City of San Mateo
City Council Meeting
POST PACKET
PUBLIC COMMENT
1 From: Jake Adger
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 9:20 AM
To: [email protected]; Nicole Fernandez; Adam Loraine; [email protected]; [email protected] Cc: Clerk; City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Please keep the Humboldt st bike lanes
Dear Mayor and City Council Members,
I’m a San Mateo resident, and I’m writing to ask you to please vote to keep the Humboldt st. bike lanes. I had a severe bicycle accident 5 years ago just two blocks from my home in San Mateo, so safety is a very personal issue for me.
The Humboldt bike lanes are a critical part of a safe, continuous bike network across San Mateo. They connect homes, schools, downtown areas, and bus and train transit, and they’re identified as the #2 priority project in the San Mateo Bike Master Plan. Just as importantly, Humboldt st. connects directly to the only three bike routes over 101 in San Mateo (Peninsula Ave, Monte Diablo Ave, and 3rd Ave), making it a key link in the city.
Safety is a big reason I support keeping them. Humboldt is a truck route where observed speeds average around 35 mph—well above the 25 mph speed limit. Before these improvements, this corridor was one of the most dangerous streets in San Mateo County for all users. The bike lanes add essential protection not just for people biking, but also for pedestrians and drivers.
The lanes are also clearly being used. There are more than 10,000 bike trips per month on Humboldt, which shows that this isn’t a theoretical improvement—it’s serving real people every day.
They’re especially important for families. The Humboldt bike lanes enable Safe Routes to Schools for four schools serving over 10,000 students, including the new Fiesta Gardens K–8 school—the first neighborhood school in North Central in more than 20 years.
Beyond safety and access, keeping the bike lanes supports goals the city has already committed to:
reducing greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled, and advancing Vision Zero. Removing the middle section would break up the network and create dangerous, disconnected bike lanes, undermining those goals.
There’s also a practical, financial angle. Removing the bike lanes would cost taxpayers more than $1.3 million and could jeopardize future grant funding. That’s a lot of money to spend to make the street less safe and less functional.
I respectfully ask you to vote to prioritize safety and sustainable transportation by keeping the Humboldt st. bike lanes.
Thank you for your time and for your service to our community.
2 Sincerely,
Jake Adger
San Mateo
1 From: Val Armento < >
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 9:30 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: North Central Bike Lanes
The City Council has created an untenable situation in North Central San Mateo.
There is a long history of not treating the North Central area fairly and the bike lane fiasco is simply adding to that unfortunate legacy.
Now that individuals are elected to the City Council by district, they seem to think they can ignore the concerns of those not in their districts.
Restore the very badly needed parking in North Central and stop wasting money on rarely used bike lanes.
Valerie Armento
San Mateo
1 From: Gail Bagby
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 9:12 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Return of Parking to North County !
Please listen! Thank You ?? ??
1 From: joanne bennett
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 9:53 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Humboldt Street Bikes Lanes - Return Parking
Good Morning Mayor Loraine & Council Members Nicole Fernandez, Danielle Cwirko-Godycki, Lisa Diaz Nash and Rob Newsom
As a longtime North Central resident I am humbly asking all of you to return our much needed parking along Humboldt Street.
No where in this city or perhaps maybe even the county has 200 plus parking spaces been removed in a single neighborhood to accommodate a bike lane.
North Central was certainly NOT the neighborhood to do this as parking has been a well known issue for decades and has cost hardships to our residents. I will also add that I personally do not trust the outcomes of the studies and surveys that were done to determine usage and feel those studies are flawed. The usage does not warrant the sacrifice our neighborhood has endured for over two years.
From what I have seen on a daily basis the bike lanes are not being sufficiently used. If it was being sufficiently used most of us would be willing to accept the parking loss. Plain and simple fact it is NOT. Perhaps because Humboldt St. is an arterial street that connects to at least three/four US 101 off/on ramps at Peninsula, Poplar, Third Ave and Fourth Avenue may be the reason for lack of bicycle use?? Also I will point out the many proponents of the bike lanes that continually have stated and have a false sense of safety in the belief that a simple painted line on the pavement will protect them. Recent tragic accidents in San Mateo and other surrounding cities have proven this wrong.
I will end this by saying I have nothing against bicyclists or bike lanes. Just please give us back our parking!
Thank you,
Joanne Bennett
1 From: Frances Boscacci
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2026 12:00 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Return parking spaces. !
How can you possibly take parking spaces to create bike lanes?!! Please return these spaces to the residents of San Mateo!
Please plan good bike lanes, not sloppy ones!!
I’m a resident of the Beresford Park area who really cares about keeping San Mateo a great place to live.
Thank you!
Frances
1 From: Nicole Cherok
Sent: Sunday, February 1, 2026 6:02 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: vote on bike lanes
Hello,
I stand with the residents of North Central and ask you to vote to restore their street parking.
I also want to let you know that it's very difficult to find parking to frequent the businesses at Poplar and Ellsworth. In addition the people who live in that neighborhood have a very difficult time finding parking.
The owner of Top Hat Cleaners told me that many hard working people live in that neighborhood, the ones who clean our houses and take care of our yards.
These people live many to a house and have to leave their cars running all night long so that they will not be towed while parked in bike lanes. This is a waste of gas and a hardship for them!
I rarely see anyone using these bike paths. Has there been any assessment of how popular they are? There has to be a way to have better balance between parking for residents, businesses, and those who want to ride their bikes.
Regards,
Dr. Nicole Cherok
Cherok Chiropractic
1 From: P Chiang
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 11:38 AM
To: Nicole Fernandez; City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Petition to remove the Humboldt Bike Lane
Dear City Council Members,
This is the first time in my life writing to the city officials. What I'd like to point out is we all remember the redlining real estate history of San Mateo, with the Humboldt Bike Lane installation, we can all see the negative effects in the North Central neighborhood.
For example, more paved front yard for parking instead of gardens, more cones or trash cans out to 'reserve' parking spaces and, of course, more dispute among neighbors fighting for very limited parking spaces, worse yet with vehicles parked blocking or partially blocking the driveway. Also can you imagine some people having to circle the streets after work to find a parking spot and then walk blocks to go home everyday?
You are the ones in position to have an impact on the lives of all residents, and I hope you'd right the wrong by removing the under used bike lanes to prevent the neighborhood from going downhill.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Peason Chiang
Climate Action California • PO Box 20001 • Oakland, CA 94620
January 30, 2026
Mayor Adam Loraine and members of the San Mateo City Council San Mateo City Hall
330 West 20th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403
Re: February 2, 2026 agenda item no. 7
Please move forward with Humboldt bike lanes Alternative no. 2 Dear Mayor Lorraine and Council members:
Climate Action California is a grassroots climate advocacy group with more than 7,000 supporters around the state, all concerned about the adverse impacts of global heating on our planet. On behalf of our Transportation Team, I write in support of keeping the Humboldt Street bike lanes (City Council Agenda Item no. 7, February 2, 2026 regular meeting). Specifically, we support Alternative 2, “Keep-As-Is with Additional Humboldt Street Calming Measures + Streetlighting Upgrades + Explore Permit Parking Program.”
Transportation is the largest single source of climate-warming emissions in California, responsible for over 38 percent of the state’s total emissions and over 50 percent of emissions in San Mateo County.
More than 70 percent of trips in San Mateo County are currently taken by solo drivers. Along with vehicle electrification, reduction of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is a vital part of the state’s strategy to reduce transportation emissions. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has set a target of reducing VMT 24 percent below 2001 levels by 2030, and 29 percent below 2001 levels by 2045.
Reducing VMT to meet our state’s goals can be achieved only if we enhance both public transportation and active transportation, including bicycling. Removing bike lanes to restore street parking to Humboldt Street would encourage even more solo driving and run counter to the state’s emissions and VMT reduction targets. Keeping the Humboldt Street bike lanes and making them safer with the addition of traffic calming measures and better lighting will encourage more biking on this important street. Addressing businesses’ concerns by exploring parking permits should address at least some of the concerns about lost parking spaces.
1 From:
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2026 5:34 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: 2 Feb 2026 Council Meeting Agenda Item #7 Humboldt Bike Lanes Alternative Honorable Members of the San Mateo City Council,
Regarding the pending decisions about the Humboldt Street bike lanes, I encourage you to consider the following carefully.
As much of a squabble as this issue has been, in a broader view it is not about bikes and parking places. It is about who controls narratives to get what they want from the city.
Although I am President and CEO of Ethics San Mateo, a California Nonprofit Public Benefit corporation, and there potentially are some ethical issues in the proceedings and alliances, I am writing this as an individual.
I am not going to state whether I support or oppose either the removal of the bike lanes and restoration of street parking on Humboldt. Why? Because I do not live in North Central and I don’t ride a bike in that area. The residents of North Central, especially those on Humboldt and surrounding streets, are the people who feel the impact from the lack of parking, not me, and certainly not the special interests. The thoughts of people who actually ride a bicycle on Humbolt are to be considered. When representatives and members of bicycle special interest groups call for a mass biking demonstration, or when posing for a staged newspaper picture, that so- called proof of bike lane usage cannot be considered. When on the day of official surveys by the city, there is a huge surge of bikes reported without apparent reason, it smells of manipulation, perhaps a leak of information about the date of the survey? You must ignore data which is demonstrably flawed. Come on, some supporters of the bike lanes have stated there are 10,000 bike trips per month. Get real.
I do care about this because it is a clear case of not considering residents’ voices as being most important. It is about loud voices of special interests trying to control a narrative. We have seen this scenario over and over. It is time to put a stop to
the subrogation of our residents in favor of big money interests. Time to stop the political shenanigans in using this as a rally cry by those seeking support for the next election.
I remind you of an Ethics Watch published by Ethics San Mateo on March 30, 2023, detailing council’s discussion and facts regarding the bike lanes. The then-members of the city council agreed mistakes were made that had to be remedied. Three years later the city has accomplished nothing, except spending staff time, money and causing divisive conversations.
Since the early days of the debates over these bike lanes the pile-on of politicians, and the special interest groups of which they seek approval, has become a painful scrum to the residents of North Central. The demographics of the neighborhood tell the s
tory. Just look at the census tract data. In 2019 70% of householders were non-white. The population was over 7,700 and there was a median income of just over $24,000. That is
2 about $30,000 in 2026-dollar spending power with inflation. (https://datacommons.org/place/geoId/06081606200)
North Central is an Equity Priority Neighborhood. That’s why the HUD Community Development Block Grant Program exists. It is to right a wrong, the lack of investment in these underserved neighborhoods, not to provide a bike lane for special interest groups to tout as a win.
As a reminder, and for clarification for those who do not understand the meaning of the designation, an Equity Priority Neighborhood is a specific geographic area identified by planners as having a high concentration of underserved populations, including low-income households and people of color, who have historically faced disinvestment. Have you lost sight of this? Do you want to appear to be turning a blind eye, as your predecessors a century ago did?
If, indeed, the lives of the residents of North Central were improved overall by the bike lanes, I doubt if this fevered debate would be taking place. If children were observed filling the lanes before and after school, it would be great. If on any given day, with good weather, families could be seen in mass enjoying a ride, I would suppose, in the words of a City of San Mateo Sustainability and Infrastructure Commissioner, the “inconvenienced” residents just might have a more temperate tone.
The studies, surveys and purported observations by city staff simply make no sense. I have heard from people who live in North Central, or travel consistently on Humbolt, or have firsth and knowledge, or have recorded the
bike lane traffic. I have listened to the supporters of the bike lanes. I have driven the length of the Humboldt Street bike lanes a number of times on good weather days at various times and have seen no more than three bicycles. On one occasion, one of two were on the sidewalk. Yes, my observations were a very small sampling, but if one were to believe the astronomical number of bicyclists using the lanes that are being touted, I certainly would have seen more than two or three.
