced lighting and the more mixed feedback on keeping/removing the Humboldt Street bike lanes vs. installing bike boulevards on Idaho or Fremont Streets. Note that three of the four alternatives below include streetlighting upgrades, and their associated costs are reflected in the totals shown for each respective alternative. If the Council decides to pursue streetlighting upgrades independently from the alternatives below, the estimated cost per street is provided in the table below.
Streetlighting Upgrade – Estimated Cost by Street
Street Limits Estimated Cost
Idaho Street 2nd Avenue – Indian Avenue $40,500
Humboldt Street Peninsula Avenue – 5th Avenue $94,000
Fremont Street 2nd Avenue – Indian Avenue $47,500
Alternative #1 - Keep As-Is
This alternative retains the Class II bike lanes on Humboldt Street and does not restore any parking. This option maintains existing bike infrastructure, which allows for consistent North-South bike travel from 5th Avenue to Peninsula Avenue on Humboldt Street. This option does not address the comments from the community about the need to increase parking supply.
oCost Estimate: $0
Alternative #2 – Keep-As-Is with Additional Humboldt Street Calming Measures + Streetlighting Upgrades + Explore Permit Parking Program
This alternative retains the existing Class II bike lanes on Humboldt Street (no parking restoration) and includes the following additional improvements not provided in the LRSP Priority 1 project: streetlighting upgrades along the entire Humboldt Street corridor from Peninsula Avenue to 5th Avenue and implementation of enhanced traffic-calming measures on Humboldt Street beyond the scope of the LRSP Priority Package 1 improvements. More specifically, these improvements include the installation of two raised crosswalks between Peninsula Avenue and Poplar Avenue. As part of this alternative, staff will further explore the establishment of a permit parking program tailored to the North Central neighborhood. oCost Estimate: $295,000 (Includes design, construction and inspection services, including $40,000 estimated initial capital costs for a permit parking program.)
Alternative #3 – Idaho Street Bike Boulevard + Streetlighting Upgrades This alternative would install a bike boulevard on Idaho Street from Indian Avenue to 2nd Avenue, upgrade streetlights on Humboldt Street from Peninsula Avenue to 5th Avenue and upgrade streetlights on Idaho Street from Indian Avenue to 2nd Avenue. This alternative would also remove a segment of the existing Class II bicycle facility on Humboldt Street from Indian Avenue to 2nd Avenue and restore approximately 100 parking spaces in that same segment. This alternative is estimated to lower vehicle speeds on Idaho Street
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from 25mph to 15-18mph and lower peak-hour traffic volumes from 100–200 vehicles per hour to 50–120 vehicles per hour.
oCost Estimate: $1.5M (Includes Humboldt Street roadway restoration to pre-bike-lane condition, Idaho Street bike boulevard installation, streetlighting upgrades on both corridors as described, advancement of 15% concept designs to construction-ready documents, construction, inspection services, and contingency. Additionally, $273,000 would need to be appropriated back into the CDBG local account for removal of the Humboldt bike lanes, as described above. While this is an additional cost, it is funds that would be available for reinvestment within the City’s CDBG areas.)
Alternative #4 – Fremont Street Bike Boulevard + Streetlighting Upgrades This alternative would install a bike boulevard on Fremont Street from Indian Avenue to 2nd Avenue, upgrade streetlights on Humboldt Street from Peninsula Avenue to 5th Avenue and on Fremont Street from Indian Avenue to 2nd Avenue. This alternative would also remove a segment of the existing Class II bicycle facility on Humboldt Street from Indian Avenue to 2nd Avenue and restore approximately 100 parking spaces in that same segment. This alternative is estimated to lower vehicle speeds on Idaho Street from 25mph to 15- 18mph and lower peak-hour traffic volumes from 100–200 vehicles per hour to 50–120 vehicles per hour. oCost Estimate: $1.46M (Includes Humboldt Street roadway restoration to pre-bike-lane condition, Fremont Street bike boulevard installation, streetlighting upgrades on both corridors as described, advancement of 15% concept designs to construction-ready documents, construction, inspection services, and contingency. Additionally, $273,000 would need to be appropriated back into the CDBG local account for removal of the Humboldt bike lanes, as described above. While this is an additional cost, it is funds that would be available for reinvestment within the City’s CDBG areas.)
Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission Feedback
On December 10, 2025, City staff presented the Humboldt Street Bike Lane Alternatives Project (Phase II) to the Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission (Commission) for feedback and a recommendation to the City Council. The Agenda Report was substantially similar to this report (although this report was updated to address questions raised at and subsequent to that meeting) and staff presentation provided a comprehensive overview of the Project history and the City Council's direction from the February 3, 2025, meeting. The item received a total of 31 public comments during the Commission meeting. Comments reflected a range of perspectives, from strong emphasis on maintaining safety through retention of the bike lanes on Humboldt Street (21 commenters) to support for removing the bike lanes and restoring parking without implementing an alternative bicycle connection. Commissioner feedback was largely consistent in favoring retention of the bike lanes on Humboldt Street, while also advocating for enhancements such as improved street lighting and measures to provide additional parking relief for the North Central community. Following discussion, the Commission voted unanimously (5-0) to recommend Alternative #2: Retain the existing bike lanes on Humboldt Street (Keep-As-Is), with the addition of traffic calming measures, streetlighting upgrades, and exploration of a Residential Permit Parking Program to address community parking needs.
Staff received various questions from Council members and the public after the Commission meeting. Staff provided a summary of questions and answers in Attachment 4.
NEXT STEPS:
February 2, 2026 (this meeting): City Council to provide a recommendation on which alternative to advance as it relates to the Humboldt Street Bike Lanes.
Depending upon the alternative selected, staff would return to City Council to appropriate funding for the
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selected alternative as soon as administratively feasible. After funding is appropriated, staff will begin implementation steps for the selected alternative, as appropriate.
BUDGET IMPACT:
There is no budgetary impact on this item as staff is seeking a recommendation from City Council.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This item is not a project subject to CEQA, because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Idaho Street Alternative Final Concept Design
Att 2 – Fremont Street Alternative Final Concept Design Att 3 – Workshop 3 Survey Results, Streetlighting Pilot Survey Results, and Existing Bicycle Usage Detail Results Att 4 – Humboldt Bike Lanes Question and Answers Post 12/10/2025 Commission Meeting Att 5 – Public Comment
STAFF CONTACT
Jay Yu, Engineering Manager
[email protected]
(650) 522-7323