The opponents and supporters of the restoration of parking, a potential loss of bike lanes, bring many arguments. I see a lot of distractions. No one will argue that any injury or death for ANY reason or means is not sad or tragic for any avoidable traffic incident, especially when resulting in a death. Accusing those who want restoration of pa
rking as not caring about injuries or deaths is a heartless tactic to gain sympathy for their cause.
It is as cold-blooded telling disabled and elderly people that having to park blocks away from their home is a mere “inconvenience.” It is also simply inhumane to use any tragic event for political purposes. It, however, seems to be a “go-to” for those pushing their agendas and ideology.
North Central is an example of a failure to plan for future growth. Over 8,000 people live in an area that was designed for lifestyles and the day-to-day activities of the 1940’s and 50’s. The special interest groups, as well as city officials and staff, need to stop blaming the residents for a problem they did not create. Some have two families living in their houses, a fact that some use for an argument of why parking is an issue - yet the city is encouraging ADUs so more people can live on a single R1 lot. Please say goodbye to that argument, and the cultural/racial overtones it carries.
It is also an area where, in time past, minority residents were concentrated due to unfair, racist, and simply abhorrent acts of lenders and developers aided by our local governments by their turning a blind eye to the 3 discrimination. This undoubtedly led to the conditions warranting the current designation of an Equity Priority Designation even with the elimination of the previous exclusionary and cruel policies.
Street parking is NOT “Free Parking.” Residents pay taxes that provide for roadways that accommodate curb parking. The arguments using statements that residents are just trying to get “Free Parking” must be ignored. It is only one of many distractions from the real issue. If any neighborhood deserves street parking, it is North Central. Again, this area was not built to accommodate the modern-day requirements imposed on many of the residents. Using them as pawns in a power struggle is unacceptable. The removal of the bike lanes on Humbolt does not constitute a loss of anything to all but a few people who might be slightly inconvenienced by having to take alternative, perhaps safer, routes while riding. The residents of North Central can easily show the harm and losses caused by the removal of parking. And PLEASE do not try to accuse me of not caring about tragic events. I am the very last person that could be considered callous. I have risked my life for others many, many times.
There is talk of a compromise. Perhaps a compromise for political purposes and convenience is upon us as the election cycle begins? A compromise makes no one whole. The discontent of even a partial loss causes nothing but a drive to take on the battle again. Reference the remarks made by former members of the City Council regarding the passage of Measure Y a few years ago. “We will continue to fight” is a quote from a video that is widely available. They promised to continue the fight against the principles of the voter passed mandate, and guess what – they finally won with Measure T. Councilmembers, remember that as the North Central neighborhood becomes more and more unlivable because of outside interests.
Do you really believe this vociferous battle is over a few blocks of green paint? No, it certainly is not. It is about the power of big money and special interests working to conquer the underserved neighborhoods, or anywhere they desire to profit from. It is about them growing in strength and influence with each win. It is about who can manipulate the city for their benefit.
Are you going to vote to show you put the voices and needs of actual residents first, to protect seniors, disabled, and working-class residents or will you vote to get support from those who do not care about them for your next election?
Why, if I don’t oppose or support the restoration of parking, am I asking you this? Well, I figure once a politician makes it known their re-election is more important than their constituency, we’re all in trouble.
Dave Cohen
1 From: Michael Crocker
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 11:12 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Save the Humboldt Bike Lanes
Dear City Council Members,
My name is Michael Crocker; I live in Foster city and use this bike lane when I come to San Mateo to enjoy your relatively lively downtown (shops, restaurants, walkable spaces).
Please do not drag us back to the past. This bike lane saves lives. The only viable future for our communities (safety, environment, quality of life) encourages the use of non-driving modes of transit.
This sort of regressive, anti-social policy is lock-step cooperation with right-wing extremists and is only metastasizing into spaces such as our communities because of clever center-shifting tactics of the current far right.
Thank you,
Michael
1 From: Ann Dorsey
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2026 9:24 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Make safety a priority
Councilmembers,
I urge you to keep bicyclists safe by rejecting the proposal to remove bike lanes from Humbolt Avenue, the most dangerous street in the city. The bike lanes are next to three schools that combined serve 10,000 students. There is a very real need for the bike lanes to stay as they are. Please do not waste precious city funds to remove them. There are far better uses for the $2 million.
Thank you,
Ann Dorsey
1 From: James Ford
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2026 12:03 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo); Clerk
Subject: Comment on Humboldt Bike Lanes Alternative — Update, Agenda No. 7, 2/2/26 Dear Council,
I urge you to align with the Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission’s unanimous recommendation in favor of Alternative #2, namely to keep the existing bike lanes on Humboldt Street in place and pursue street lighting upgrades for the neighborhood.
Pedestrian and cyclist safety is paramount; cities across the Peninsula are witnessing a sharp increase in the number of teenagers utilizing bikes to get to and from school and extracurricular activities and so the City Council should affirm the importance of safe bike routes in the region. While bike boulevards sound like a viable option in theory, in reality they do little to slow traffic or discourage aggressive, dangerous driving habits. I encourage the City Council to instead explore a residential parking permit program for the North Central neighborhood to deter frequent long-term and commercial parking on city- owned streets. Finally, spending roughly $1.5 million to dismantle critical safety infrastructure is not a fiscally prudent move. As the City Council prepares to ask residents for a quarter-cent sales tax increase this November, this bike lane vote serves as a referendum on our leadership’s fiscal stewardship of limited taxpayer resources.
Thank you,
James
1 From: Alyson Geller
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 9:38 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: 2M to rip out life-saving bike lanes around schools? Dn't do it! Dear Council Members,
This plan is reckless and backwards. At a time when we need to be building and fully protecting bike lanes and other modes of transportation, especially for our most vulnerable populations, you want to put in more parking spaces for multi-ton vehicles that threaten lives and community wellbeing? San Mateo High, College Park/Fiesta Gardens Elementary, and San Mateo Adult Schools are located on the most dangerous streets in the City. Destroying a proven solution like bike lanes is an invitation to more tragedy. Infrastructure that encourages safe biking and walking - for children as well as adults - while also reducing congestion, pollution, and other negative effects of car culture -- promotes a strong, connected, and thriving community. Cities across the US are seeing the benefits of protected bike networks. Why wouldn't San Mateo want to be a part of this trend, rather than the backward- facing, costly move of tearing out bike lanes?
Please do the right thing and maintain the bike lanes -- in fact -- build more, and make them fully protected.
Thank you,
Aly Geller
Aly Geller
Support Services Manager
Families for Safe Streets
Share your story on the National Story Map
M m m
1 From: Gary Germano
Sent: Sunday, February 1, 2026 9:01 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Parking and Bike Lanes
Dear City Council members,
This is a request that you absolutely do not remove current residential neighborhood parking spaces to create bike lanes.
The bike lanes we currently have on Alameda de las Pulgas and El Camino Real with the right lanes clearly marked with bicycle lane markings on the asphalt are sufficient to do the job, especially since we see very, very, very few bicyclists . That type can be used.
It is bad enough that you no longer require onsite parking as a requisite for adding accessory dwelling units, which is quite a neighborhood degrading issue in and of itself. Where would you expect residents to park?
In case you haven't noticed, there are currently some San Mateo neighborhoods where you may have to park one, two, or more blocks away from the resident you are visiting because all of the parking spaces are taken!
How would you like someone else's car parking in front of your own house daily and on the weekends?
We need to have respect for residents and homeowners in all of San Mateo's neighborhoods.
Please, no removal of parking spaces for bike lanes!
Sincerely,
Gary Germano
San Mateo
1 From: ROB GIBSON
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 10:02 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Humboldt parking
Dear Council Members, As I have Iived on Humboldt Street since 2013 I think I bring something relevant to the bike lane conversation. I have not seen an increase in bike riding anywhere near the claims of the bicycle coalition.
We tried the experiment and it didn't work.
Therefore I ask for the return of the parking spaces to Humboldt Street.
Respectfully,
Rob Gibson
From:
Sent: Sunday, February 1, 2026 1:15 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Restore parking on Humbolt--relocate west side bike lane, keep East side lane.
Good Morning…..The well intenƟoned Humbolt bike lanes have been a major problem since incepƟon, and conƟnue to cause significant and ongoing disrupƟon to the neighborhood. While other bike lanes have created challenges, this one stands out as uniquely harmful due to its locaƟon, traffic demands, and loss of criƟcal parking.
We support bike lanes—but the current configuraƟon has caused disproporƟonate harm to seniors and residents with disabiliƟes, many of whom have been significantly impacted by the eliminaƟon of parking and reduced access to their homes.
A pracƟcal alternaƟve exists: keep the east-side bike lane parallel to traffic and relocate the west-side lane to a nearby street, creaƟng one-way bike lanes. This soluƟon is not ideal, but it is safer, more funcƟonal, and far less damaging to vulnerable residents. Or do one-way streets.
Thank you for your hard work in trying to address this challenging issue. We sincerely appreciate your efforts.
Respecƞully submiƩed,
Tom and Carol GilleƩ
1 From: georgette
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 11:07 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Removal of parking spaces in North Central San Mateo I urge Council to reconsider the plan to remove 200 parking spaces for additional bike lanes.
Unfortunately, Council’s similar past decisions leading to the addition of additional bike lanes in the City has added to the increasing traffic problem. Additionally, oftentimes I’ve witnessed Cyclists ignoring their bike lanes and placing themselves in the middle of the road without care nor consciousness and slowing down vehicles and the flow of traffic. Not abiding by the rules of the road that also pertain to them with no enforcement as police officers have enough to do without monitoring cyclysts.
Some reasonableness should be employed on the part of our city government going forward.
georgette guerra, resident
1 From: Douglas Handerson
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 2:53 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo); City Mgr
Subject: Letter submitted for City Council packet for February 2, 2026 regarding Humboldt Bike Lanes
CONTACT INFORMATION
First Name Doug
Last Name Handerson
Address
City San Mateo
State CA
Zip Code
San Mateo City Council,
Let's Change our Priorities
City Council must act this Monday, February 2, not by investing new funds in Humboldt bike-lanes redesign measures for our North Central neighborhood, but, instead by changing focus to:
1) Stripe locations of parking spaces on streets near Humboldt's bike- lanes;
2) Protect pedestrians and cyclists. Enforce the the State-required safety distance at intersections near Humboldt. Fund daytime towing, in addition to ticketing;
3) Tow chronically-unmoved vehicles near Humboldt, such vehicles that are now either ticketed on street-sweeping days, or are ignored by City- contracted enforcement personnel;
4) Concentrate future funding on streets where bicyclists and speeding two-wheeled motorized vehicles already travel, such as on Monte Diablo Avenue near Humboldt;
5) Install “Walk-bicycles” enforcement signing for the entrances to the Monte Diablo/Highway 101 pedestrian over-crossing to protect senior walkers on the ramps from bicyclists and motorized vehicles that are already using that route to access neighborhoods easterly of Bayshore Freeway.
One hopes future City Councils will realize that by replacing street parking with bike-lanes, the well-meaning City causes many residents to pave over water-catching turf areas in order to continue to meet their parking needs.
2 With nowhere else to go, the increased water rushing into the streets from this paving will necessitate costly infrastructure improvements, necessary to protect residents from additional flooding.
And, more water will raise the levels of the Bay and lead to even more frequent dredging there.
Council, please do not defer action on urgent community requests. Please re-focus funding now.
Doug Handerson
San Mateo, CA
1 From: Catherine Hart
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 10:32 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Return parking to the residents
Please return parking to the residents.
Removing parking in every other Bay Area city has been met with resentment. Please consider the happiness of our residents.
Most people cannot handle the disruption of the pk lanes as they have already explained to you.
Catherine Hart
San Mateo
1 From:
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2026 5:44 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: 2/2/26 Council meeting - Humboldt Bike Lanes
Councilmembers,
Please remove the bike lanes on North Humboldt St. and restore the badly needed on street parking to the neighborhood. Please don't perpetuate what was a clear mistake. Please don't make the neighborhood continue to suffer from a poor Council decision. Pl ease bite the bullet and make things
right for long time San Mateo residents.
Karen Herrel
62 year San Mateo resident
From: Michelle Hudson
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 6:16 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo); Clerk
Cc: Robert Whitehair
Subject: Retain the Humboldt Bike Lanes
Dear San Mateo City Council,
I am writing to oppose removing the Humboldt bike lanes. The safety of our community members, including thousands of children, and climate commitments must come before additional free parking.
The tragic death of a pedestrian who was struck by a car at the intersection of El Camino and 17th Ave last week is a stark reminder of the dangers of cars to pedestrians and bikers. My teenage son and his friends frequently cross that same intersection, going after their workouts at the 24 Hour Fitness gym to Safeway. It is horribly obvious that this intersection needs safety improvements, as does our entire city to protect our residents, particularly those who don't or can't drive. Voting to remove the Humboldt bike lanes would demonstrate a callous disregard for the safety of our community, particularly our most vulnerable community members. Please retain the Humboldt bike lanes. Please expand our network of safe bike lanes in San Mateo. Please prioritize pedestrian safety improvements.
Apart from the safety reasons set forth above, the Humboldt bike lanes should be retained to meet our City's climate commitments. We must chip away at GHGs emissions from transportation - the largest source of GHGs in our City, to meet our Climate Action Plan's targets.
Please do the right thing for public safety, equity and the climate and retain the Humboldt bike lanes.
Thank you,
Michelle Hudson
Co-Leader of 350 Silicon Valley San Mateo Climate Action Team San Mateo Resident
1 From:
Sent: Sunday, February 1, 2026 11:41 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Bike Lanes and North Central
Dear City Council,
I am advocating for a return of parking to the North Central Residents. This issue is one that will likely impact a lot of other neighborhoods in the future as well. Lets take a hard look at the future of San Mateo and what’s best for the whole community. The piece below looks at the direction the City is heading:
Bike Lane Controversy: Ideology vs Common Sense
There has been a push by the city of San Mateo to add bike lanes by reducing or replacing car lanes and/or parking with bike lanes: This happened in North Central along Humboldt and Poplar; now, along 19th Avenue and Fashion Island Blvd. a second car lane would be precluded; and another project along Delaware could negatively impact congestion.
The facts: The number of households with 2 or more cars has increased substantially from 22% in 1960 to 60% in 2023 and there are 40,000 households. Thirteen large development proposals have been submitted in San Mateo including the partial Hillsdale Shopping demolition adding 1392 housing units; The Concar/Delaware redevelopment adding 869 housing units; a 14 story building on Fourth and El Camino with 236 residential units. This Means a lot more cars on the road.
Less than 1% of San Mateo’s population rides bicycles as a form of transportation and commuting in lieu of cars and this has not increased in 20 years even with adding bike paths. How often do you see bike riders including recreation bikers and in large numbers? This is not San Francisco.
2 Looks like the strategy is “if you build it they will come”. There is more safety in wider and more bike lanes, but I doubt that will seriously encourage more transportation bikers. Continue this strategy and traffic congestion and parking availability wil l only get
a lot worse.
Also, putting in expensive bike lanes to gain marginal safety improvements for a very small number of bikers while compromising traffic and parking makes no sense. At some point, it is really the responsibility of bikers to watch out for their own safety, not the city.
BTW, I am a bike rider.
Respectfully,
Gary Isoardi
1 From: Chuck Kabala
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 10:48 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Parking
Hello! Please return parking to the North Central
neighborhood. As a bike rider myself I appreciate bike lanes, but with all the residential building going on in San Mateo we need PARKING spaces more!! Thank you, Elizabeth Kabala
1 From: Stacey Kepler
Sent: Sunday, February 1, 2026 1:04 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Keep Humboldt bike lanes!
Hello,
I’m wriƟng to express support to keep the Humboldt street bike lanes. It feels incredibly dangerous to walk and bike in San Mateo. We need bike lanes to allow people to get to school and get around safely. The city should be invesƟng money in more bike lanes and other supports to keep pedestrians safe like improving intersecƟon design and increased police patrol.
I’m asking you to keep the Humboldt st bike lanes and invest in safety of all who use our streets (not just cars!).
Thank you,
Stacey
Central neighborhood resident
1 From: CHRIS KETNER
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2026 8:39 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: More bike lanes not removals
Please make San Mateo beƩer than not just an average traffic clogged mess. iPhone typing dispensaƟon please!
Regards,
Chris Ketner
1 From: Phil King
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2026 4:15 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Humboldt Bike Lanes
Hello San Mateo City Council members
I am wriƟng to express my support for safe bike and pedestrian infrastructure along Humboldt St. My daughter and I have joined a few city council meeƟngs over the past couple years to talk about how much we value safe routes to our elementary school. It is a challenge to balance the needs of each different consƟtuency that relies on Humboldt St, but I believe pedestrians and families on bikes deserve the most protecƟon. Making streets safer for people on foot and on bikes tends to make roads safer for everyone.
Parking remains a challenge for everyone who lives in North Central, but it is clear that street parking is not a right. I don’t own the spaces in front of my house, nor does anyone on Humboldt. The city should create a free resistant permit system and enforce it vigorously. Anecdotally there are many disabled and unused cars parked along Humboldt and elsewhere in the neighborhood (and all neighborhoods, frankly).
There are so many school children and families who can benefit from safe routes to school - and another school is being built! We implore you to seek other soluƟons that ease parking for the few who are impacted severely and create safe spaces for the thousand+ kids and family members who aƩend Fiesta Gardens, San Mateo High, and the adult school.
Thank you
Phil King
1 From: Deborah Kohn
Sent: Sunday, February 1, 2026 3:56 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Please note!
I am asking for the return of parking to North Central residents.
--
Deborah Kohn
1 From: Theresa Kong
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2026 11:08 PM
To: Lisa Diaz Nash; Rob Newsom; Adam Loraine; Nicole Fernandez; Danielle Cwirko-Godycki Cc: Clerk; City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: I support keeping the Humboldt Bike Lanes
Hi City Council,
Please include this public comment in the packet for the upcoming 2/2/26 City Council Meeting.
I am a San Mateo resident and support keeping the Humboldt bike lanes for the following reasons:
The Humboldt Bike Lanes:
Create a safe, continuous bike network across San Mateo, connecting homes, schools, downtowns, and bus/train transit as the #2 project on the San Mateo Bike Master Plan Are directly connected to the only 3 bike routes over the 101 in San Mateo (Peninsula Ave, Monte Diablo Ave, 3rd Ave), connecting eastern and western San Mateo Provide essential protection on a truck route where over served speeds are 35 mph- well above the 25mph speed limit (source: SM Dept of Public Works) Improve driver, pedestrian, and bicyclist safety on a corridor that was once the 5th most dangerous street in San Mateo County for all sources of travel (source: CCAG) Are widely used, with over 10,000 bike trips per month (source: SM Dept of Public Works) Enable Safe Routes to Schools for 4 schools serving 10,000+ students, including the new Fiesta Gardens K-8 school, the first neighborhood school in North Central in over 20 years Reduce greenhouse gases and vehicle miles traveled, key priorities for the City of San Mateo, San Mateo County, and the State of California
Are supported by the majority of residents on Humboldt St, North Central and across San Mateo (source: SM Dept of Public Works)
Are supported by 17 PTSs, SMFCSD board members, and the City of San Mateo Sustainability & Infrastructure Commission
Save taxpayer money-removal would cost $1.3M+ and would jeopardize future grant funding Preserve safety- removing the middle section would create dangerous, disconnected bike lanes Further San Mateo’s commitment to Vision Zero made in 2015 and embedded into the City of San Mateo’s 2040 General Plan in 2024
Please vote to prioritize safety and sustainable transportation in the City of San Mateo on February 2nd.
Theresa Kong
1 From: landucci
Sent: Sunday, February 1, 2026 3:02 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: We loved bike lane on Humboldt that we used this morning to get to Coyote Point We loved the bike lane on Humboldt that we used this morning and other days to get to Coyote Point. It is safe and bike friendly.
We ride bikes a lot but also drive and parking can be a problem.
We also realize that it took away many parking spaces.
Wish our roads were wider to accommodate both.
To save the earth we need to push for safe bike paths.
Al Landucci and Steven Liu.
1 From: Andrew Lomano
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 12:40 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Please do not take our parking
Dear Honorable Council Members,
Please do not vote to take the parking that we so desperately need in our working society. There may be a day when everyone ditches their personal vehicle for a robo-taxi and we will not need cars of our own taking up space. THAT is NOT today.
Do not fall prey to these outsiders; a coalition of outsiders that do not necessarily reside in San Mateo. They will stop at nothing until our lives and lifestyles we are invested into are but a shell of the desirable living that San Mateo was once known f
or. They ruined their own backyard in San Francisco, now they have descended upon us. Stand strong with every fiber of your being and save our street parking for our residents.
Sincerely,
Andrew Lomano
1 From: Marla Lowenthal
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 12:26 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Humboldt bike lanes - No
Hi,
I’ve lived on Humboldt for almost 20 years and as a homeowner and biker was surprised when a bike lane was put in on Humboldt. The street is dangerous due to constant traffic seeking 101 connecƟons on Poplar and 3rd. On garbage days, the danger to increas
e as bikers have to weave around garbage cans. And the bike lane takes away much needed parking.
I have not felt safe on it as a biker; it scares me as a driver; and I feel sorry for the people who lost access to precious parking. I was amazed it was approved. Please get rid of it and find an alternaƟve bike lane or try the other side of ECR where there is less traffic.
Best
Dr Marla Lowenthal
Sent from my iPhone
1 From: Mary Lynagh
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 7:43 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Bike Lanes on Humbolt
I support the bike lanes on Humbolt. I cycle every day on that road. I live locally and need wide roads to cycle on.
Mary
1/29/2026
City of San Mateo City Council
330 20th St, San Mateo, CA 94403
Cop
y to: SMFCSD Superint
endent & SMFCSD Board of Trustees
Dear City of San Mateo City Council,
We ar
e writing on behalf of the Paren
t Teacher Associations (PTA) of the San Mateo Foster City School District (SMFCSD). As concerned leaders of our school community, w
e strongly support the preservation of safe bicycle lanes on Humboldt Street in San Mateo. These lanes are essential f
or promoting Safe Routes to Schools and advancing the goals of Vision Zero.
Maintaining safe, accessible bicy
cle infrastructure is critical to the safety and well-being of our students and families, helping to create a sa
fer, more sustainable environment for all. We urge you to prioritize these efforts for the benefit of our entire community
.
The Humboldt Street bike lanes str
etch 1.6 miles, making them one of the longest and most important segments of bicycle infrastructure in the City of San Ma
teo. These lanes directly serve four schools, benefit all schools in the district, and provide a crucial c
onnection to downtown San Mateo and public transit. Their strategic location makes them an essential part of the city's bicycle network. Additionally, the Humboldt Str
eet bike lanes enable regional connectivity to the only safe bicycle overpasses over High
way 101, linking the east and west sides of San Mateo, as well as providing bike routes to Foster City and Burlingame. This network is vital f
or the safety and mobility of cyclists throughout the region.
We stand with the San Mat
eo community in expressing our concerns about pedestrian safety along Humboldt Street and in the North Central neighborhood. We fi
rmly believe it is possible to slo w down vehicle traffic without compromising the existing bicycle infrastructure. Safe Routes to Schools provide children with the opportunity to safely travel to school without relying on cars, helping to r
educe overall vehicle congestion. The City has a range of effective tools—such as speed monitoring, increased patrols, speed bumps, and other measur
es that can be used to reduce vehicle speeds and enhance the safety of our entire community.
One year ago, on Februar
y 1, 2024, SMFCSD PTA Presiden ts signed a letter advoc ating for the adoption of Vision Zero . In that le
tter, we s
tated: "Our cities can make infrastructure improvements, such as extended red curbing, additional stop signs and crosswalks, bik
e lanes, and other solutions." Today, we are calling on the City to preserve the safe infrastructure of the Humboldt Street bike lanes, which wer
e installed in 2022. According to data from the City of San Mateo, these lanes are used for over 10,000 bicycle trip
s per month. Removing the Humboldt Str eet bike lanes and f orcing cyclists to share the road with vehicle traffic would undermine the g
oals of Safe R outes to School and Vision Zero, compromising safety for all.
From our letter last year, also applicable in this case: “ Every studen t and their caregiver deserve peace of mind knowing their child can sa
fely tra
vel to and from school. ”
Collectively we repr
esent thousands of families in Foster City and San Mateo who want safer streets.
Sincerely,
Lauren T
soi 1.16.2025
Sunnybr
ae Elementar
y PTA President, on behalf of the PTA Association
Shannon McGovern 1.22.2025
LEAD Elemen
tary P
TA President, on behalf of the PTA Association
Amy Connors 1.23.2025
Meadow Heights Elementary PTA President, on behalf of the PTA Association Keshawn Womack 1.28.2025
Abbott Middle School PT
A President, on behalf of the PT
A Association
Dana Sahae 1.28.2025
Fiesta Gardens In
ternational School PTA President, on behalf of the PTA Association Julie Kokes 1.29.2025
North Shore
view Mont
essori PTA President, on behalf of the PTA Association
Zack Horn 1.29.2025
George Hall Elementar
y PTA President, on behalf of the PTA Association
Lijay Shih 2.04.2025
Highlands Elementary PT
A President, on behalf of the PTA Association
Helen Chen Abrams 2.18.2025
College Park Elementar
y PTA President, on behalf of the PTA Association
Candice Rafael 3.10.2025
Bre
wer Island Element
ary PTA President, on behalf of the PTA Association
Karina Wilhelms 3.18.2025
Borel Middle School PTA Presiden
t, on behalf of the PTA Association
Siwin Chu 3.20.2025
Bowditch Middle School P
TA President, on behalf of the PTA Association
Sarah Proemsey 3.25.2025
P
arkside Montessori School P
TA President, on behalf of the PTA Association
Laura Martin 3.25.2025
Beach Park Elementary P
TA President, on behalf of the PTA Association
Marianne Williamson 5.29.2025
Audubon Elementary P
TA President, on behalf of the PTA Association
Katy Kendall 6.04.2025
F
oster City Element
ary PTA President, on behalf of the PTA Association
Matt Stephan 6.6.2025
Beres
ford Elemen
tary PTA President on behalf of the PTA Association
1 From: Allison MacQueen Felder
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2026 8:47 PM
To: Danielle Cwirko-Godycki; Nicole Fernandez; Adam Loraine; Rob Newsom; Lisa Diaz Nash Cc: Clerk; City Council (San Mateo);
; President Council PTA
Subject: SMFCSD PTA Support for Humboldt St Bike Lanes
Attachments: Letter of Support for Humboldt St Bike Lanes - SMFCSD PTA Council - 01.29.2026.pdf Hello,
17 SMFCSD PTA Associations of parents, teachers, and administrators have voted in public school community meetings to sign the attached letter in support of the Humboldt St Bike Lanes.
The letter (attached) should be included in the packet for the February 2nd, 2026 City Council Meeting.
Collectively we represent thousands of families in Foster City and San Mateo who want safer streets.
Thank you,
Allison MacQueen
SMFCSD PTA Board Member
1 From: Lisa Maley
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 2:33 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Restore Humboldt Parking
Mayor Loraine and Councilmembers,
I am writing as a resident of San Mateo to respectfully request that the City restore on-street parking along Humboldt Street. Since the removal of curb parking for the Humboldt bike lane project, day-to-day living for many households has become significantly more difficult.
Residents, seniors, people with disabilities, families with young children, and our visitors now struggle to find reasonable parking near their homes.
Even before the parking removal, this area already faced a tight parking supply due to older housing stock with limited off-street parking, multigenerational households, and high residential density. Eliminating large numbers of curb spaces on and around Humboldt has pushed those cars into surrounding streets forcing residents to circle multiple blocks or park far from home. This has increased tensions among neighbors, made it harder for caregivers and service providers to visit, and created safety concerns as people walk longer distances carrying children, groceries, or medical equipment. These impacts fall hardest on the most vulnerable residents.
I also urge the City to carefully consider how it uses outside funding. Just because grant money is available for a particular design does not mean it is the right fit for this neighborhood, especially when it imposes serious burdens on existing residents. The possibility that the City might receive less grant funding in the future should not be used as a justification to deprive current residents of the basic, needed parking they rely on to access their homes, jobs, schools, and essential services. Grant programs should serve community needs, not drive decisions that undermine neighborhood livability.
I recognize and support the City’s goals to improve bicycle safety and offer more sustainable transportation options. However, in a dense, older neighborhood with limited driveways and garages, major reductions in residential parking must be balanced against basic access needs for existing residents.
Sincerely,
Lisa Maley
1 From: Susan Manheimer
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 1:11 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Return our parking to North Central!
Please ensure that you are a City Council that prioritizes the critical needs of our most vulnerable and underserved and overburdened communities and not be influenced by outside political bullies! Yours in Safety & Service,
Chief Susan E. Manheimer (Ret.)
Public Safety & Justice Consulting
Agenda item: https://sanmateo.primegov.com/portal/viewer?id=774&type=0 Resolution for adoption: https://sanmateo.primegov.com/portal/viewer?id=1506&type=2 Presentation: https://sanmateo.primegov.com/portal/viewer?id=1505&type=2 Presentation 2: https://sanmateo.primegov.com/portal/viewer?id=1765&type=2 Residential Parking Permit Program | San Mateo, CA - Official Website Residential Parking Permit Program Update | San Mateo, CA - Official Website Policy PDF
Video presentation:
https://www.youtube.com/live/oV9eTIc-hF0?si=17Es1TX1JEmh7xK-&t=2796 Notes:
- Program intent: maximize availability of on-street parking for local residents - 15 existing parking “zones”?
- Policy Criteria:
- # of permits per household
- Current: unlimited plus 1 visitor per household
- Council feedback: some limitation while “grandfathering” existing permit holders
- New proposal: one permit per licensed driver w/ no household maximum - Program application & approval process
- Current: review by staff & approval by PW director, mail-in vote of residents (one vote per residential household unit)
- Council feedback: involve the S&I commission
- New proposal: status quo + appeals to S&I commission + a “parking occupancy study”
- Program removal or modification process
- Current: resident request removal
- Proposal: extend to include modifications
- Parking “generators”
- Current: schools, business, commercial districts or commercial uses - Council feedback: consider adding multi-family housing to list - Proposal: too confusing to distinguish bundled/unbundled parking & legally questionable to discriminate against multi-family housing. They don’t want multi-family apartment buildings who have been forced to unbundle their parking to then see residents all go and get free parking permits. But providing free curb parking is exactly why apartment buildings do not unbundle parking!
- Permit issuance for corner properties
- Current: corner lots are eligible
- Proposal: corner lots are conditionally eligible
- Future considerations:
- Require residents to utilize off-street parking first - Proposal: don’t adopt, too confusing to enforce
- New: online permit applications–permits mailed to them - Council questions:
- Papan: “Still free?” “Yes” “Ok”
- Papan: “Would you match drivers licenses to car ownership?” “Yes, but we’d allow a note explaining your usage”
- Rodriguez: “revision process-what triggers?” “one resident or petition–triggers a mailed survey (vote) that requires 50% voting participation” - Rodriguez: “bundled parking clarification?”
- Freschet: “what about long-term storage?” “no 72-hour limit exemption in program areas”
- Bonilla: “if application is rejected, is there cost to appealing to S&I commission?” “no”
- Bonilla: “handicap resident?” “can use visitors pass” - Bonilla: “I have 2 cars, what am I to do?” “parking one off-street” - Bonilla: “enforcement against cones?” “pw’s goes and talks with them” - Papan: “2 year duration of permits?” “yes”
- Papan: “applications for new programs are paper?” “yes” - Public comment (9):
- “15th Ave to join Borel program–ppl asked if it cost money, good that it is free otherwise they would have objected” “Ppl will park in the alleyways, obstructing access”
- “South downtown: objects to multi-family housing being included in my parking zone” “Segregate SFH & multi-family parking districts”
- “Enforcement, without it this is meaningless”
- “Thank you for the program, it helped guarantee I can find a parking space now that it exists” “what about my n + 1 car?”
- “Parking in my neighborhood has gotten worse since metered parking began adjacent–petition process is too hard because renters won’t vote” 500 block S Fremont
- Rob Newsom: “lots of ppl with >1 car per resident, ADUs will exacerbate, make exemption for recreational vehicles” “visitor passes are not enough” - “We have n+1 vehicles, visitor pass isn’t flexible enough” - “Don’t exclude existing residents/properties from this” - “Lost visitor placard, no replacement given”
- $150k annual public works budget, excludes enforcement (by police), transitioning to contractor (LAZ) which should be budget neutral
- Rodriguez: Is it in fact harder to get renters to vote? Return-to-sender - Goethals: SFH vs. multi-family issue is big
- Bonilla: enforcement is big
- Freschet: good plan
- Rodriguez: improved, but will we revisit this? Seems still work-in-progress - Approved: 5-0
1 From: Max Mautner
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 9:43 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo); Alex Khojikian
Cc: Clerk
Subject: On the Humboldt bike lanes
Attachments: 2019 San Mateo parking permit meeting.pdf
Dear City Council & CM Khojikian,
As a daily bike lane user and new father, I'm writing to urge an exploration of a parking permit program for North Central.
Removal of the bike lanes between Indian & Tilton would be a step backwards on the City Council's stated priority to build out a functioning bike network & would provide no meaningful parking respite to the neighborhood.
The equity argument for removal misses a key point: equity priority communities are defined by high rates of zero-car households (MTC's definition).
My neighbors I see using the bike lanes on Humboldt every day—predominantly day laborers commuting at all hours—are residents who depend on this infrastructure, not "rich people passing through." Removing these lanes directly harms the community members you have a moral responsibility protect.
I understand parking concerns are real in North Central. The solution isn't eliminating bike infrastructure—it's reforming the parking permit program.
In order to help inform future parking permitting conversations I've compiled an attached PDF of notes I took from the 2019 council discussion for your reference.
A functional city needs both parking solutions AND safe bike infrastructure. These aren't competing priorities.
Thank you for your service,
Max Mautner
1 From: Genel Morgan < >
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2026 11:59 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Return parking to residents of North Central San Mateo Dear Councilmembers,
I have lived in San Mateo the majority of my life and I care about others in my community negatively impacted by City Council decisions.
I attend the Congregational Church of San Mateo so I drive through the North Central neighborhood frequently. Several years ago I was shocked to see parking spaces removed from in front of many residents' houses for the installation of bike lanes. Whenever I drive in that area I see very few bikers in those lanes.
These decisions need to take into consideration ALL people affected by them. For many of these residents, not having access to their vehicles, especially work vehicles, has a huge impact. Also what about when they have visitors? Not being able to park in front of your own home is unacceptable!
There are bike lanes on San Mateo Drive which is wider and safer. I would be interested to know the number of bicyclists versus the cars that use those streets. I feel the majority is being impacted negatively by the few.
The expansion of bike lanes in other parts of the city needs to be considered seriously and the council needs to weigh the benefits and negative impacts to ALL of its citizens. Don't just allow those who speak loudest to get their way!
I appreciate your serious consideration on expansion of bike lanes and get all the input of how they impact areas before passing final judgement.
Regards
Genel Morgan
San Mateo
1 From: Karen Nakamura
Sent: Sunday, February 1, 2026 1:54 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Restoring parking on Humboldt Street
I urge the city council to right a wrong by restoring the parking on Humboldt Street. The idea of ridding the resident’s parking to accommodate underused bike lanes was ill conceived and a mistake. It is your duty to admit this huge error and set things right by restoring parking on Humboldt Street. The chaos that the entire neighborhood has suffered these last two years needs to end.
Making either Idaho or Fremont Streets Bike Boulevard with speed bumps is again a bad idea. These streets are so narrow as is, adding the words “Bike Blvd” on the pavement won’t make it any better.
I feel badly for those who do bike and there needs to be a better solution. Perhaps making two streets one way might add some safety for both bike riders and drivers. It would be a big change for traffic flow but perhaps a way to provide safety for all.
Karen Nakamura
50 year North Central resident
1 From: Jon New
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2026 12:26 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo); Clerk; Nicole Fernandez
Subject: Please keep the Humboldt St Bike Lanes
Dear Council,
My name is Jonathan New, and I'm a homeowner in North Central. I'm strongly opposed to removing the Humboldt bike lanes. I'm sure you're going to hear a wide variety of perspectives. I would like to share two.
First, I've been extremely disappointed in the lack of progress, or even discussion, on a residential parking permit program. Despite attending meetings and reviewing available materials, I am not aware of any concrete proposals. When I raised this issue with staff, I was told permits are “inequitable” and “unwelcoming.” But, failing to manage demand for scarce parking resources is neither equitable nor effective. Many cities successfully use permit systems with guest passes and income-based adjustments. Parking management should be addressed directly, not by removing safety infrastructure.
Second, and most importantly, we know bike lanes make streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians.
There are countless studies that demonstrate this. This is not speculative policy; it's consistently supported with real-world data. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, are we really considering spending hundreds of thousands during a fiscal budget crunch to make a street less safe? Especially during a year where we've already seen multiple pedestrian fatalities?
I urge the Council to keep the Humboldt bike lanes and continue iterating on improvements that enhance safety for everyone who uses our streets.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Jonathan New
San Mateo
1 From: Nate Nickolai
Sent: Sunday, February 1, 2026 12:16 PM
To: Lisa
Cc: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Humboldt Bike Lane Concern
Hello Lisa,
This is Nate Nickolai, one of your constituents in district 1 and a long time resident of San Mateo. I'm reaching out because I've generally had a good experience sharing my thoughts and concerns with you, and I appreciate your willingness to hear from the community.
As I'm sure you know from my past emails, I follow San Mateo local news closely, including the Humboldt Bike Lanes issue. I do not live on Humboldt, so I haven't felt comfortable reaching out about it in the past; however, given the recent pedestrian accident on El Camino as well as the upcoming vote, I felt the need to share my concerns, many of which I know my fellow community members also share.
1. San Mateo is fresh off of yet another pedestrian death due to negligent driving. Veronica Vasquez's death, and the several others that have occurred over the past 16 months, illustrate a very real car safety issue throughout San Mateo's neighborhoods. I do not understand why the city would even consider removing a bike lane, a tangible step towards increasing car safety, in the wake of such tragic deaths. I know that some residents living on Humboldt have expressed concerns over parking, but I do not think we should make important safety decisions based on the whims of a vocal minority, especially when these bike lanes are next to three schools that serve 10,000 students and on a street identified as the most dangerous in the City.
2. As San Mateo faces an economic deficit, I believe the $2 million cost of the bike lane removal project, if approved, is a waste of taxpayer money. Surely there are tens, if not hundreds, of projects we could put money like that towards that would impact far more San Mateans (or, we could just not spend it at all!).
I've emailed in the past about the delayed park renovation project, but here are some other random small ideas I have:
- New picnic tables in Central Park
- More/better wildlife information signs along the bay trail - Better sidewalks on San Mateo Drive
- Clearer driving lanes/directional arrows on parts of Delaware that merge lanes
I am grateful to have a representative like you, who I feel genuinely cares about hearing from her community, and I deeply appreciate all of the hard work you put into making San Mateo a great city. I ask that you vote to keep the bike lanes as they are and continue to prioritize projects that benefit the safety and wellness of San Mateo as a whole, not just one small vocal group.
Best,
Nate Nickolai
2 PS: I feel that too often you and the city council only ever receive criticism when hot button issues arise and almost no recognition for a lot of the good work you do, so I want to send along some kudos as well.
Thank you for all of the drainage and water management upgrades you have helped institute over the past year -- we had almost no serious issues this past rainy season (a pretty crazy one in my opinion!), which is a testament to that work. I've also emailed about this in the past, but thank you again for all of the work you have done to beautify downtown and keep it free from cars. The amazing community that has grown up around those pedestrian streets is a direct result of your advocacy.
1 From: Tom Oertli
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 9:52 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: North central bike lanes
The ciƟzens of North Central have been clear for 2 years that they want the bike lane on Humboldt removed and I ask that you vote to restore the road.
Tom Oertli
Sent from my iPhone
1 From: DonElizabeth Peter
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 8:09 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Please return parking spots on Humboldt
Thank u. Elizabeth Peter
1 From: Sam Price
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2026 9:47 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Humboldt St Bike Lanes
I'm Sam, I live at 805 W Grant Pl. My son is considering attending Fiesta Gardens next year, and I plan to bike him to school.
Please don't spend my tax dollars making Humboldt St less safe in order to spare people a minor inconvenience of walking a block to their parking spot.
-Sam
1 From: Wendy Samayoa
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2026 4:03 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Cc:
Seema Patel
Subject: Bike Lanes in San Mateo
Hello there,
I don't ride a bicycle, but I have witnessed several accidents in which, unfortunately, vehicle drivers show no respect for the lives of those who use bicycles, scooters, or skateboards. For many people, a bicycle, scooter, or skateboard is their only means of transportation, and they acquired it with great effort. Others use these modes of transport for exercise and recreation, since, sadly, we have lost many green spaces in our city due to the extensive construction that has taken place and will continue to increase if there is no regulation. WHAT FUTURE AWAITS OUR CHILDREN? Breathing cement dust? Living in fear when riding a bicycle, scooter, or skateboard because there are car and motorcycle drivers who don't respect their lives?
Wendy Samayoa
1 From: Kolja Schluetter
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 9:47 AM
To: Clerk; City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Humboldt Bike Lanes and Fiscal Responsibility
Good morning Council Members,
I just read the recent San Mateo Daily Journal op-ed by Mr. Swire regarding the Humboldt Street bike lanes and their implications for San Mateo taxpayers.
https://www.smdailyjournal.com/opinion/letters to editor/removing-bike-lanes-will-cost-san-mateo- taxpayers/article_7e2636e2-e2bb-411b-affa-f496465bdc4a.html
I do not live in North Central, and I genuinely empathize with residents who may feel they were insufficiently engaged during the initial decision-making process. That said, I believe Mr. Swire is correct on the central issue he's raising in the op-ed: It would be fiscally irresponsible to remove functioning safety infrastructure at significant cost to taxpayers, particularly at a time when the City’s financial outlook is strained and new tax increases are being contemplated.
This concern is amplified by the fact that removing recently installed bike lanes would likely invite significantly increased scrutiny of San Mateo’s future applications for state and federal infrastructure grants. Reversing completed projects weakens the City’s credibility as a responsible steward of public funds and risks jeopardizing future outside funding for transportation and safety improvements.
In principle, I support raising taxes to fund necessary infrastructure improvements when they are truly needed. However, I cannot support tax increases while the City simultaneously considers/approves spending millions of dollars to actively dismantle recently installed public safety infrastructure. That approach undermines public trust and suggests a lack of fiscal discipline.
If the City is serious about long-term infrastructure overhauls and responsible financial stewardship, Council should follow the recommendation of the Sustainability & Infrastructure Commission and vote to keep the Humboldt bike lanes in place. If austerity is required, it should begin with avoiding wasteful reversals, not with asking residents to pay more while functional infrastructure is torn out.
Thank you for your consideration.
Best, Kolja Schluetter
1 From: Daniel Schonberg
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 6:13 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Save the humboldt bike lanes
I advocate for safe biking throughout the city. It saddens me that instead we are instead discussing removing bike lanes. We have built a city that makes it nearly impossible to bike with confidence and safety. Please don't make it harder.
1 From: Nicholas Smith
Sent: Sunday, February 1, 2026 2:26 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Humboldt Bike Lanes
To whom it may concern. My name is Nicholas Smith, I am a resident of San Mateo CA and I am writing in opposition to the idea of removing bike protections on Humboldt Street. I am a cyclist who commutes to work, the grocery store, and other local restaurants instead of driving. There is still a long way to go until San Mateo is bike friendly, but additional parking does not make cyclists safe, and the limited additional spaces provide little benefit to those in the greater San Mateo community than a safe bicycling corridor. I strongly support safe bicycle corridors, and in fact I support protected bikeways similar to other Peninsula cities like Redwood City and Mountain View. There are ways to incorporate parking and safe cycling.
Thank you for your consideration.
--
Nicholas Smith
Mayor Lorraine, Vice Mayor Fernandez, and the San Mateo City Council, 771 people have signed a petition on Action Network telling you to Save the San Mateo High/College Park & Fiesta Gardens Elementary Bike Lanes.
Here is the petition they signed:
Dear Mayor Lorraine and SM City Council,
Please do not remove the new bike lanes around San Mateo High, College Park/Fiesta Gardens Elementary, and San Mateo Adult Schools - the most dangerous streets in the City.
We need to make our streets safer for kids who walk and bike so that we can reduce the increasing number of fatalities and the traffic congestion that plague our streets.
The bike lanes offer several benefits to residents of North Central and others who attend school, recreate, or commute in the area. Bike lanes:
- Save lives for kids and parents who bike
- Make the streets safer for pedestrians (through more narrow auto lanes and improved crosswalk visibility)
- Make our kids healthier and help them do better in school - Foster a sense of independence among our children
- Encourage people to leave their cars at home, reducing congestion, global warming, and air pollution
- Increase property values
- Make our streets more beautiful
- Create a sense of community and and encourage people to shop locally - Reduce taxpayer expenses through lower road maintenance and public health spending - Facilitate safe, low cost travel for those unable to afford the skyrocketing cost of car ownership
Too many people are dying on the streets of San Mateo while we debate whether to remove recently installed safety infrastructure. We ask that our scarce taxpayer dollars and staff time instead be spent looking forward, not backward. This debate is delaying construction of safe routes to school projects on Delaware, Norfolk, 19th/Fashion Island, Alameda, and elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the number of tragedies is increasing and too many parents are scared to let their kids walk and bike to school.
Thank you for putting the safety of our kids and families first, keeping the San Mateo High bike lanes, and accelerating other safety projects in San Mateo.
Y ou can view each petition signer and the comments they left you below.
Thank you,
Michael Swire
49. James Clarke (ZIP code: )
I ride this road on my bike quite often, it’s a great spot to get through from north to south of town!
50. Jacob Zimmerman (ZIP code: )
These bike lanes form the core part of my commute to work. Without them, I’d be forced to share the road with motorists during rush hour, making traffic slower for cars behind me and riskier for myself.
The bike lanes form on Humboldt street especially is one of the best bike lanes in the area, and I’m hoping to see more like it.
51. Vicky Stein (ZIP code: )
We shouldn’t be removing any bike lanes, we should be adding more. It’s unproductive to take away safety measures allowing kids to get to school, and anything that encourages us all to drive less is an overall good.
52. Liz Finnegan (ZIP code: )
The idea that we would spend a huge amount of city, public, shared money to eliminate a public good and essentially give a few residents $10k parking spots for free, is an idea that shouldn’t even have been considered. Keep the bike lanes, expand them even. I own my house at the corner of poplar and Ellsworth, we have 3 cars, and we don’t park on the street. We don’t think anyone else should feel entitled to public parking for free either.
53. Jessica Gachet (ZIP code: )
Please save the bike lanes! We need more and safer spaces for bikes. I am nervous every day my kid bikes to school, especially in the winter when it is darker.
54. Jennifer Jacobson (ZIP code: )
As a parent of children who walk/bike to school in San Mateo, and a Trustee of San Mateo Union High School District, I wholeheartedly support this petition and infrastructure that supports safe routes to schools.
55. Melissa Lindeman (ZIP code: )
The area around San Mateo high school is already dangerous for pedestrians and traffic. I was in a car accident myself at Humboldt and Poplat just before Christmas. My son attends SMHS. Please keep these bike lanes!
56. Max Mautner (ZIP code: )
57. Tony Samara (ZIP code: )
58. Jacob Chamoun (ZIP code: )
59. Ting Tey (ZIP code: )
Ever since the bike lane was installed, I bought a bike and reduced my driving down to only needing to refill gas from bi-weekly to once every month. This bike lane has made me felt safer to ride on the road than ever before, in comparison to Delaware Street.
As a driver myself, I have always had cars tail gating behind me extremely closely where they are
137. Ana Salotti (ZIP code: )
We are heavy users of San Mateo bike lanes. Our bike is our main mode of transport. I use it to take my daughter to school, back and forth, to go grocery shopping and pretty much for every trip. If anything San Mateo should increase the availability of bike lanes, not remove them. 138. AJ Cho (ZIP code: )
139. Catie Hagman (ZIP code: )
140. LANDER FOQUET (ZIP code: )
We are not going back!
141. Deirdre Ambadekar (ZIP code: )
Removing the bike lines would be a massive waste of money and a disservice to the North Central community.
142. Emma Martens (ZIP code: )
143. Randy O'Connor (ZIP code: )
144. Leila Gates (ZIP code: )
145. Melinda Chin (ZIP code: )
146. Chris Wilson (ZIP code: )
147. Mary Burns (ZIP code: )
148. Dipti Irla (ZIP code: )
149. Tiffany Booth (ZIP code: )
150. Haiyun Fang (ZIP code: )
151. Utkarsh Nath (ZIP code: )
152. Karen Grue (ZIP code: )
153. Jennifer Stimson (ZIP code: )
154. Ace Parco (ZIP code: )
please keep the bike lanes for the safety of the people and children who use it daily!
155. Caroline Gillis (ZIP code: )
156. Lauren Baumgartner (ZIP code: )
157. Michelle Wolfklain (ZIP code: )
The roads of San Mateo are not bike friendly we must save the few bike lanes we have. 158. Maria Vargas (ZIP code: )
If these bake lanes are removed many children adults and teen will be affected. I see so many people bike to school and work every morning and by removing these bike lanes it won’t be safe for bikers any more.
159. Jamie Giloni (ZIP code: )
160. Yuriko Ikuno (ZIP code: )
161. Maria del Carmen Munoz (ZIP code: )
162. Barbara Gibb (ZIP code: )
163. Steve Liang (ZIP code: )
We need more bike lanes not less!
164. Ivan Gonzalez (ZIP code: )
I've started visiting San Mateo with my son using Caltrain and our bike. Please don't take the bike lane away. We love going down there and having lunch and shopping in the downtown. 165. Howard Cohen (ZIP code: )
166. Laura Kubba (ZIP code: )
We need to protect our community and especially the ones on vulnerable modes of transportation.
Teach our community driving safety, please!
167. Ellie Lib (ZIP code: )
168. Garrett Clark (ZIP code: )
As a visitor to San Mateo, I can confidently say that the value of bike lanes such as these far exceed the parking spaces removed. Please do not engage in policies which worsen our climate crisis. We need more people biking not less. Recent news about the health impacts of recirculated street particles (PM 2.5) and high includes brake dust, hydrocarbons, benzene, etc. all weigh in favor of limiting driving especially along active corridors such as this. Importantly, EVs will not address these particles which do not originate from any tailpipe and in fact may worsen air quality due to their heavier weight resulting in greater friction with the road and tires. 169. Teresa Wen (ZIP code: )
170. Crystal Bevis (ZIP code: )
171. Jax Kendall (ZIP code: )
Y ou shouldn't be removing bike lanes you should be adding them and making them protected otherwise people will ride on the sidewalk and almost always hit me because they can't ride in the lanes you guys take away
172. Marie Berini (ZIP code: )
Please keep these bike lanes open for the safety of all cyclists & to tear something up that was just put in is a waste of money it’s more beneficial for them to stay & Save lives of the cyclists 173. An anonymous signer (ZIP code: )
The bike lanes make it safer for drivers and pedestrians too! There is way less overall congestion on bike-lane streets so drivers are not pulling to the side/taking turns while looking out for pedestrians and cyclists with minimal visibility because of all the parked cars. Less potential accidents for both cars and people! I deliberately spent time on google maps looking up streets w/ dedicated bike lines to create my school drop off route. If you're not going to add more bike lanes, at least don't take away the existing ones!
174. Riya Singh (ZIP code: )
175. Lana de Leon (ZIP code: )
176. Jo Echaure (ZIP code: )
177. thalia lubin (ZIP code: )
This is wrong and dangerous!
178. Larissa Kenny (ZIP code: )
179. Mary Lynagh (ZIP code: )
I am a teacher who bikes to work every day. I see many students using those lanes. Please do not remove them for safety of our students and me. It is also a healthy choice to encourage everyone to cycle instead of creating more parking spaces. Please do not go backward. Save our bike lanes. We love them!!!!!!!!
180. Daniela Nelms (ZIP code: )
181. Karina Wilhelms (ZIP code:
182. Katrina Bornstein (ZIP code: )
We should be promoting alternative methods of transportation like cycling, not removing bike lanes. 183. Kyle Burbach (ZIP code: )
200. Owen Latham (ZIP code: 3)
Keep bike lanes next to schools!
201. Brian Lam (ZIP code: )
Removing Bike Lanes could be detrimental to a community full of students who commute daily using these bike lanes. Please consider your children and loved ones when making such a big decision that can impact so many people.
202. Megan Gardner (ZIP code: )
Bike lanes are so needed for safety, especially for children! Please do not removed them! 203. Hannah Persampieri (ZIP code
These bike lanes are crucial for the safety of our residents! 204. Marianne Wallace (ZIP code: )
205. Vikas Kumar (ZIP code: )
I use the bike lane on Humbolt daily to go to work in Burlingame. Removing this lane will put my car free commute at risk. Bike lanes on this route is essential for me to feel safe during my ride to work. 206. Philip Murphy (ZIP code: )
207. Ellen Heile (ZIP code: 6)
208. kaaren sipes (ZIP code: )
Bicycle and pedestrian safety should be top priority. Why spend millions of dollars to remove bike lanes? The city of San Mateo and the county don't seem to prioritize citizen safety while walking or biking, somebody got killed in the crosswalk by Hillsdale, a cyclist got killed on canada and another one got hit on Canada just last week. This is preventable. Especially around schools and on such a busy street, keep the bike Lanes or of anything stripe the more visibly and put in physical barriers against cars.
209. Lisa Garrity (ZIP code: )
210. Jenise Williams (ZIP code:
Keep the bike lanes! I have hundreds of students who use these bike lanes to come learn at my school!
211. David Lovato (ZIP code: )
Stop trying to fix traffic by adding more lanes. It does not work. There's only one way to reduce traffic and it's NOT DRIVING. Bike lanes are exactly the remedy for the traffic situation since biking is such an efficient and healthy mode of travel that there's never traffic on a bike, plus you get health gains too. People who drive are probably just jealous that their alleged mode of "freedom" is being trapped in traffic while people on a bike happily move along at their own speed. 212. Andrea Lim (ZIP code: )
213. Francis Johnson (ZIP code: )
214. Akira Ijuin (ZIP code: )
215. Holden Rodgers (ZIP code: )
216. Poky Wu (ZIP code: )
217. Priscila Schochet (ZIP code: )
Please keep out roads safe for bikers: parents and kids. Every day we see more and more irresponsible drivers speeding and not yielding to pedestrians or bikers. Please keep our community safe.
218. Shiyi Yin (ZIP code: )
Please do not close the bike lane, so much death in bike/foot traffic recently in san mateo. closing bike lane is going backwards
219. Stephen Lubin (ZIP code: )
220. Roland Torres (ZIP code: )
221. Rodrigo Garcia (ZIP code: )
222. Carolynn Beer (ZIP code: )
Removing bike lanes seems like a huge step backward, not to mention a frivolous use of money. 223. samuel ubellacker (ZIP code: )
224. Clara Coady (ZIP code: )
225. Andrey Kislyuk (ZIP code: )
Given the year-round cycling-friendly climate of the peninsula and the major negative effects that cars have on our neighborhoods, the city should be adding more bike lanes, not removing them. Moreover, grade separation or bollards to provide physical barriers to cars entering bike lanes should be considered. Equitable treatment of all travel modalities - pedestrians, bikes, and cars - is necessary, and currently cars are afforded a large majority of space on this and other streets. 226. Tyler Holland (ZIP code: )
I ride my bike in San Mateo often, and keeping safe bike lanes is absolutely critical. 227. Minfeixue Zong (ZIP code: )
Can you how many accidents will happen after you guys remove the bike lanes? IF YOU GUYS INSIST TO REMOVE THE LINES, YOU GUYS NEED TO BARE 100% OF RESPONSIBILITY . 228. Rebecca Hecht (ZIP code: )
245. Joe Spina IV (ZIP code: )
246. Jill Lang (ZIP code: )
We need to keep the bike lanes open for the safety of families biking to school. 247. Andres Mora (ZIP code:
Why would we remove bike lanes where it's most needed. Don't cars have enough space already. 248. Elizabeth Hall (ZIP code:
249. Richard Red (ZIP code:
250. Michael Lee (ZIP code:
Bike lanes are vital for the health and protection of students. Make the city more convenient for cars, not people, is a misstep in priorities. Thank you!
251. Alex Miller (ZIP code:
252. An anonymous signer (ZIP code:
253. Shahfiya Razak (ZIP code:
254. Joshua Magee (ZIP code:
255. Karen Canzoneri (ZIP code:
256. Juan Barrios (ZIP code:
257. Aaron Mansfield (ZIP code:
258. Joseph Choe (ZIP code:
Bike lanes are an important part of my life. They are a necessity to my every day commute. 259. Robert Adams (ZIP code:
Actively removing infrastructure which is intended **primarily for safety** would be incredibly shortsighted, wasteful, and dangerous. Please do not remove these bike lanes. Additionally, please consider adding more. Thank you.
260. David Greenberg (ZIP code:
261. Liana Chen (ZIP code:
262. Greg Martin (ZIP code:
279. Kolja Schluetter (ZIP code:
While I understand the challenges, removing bike infrastructure, reducing safety, and spending additional tax dollars on demolition would be counterproductive. Instead, I suggest the city implement a residential parking permit program, which could better balance the needs of all community members while preserving existing infrastructure.
280. Jack Hughes (ZIP code:
281. Loriane Stevenson (ZIP code: )
282. Thao Le (ZIP code:
We need these bike lanes to keep school children and families safe! 283. Jennifer Zee (ZIP code:
Please keep our streets safe for kids and adults who are getting out there, moving their bodies and reducing their negative impact on the environment! Keep the bike lanes! 284. Sarah Tollman (ZIP code:
285. An anonymous signer (ZIP code:
286. Bennett Rand (ZIP code:
287. Aaron Baucom (ZIP code:
288. Catherine Felix (ZIP code:
289. Matthew Younkins (ZIP code:
Removing bike lanes near schools seems idiotic to me, but here we are. 290. An anonymous signer (ZIP code:
Cars are not more important than children's lives, simple as that.
It's shameful that car culture is so pervasive here that even the barest minimum bike lane is at risk to be replaced with either a slightly wider car lane to encourage higher driving speeds, or more parking that will block driver visibility and increase the likelihood of collisions with children.
I ride my bike to the SM Caltrain station through downtown which has no bike lanes and I feel incredibly unsafe due to illegal, dangerous behavior by people driving vehicles.
We should be adding more bike lanes, not removing them. 291. Eva Tang (ZIP code: )
292. Pablo Valle (ZIP code: )
373. Jonathan Gordon (ZIP code: )
Save the safe transportation options, keep the bike lanes! 374. David Cheung (ZIP code: )
375. Wesley Terpstra (ZIP code: )
These bike lanes are on our street. I find it makes the street look much nicer and keeps things much safer for my children.
376. Wenjin Cheng (ZIP code: )
377. Xuting Sheng (ZIP code:
378. An anonymous signer (ZIP code: )
379. Joey Galloway (ZIP code: )
don't take our fakkin bike lanes
380. James B (ZIP code: )
This bike lane is the vital for safer school access for children. If anything, it should be improved by making it wider and consider safety bollards.
381. Justin Sell (ZIP code: )
382. Gina Meyers-Im (ZIP code: )
Please keep the bike lanes! Prioritizing car parking spaces over safe bike lanes is backwards!! Please do not undo the important work to provide safe bike lanes. 383. Christine Ledlie (ZIP code: )
384. James Nee (ZIP code: )
385. Jessica O’Neill (ZIP code: )
386. An anonymous signer (ZIP code: )
387. Christy Rogers (ZIP code: )
388. Sam Schiffman (ZIP code: )
Bike lanes provide a safer area for cyclists and commuters. This even benefits motorists because cyclist will not be on the road with them.
389. Blake Ohlig (ZIP code: )
Please protect our children!
390. Casey Straka (ZIP code: )
391. Brian Peters (ZIP code: )
392. Kevin Han (ZIP code: )
393. Rewand Congeus (ZIP code: )
394. Mandy Pederson (ZIP code: )
395. Kevin COOPER (ZIP code: )
396. Jill Kolongowski (ZIP code: )
397. Russell Ellison (ZIP code: )
398. Elizabeth Wright (ZIP code: )
399. Shanna Howard (ZIP code: )
400. Gregory Knauf (ZIP code: )
401. Raiyan Seede (ZIP code: )
402. Tim Rochte (ZIP code:
Do not remove bike lanes. More and better are needed
403. Timothy Griffin (ZIP code: )
404. John Langbein (ZIP code: )
405. Jeff Gelb (ZIP code: )
406. Jerome Sun (ZIP code: )
407. Bailey Ubellacker (ZIP code: )
408. Michelle Hudson (ZIP code: )
409. Ricki McGlashan (ZIP code: )
We need all the bike lanes we can get! Please save the one on Humboldt that helps kids get to school and adults get places w/o using their cars.
As a cyclist and a parent, I’m concerned that removing these bike lanes will make our roads less safe and create even less incentive for greener modes of transportation. 427. Martta Rajamaki (ZIP code )
428. George Koster (ZIP code:
I ride these streets which are very dangerous and it would be wonderful to invest in infrastructure to make them more accessible and safe for both bicyclists and pedestrians 429. Allison Dodge (ZIP code:
430. Rena Kao (ZIP code: )
431. Alexandra Dove (ZIP code: )
432. Rina Choe (ZIP code: )
433. david kealhofer (ZIP code: )
434. Kevin Zhou (ZIP code: )
435. Dominic Daniels (ZIP code: )
436. Yuan Zhang (ZIP code: )
437. Rachel Mitchell (ZIP code:
Save the bike lanes and build more!
438. Chong Shang (ZIP code: )
save bike lanes
439. Craig Funcke (ZIP code: )
Promote trips by bike for better health and environment. Reduce car pollution and congestion. 440. Sophia Wong (ZIP code: )
I use the bike lane and live on Humboldt - it helps me feel safer as I was almost hit several times prior to the bike lanes.
441. John Bauters (ZIP code: )
Prioritizing the storage of personal vehicles on a public right-of-way over the safety of families and children who deserve equitable mobility choices to car drivers would be a major step backward for the City of San Mateo. Finding the political will and courage to do what is right is not always easy. Teddy bear memorials to children who die due to road violence is are preventable when decision-makers prioritize safety.
442. Carter Pohl (ZIP code: )
443. Harrison Sweeney (ZIP code:
I bike in this area when riding to the Bay Trail and Coyote Point. This area can be dangerous and uncomfortable for bikers, and bike lanes give us bikers a safe area that is free from cars. So much of our land is already dedicated to cars, please save this small space for bikers (which also increases the buffer between cars and pedestrians).
444. MARCY UECKER (ZIP code: )
445. Laura Y (ZIP code:
446. Janet Byron (ZIP code: )
447. Lan Wu (ZIP code:
448. Tim Ryan (ZIP code: )
If someone is injured or killed as a result of these proposed lane removals, city, staff and electric leaders will never forgive themselves. Nor should they. 449. Edward Luby (ZIP code:
450. Pamela Derish (ZIP code: )
Why after all the planning and cost and construction would the City renege like this? 451. Scott sandstrom (ZIP code: )
452. Jason Morton (ZIP code: )
Are our cities progressive in action or only in theory? Why remove bicycle lanes - critical for protecting local children cycling to school - which are already there to encourage yet more cars on our streets? 453. Chi Cao Minh (ZIP code:
454. Daniel Austin (ZIP code: )
Bikes are essential modes of transport for kids who are sometime required to be independent. A beginner cyclist travels 5x faster than walking, that means a mile commute changes from 20min to 4min. I was required to walk further than this when I was a kid; I dreamed and even tried to bike to school, but I lived in an unicorporated part of town with no bike lanes, so it was too dangerous and difficult.
Additionally dedicated bike lanes can provide important space in emergency situations for cars to pull out of the way of First responders.
455. Vikas Rawat (ZIP code:
non-bike sensing lights, meaning you either have to make risky calculations or wait for the mercy of a car coming your way.
San Mateo should be a world-class cycling heaven. The weather is great and you are a major Caltrain stop. There are so many families and schools that are better off for having quality access to safer bike lanes - this bike lane is literally bordering the high school!! Thousands of teens are allowed greater independence & more exercise with this existing. The idea of removing a bike lane - especially when it would cost *three million dollars* - is a slap in the face to your citizens, all of whom have to leave their car at one point or another and interact with the world at large.
And let’s be clear, a strip of paint on the road is not safe cycling infrastructure. Removing this absolute bare minimum attempt at encouraging active transportation is actually so ridiculous it borders on offensive - removing this bike lane would serve only to waste money and spit on your Vision Zero goals.
I urge you to aim higher and dream bigger. I truly believe cities receive the behavior their infrastructure deserve…. If you want an active, thriving community that doesn’t prioritize storing people’s private properly on city streets over public health and fighting climate change, we have to be daring enough to dream it and build it now. And most of all, I urge you to hop on a bike and try to cross the length of San Mateo. Even just from the Caltrain to the Bay Trail is an…illuminating experience.
Thank you so much for your time. I look forward to visiting soon and have my fingers crossed for future improvements!
555. Aaron Hanna (ZIP code:
As a lifetime bike rider and racer of more than 20 years, road and mountain, I still feel more danger on roads without dedicated bike lanes than in a race peloton. Regardless of the law on how close a car can pass, without dedicated bike lanes, cars will come closer to riders than is safe for all. And what if that rider is a minor and new to cycling? And what if they are your child? 556. Kim Achziger (ZIP code: )
Please do not remove the safety of bike lanes. We need safe bike routes to all schools and parks.
We also need a safe route from town to town. It would help reduce car congestion. California and SanMateo claim to have active healthy people. Please support this by keeping existing bike lanes and making more.
557. Richard Boyer (ZIP code:
558. Tom Murphy (ZIP code:
559. Tristan Sayre (ZIP code:
560. Lee Stebbins (ZIP code:
Just another example of irrational behaver by politicians not looking at the big picture and saving lives. 561. steven atneosen (ZIP code:
594. Hayes Schwarz (ZIP code: )
595. Justin Chou-Belden (ZIP code: )
596. Sean Schochet (ZIP code: )
597. Justin Truong (ZIP code: )
598. Leyla Ozgur Alhassen (ZIP code: )
599. Nancy Milano (ZIP code: )
Y ou City officials waste so much money. Y ou put the bike lanes in for a reason, especially around schools, schools have children that ride bikes!
Now you want to remove them to put them in again in 3 yrs! Y our suppose to help kids get to school safely not set them up to get hurt! 600. Shanelle Mishlof (ZIP code: )
601. Kathleen Murphy (ZIP code: )
602. Pt Lind (ZIP code: )
603. Shannon Aminirad (ZIP code: )
604. Catherine Brown (ZIP code:
How can we legitimately claim to care for residents’ safety, as well as reducing climate impact, when walking and biking become life-risking actIons?
605. John Bascombe (ZIP code:
606. VISHNU VARDHAN Chandra Kumaran (ZIP code: )
607. Rod Hsiao (ZIP code:
My boys and I bike have biked to College park, Bayside and SMHS every year, K-9 (so far)! Drivers are much more aggressive now and speeding around MLK and surrounding streets. 608. Sam Price (ZIP code:
I'm an avid biker, putting personal vehicle storage ahead of biker safety is a great way to lose my vote. 609. Frank Casale (ZIP code:
Bike Lanes !
We need em‘ !
610. Jacqueline Oicata (ZIP code:
Debra Van Scherpe
662. Jayden Wan (ZIP code:
663. Clara Voon (ZIP code:
664. Carlos Garcia (ZIP code: )
Just allow it
665. Tracey Freyre (ZIP code: )
666. Natalie Dias (ZIP code: )
Please keep the bike lanes! So many students at my school (San Mateo) use them to get safely on campus.
667. Yassen Zhechev (ZIP code: )
668. Leia Asanuma (ZIP code: )
669. Samantha Hodge (ZIP code: )
670. Lucy Roberts (ZIP code: )
671. Yi Chun Chen (ZIP code: )
672. Yili Young (ZIP code: )
I live in North Central and I support keeping the bike lanes. 673. Young Chao (ZIP code
674. Ness Zelony (ZIP code:
My friend bikes to school and the bike lanes are a safety measure that helps him and other bikers not get hit.
675. Eve Tiu (ZIP code: )
676. Gina Valderrama (ZIP code: )
677. Shalan Chau (ZIP code: )
678. Spencer te Wildt (ZIP code: )
679. Raymond Wu (ZIP code: )
680. Michael Gachet (ZIP code:
681. Charlotte Dunbar (ZIP code:
please keep the bike lane
682. Tim Durkim (ZIP code: )
683. Georgia Giari (ZIP code: )
684. Geoffry Svacha (ZIP code: )
I ride on the bike lanes in San Mateo everyday to drop off my first grader at Parkside Elementary and my toddler at Shu Academy preschool.
685. Chantal Henderson (ZIP code: )
686. Jeff Ho (ZIP code: )
We need more bike lanes not less to encourage less traffic and healthier forms of commuting. 687. Daniel Kao (ZIP code: )
688. Catherine K (ZIP code: )
689. Peter S (ZIP code: )
1 From: Mike Swire
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 10:24 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Pix, videos and TV coverage of yesterday's Ride and Rally for the Humboldt bike lanes Hi City Council,
I wanted to share with you some pix and videos from our rally and ride yesterday at Fiesta Gardens Elementary and on Humboldt. We had probably 30 families with lots of teens and little kids. Several community members and leaders spoke on the importance of keeping the bike lanes; even some kids made comments. Everyone then had a great time.
SMPD (Officer Savage) did a great job of keeping us safe. Sadly, many of the families were harassed by Trina Pierce and friends while they were riding. Ms. Pierce shouted at adults and small children, telling them to go back to "their neighborhoods" and asking whether they were paid actors. This is disappointing because the families were simply riding in the bike lanes, not accosting anyone while riding. I have informed Chief Barberini so that he can ensure that everyone is safe and cordial at tonight's
meeting.
See you tonight and thanks for your efforts for the City,
Mike Swire
1 From: Maggie Trinh
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 7:30 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: SMFCSD Resolution 10-24/25
Attachments: SMFC Resolution 10-24_25.pdf
Good morning,
In advance of next week's meeting, I'm writing to convey the signed resolution adopted by the San Mateo- Foster City School District on January 23, 2025 in support of the Humboldt bike lanes and Safe Routes to School more generally, and ask that this be included in the agenda packet. I appreciate your time and attention to this important issue.
Thank you,
Maggie Trinh
Board President
San Mateo-Foster City School District Board of Trustees
1 From: Mari
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2026 9:15 AM
To: Danielle Cwirko-Godycki; Nicole Fernandez; Adam Loraine; Rob Newsom; Lisa Diaz Nash Cc: Clerk; City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: I Support Keeping the Humboldt Bike Lane AS IS To the City Council,
I’m writing as a North Central parent and resident to ask you to protect and maintain the Humboldt Street bike lane exactly as it is. Two-thirds of community members surveyed, even those who live on Humboldt itself, support keeping the lane intact. That should carry weight.
As the weather improves, my family uses this lane more and more. My kids ride it to elementary school, I use it to commute by bike to my job in Burlingame, and my in-laws—who are in their mid 70s, don’t drive, and live south of downtown—use it to visit us and pick up our kids from school. We rely on this infrastructure.
It’s frustrating to hear claims that the bike lane “isn’t successful” when the city never completed the full network or promoted its use. If we only implement parts of a plan, of course the outcome will fall short.
That doesn’t mean the plan failed—it means we didn’t finish the work.
And frankly, I can’t understand how parking spots and convenience are being elevated above basic safety. Do we value cleaner air? Then we need more bikes. Do we want kids to move freely and independently, not just sit in cars? Then we need more bikes. Do we want a connected, livable community? Then we need more bikes.
If that’s our goal, we must connect the lanes. Build more of them. Promote them. Create city-led rides and safety campaigns. Show people how to use this infrastructure—not blame them when it’s still new and incomplete.
At a previous meeting, I heard people say they can’t walk groceries from a few blocks away. But why not unload groceries at your driveway and then park? Yes, it may take a few extra minutes and a little bit of walking. It might even improve our health. Meanwhile, people are getting hit on our streets. We can do better than this.
Please don’t reverse a public investment that’s already improving safety. Move forward, not backward— with leadership that reflects the city we want to become.
With hope and respect,
Mariana Tiwari
North Central
1 From: Linda Tribuzi >
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 11:14 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Bike Lanes and parking in San Mateo
Hello,
Please return the parking to North Central residents!
I am appalled by what is happening with parking and bike lanes in San Mateo. Please listen to the city residents and take appropriate action to accommodate all citizens, not just a few and special interest groups. Citizens need to use roads for driving a car and parking.
Additional comments:
> 28th Avenue that has been a bike lane now for years - I live near this street and rarely see bikers on this street. With the train underpass built a few years ago this is now a major and busy street and intersection. I see a high volume of cars on this street all the time and it is not safe for it to also be a street designated for bikers.
> Alameda de las Pulgas is a major and highly used road - do not add a bike lane. > If you continue to add bike lanes in San Mateo it will result in increased time to drive to destinations and traffic congestion.
Regards,
Linda Tribuzi
1 From: Bob Wackerman
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 9:28 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Return parking to North Central residents
Councilmemebers, especially the council member for North Central, Return the parking you selfishly eliminated from the entirety of Humboldt St. Do something for the neighborhood who elected you.
Sincerely,
Biff Bavaqua
District 1
1 From: Connie Weiss
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2026 12:14 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: February 2, 2026 Agenda Item 7: Humboldt Bike Lanes Alternative - Update Honorable San Mateo City Council Members,
The February 2nd City Council agenda includes an item which will determine who has more influence with City Council: well-funded special interests or the voices of residents.
In February 2022, residents of North Central, an Equity Priority Neighborhood, were clear: bike lanes on Humboldt were not an issue if parking was not removed. Ms.Trina Pierce presented the 2022 City Council a petition signed by 748 residents objecting to removal of street parking. That night, the City Council ignored the voices of residents and voted to establish the bike lanes.
The Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) grant funding was clearly provided to improve the North Central and Shoreview neighborhoods with much needed street lighting, sidewalk repairs, and repairs to the Martin Luther King Center, among other items, that would directly benefit North Central and Shoreview residents. Installing bike lanes was not listed in the grant.
North Central and Shoreview saw little or no improvements resulting from the grant funding. The funds intended for improvements that would directly benefit the community were spent to provide little-used and unsafe bike lanes. The grant funding certainly was not awarded to create a power-play between well-funded bicycle special interest groups and the residents of a neighborhood who are simply trying to get by.
From 2022 to 2025, there were periodic, aggressive and loud demands by people aligned with bicycle special interests and the muted voices of real residents of North Central whose lives have been greatly impacted by the bike lanes. Then, in February 2025, the current City Council discussed and adopted a plan to restore parking to Humboldt and to look for other alternatives for bike lanes.
Residents were elated. We felt we now had a Council that respects resident voices. We looked forward to the staff findings and report.
During the December 2025 meeting of the Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission, it was clear just a few minutes into the City staff’s presentation about the Humboldt bike lanes that something had gone horribly wrong. The data reported was ridiculously inconsistent with what residents, and resident bike ride surveys, were reporting. The objections by residents were ignored in staff’s presentation, it was as if they did not exist. Those who had been so vocal at every in-person meeting conducted by staff were essentially treated as being non-existent.
Residents, busy with their lives and tired of repeating themselves for almost three years, spoke during public comment, but they were far outnumbered by the well-financed special interests who attended the meeting. Once again, the residents of North Centra
l, many of whom are economically challenged,
minorities, elderly and disabled who live in a recognized Equity Priority Neighborhood were treated as second-class citizens. The Council directive of “restore parking” was gone.
2 From this “gone sideways” December 2025 meeting, you are now being presented with a recommendation that was not an option in the February 2025 Alternative vote made by Council.
Whether City staff realizes it or not, their data, reporting, and recommendation has been significantly skewed to favor the well-funded special interests and, as in 2022, ignore the voices of residents. Staff discarded what was believed to be duplicate returns to their web survey. No more proof that the survey was flawed and manipulated is needed, period. It needs to be thrown out.
The irony of all of this is that these special interest lobbyists wear tee-shirts and hand out posters saying, “Safe Streets for All.” Humboldt is a truck thoroughfare. It is no surprise that they are barely used. Many resident bikers have spoken up about the dangerous conditions on Humboldt, recommending quieter residential side streets where traffic is minimal and safety is higher, with or without the green paint on the road. Although Crystal Springs Road is a designated bike route, I see numerous bikers riding on my quiet street to avoid the faster traffic on the bike route. This is common sense and safety combined, and so easy to make a reality! Monday night you, as our City’s leadership body, have a challenge to your legacy. Please consider what is right vs. pressure tactics by those who seemly don’t care about the elderly, the disabled, and working-class people who are just trying to live their lives, with your vote.
Will you follow the misguided recommendation of staff, fully aligned with special interests, or will you stand firm on the direction given to staff to come up with a plan to fully restore parking now and then determine alternative routes for bikes? I, like many residents, feel strongly about this. Unfortunately, like many residents, I have a family commitment Monday night that will prevent me from attending the meeting in person. Others may be starting their second or third jobs. If the attendance nu mbers of those asking for their street parking to
be returned don’t match the well-funded special interests, please do not equate that to a lack of commitment. We stand strong with residents, as residents.
Thank you,
Connie Weiss
San Mateo Resident
1 From: Bill Williams
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 1:19 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Humboldt St. bike lanes
Please prioritize the needs of working residents instead of catering to the desires of recreational cyclists. x Bill Williams
1 From: Kai W
Sent: Sunday, February 1, 2026 9:13 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Please keep the Humboldt bike lanes
Dear council members,
My name is Kailun Wu and I’ve been living in Hillsdale for over ten years. I’m a father of two and I bike daily to school and errands so the Humboldt bike lane matters deeply to me.
2 3
(This is how we ride to school everyday on Flores St, which has no bike lane but is thankfully narrow. I have four bike lights and a yellow jacket to try to keep us safe.)
Thank you for reading my comment. I’ll keep it short because this issue has probably been exhausting for the staff and council.
1. Safety first. No street parking is more important than saving lives. Death is a greater loss.
2. Streets are public and not storage space. Let’s try the parking permit and encourage folks to park in their lots.
We’ve already dedicated so much land for driving and parking everywhere you look. We are only asking a small slice for bike lane.
3. The survey result shows a majority support for Humboldt bike lane as it is. Please speak for us as well as the countless neighbors who are either too busy or tired to show up.
4. San Mateo is full (of cars) and desperately needs a car-lite future. More lanes and parking only attract more cars and we’ve tried that already. The only way to improve our quality of life is allowing people to live their lives but drive
less. Combined with mixed-use medium density zoning we can have a 10-min city and live healthier.
Your leadership and vision are greatly appreciated. Tradeoffs can be made in good faith from both sides. I hope we could keep the bike lanes on Monday and turn the page. Thank you and have a great week!
Regards,
Kailun Wu
1 From: Joan Young
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 10:08 AM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Parking in n central
City council , please return parking to N Central residents . This is so important and as the city builds more and more the parking a congesƟon gets worse and worse !!Please listen to us . Thank young Joan Young Sent from my iPhone
1 From: Wayne Young
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2026 8:26 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Support Retaining the Humboldt Street Bike Lanes — Consistent with San Mateo General Plan 2040 and Bicycle Master Plan
Dear Members of the San Mateo City Council,
I am writing to respectfully request that the City of San Mateo retain the existing bike lanes on Humboldt Street, consistent with the City’s adopted planning priorities — including the General Plan 2040 and the Bicycle Master Plan.
San Mateo’s General Plan 2040 establishes a citywide vision for a multimodal transportation system that is safe, accessible, equitable, and sustainable. The General Plan explicitly states goals and policies to prioritize walking, bicycling, and transit, to reduce reliance on single-occupancy vehicles, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and expand transportation choices for all residents regardless of age or ability. Policies such as C-1.1 (Sustainable Transportation)and C-1.2 (Complete Streets) emphasize designing streets that facilitate safe, comfortable, and efficient travel for people bicycling as a core component of the circulation network. In addition, the General Plan includes a specific goal (Goal C-4) to build and maintain a safe, connected, and equitable bicycle network that provides access to key community destinations like employment centers, transit, schools, and shopping.
These priorities are mirrored in San Mateo’s Bicycle Master Plan, which identifies the Humboldt Street bike lanes as part of an essential connected bike network. The Master Plan was adopted after community engagement and data-driven analysis and serves as the official blueprint for bicycle infrastructure in the city. It prioritizes improvements that make streets safer and more predictable for people choosing to bike.
Retaining the Humboldt Street bike lanes — rather than removing them — reflects the intent of both plans by providing safer infrastructure for everyday trips like commuting, getting to schools, and accessing local businesses. The bike lanes help advance multiple adopted City goals:
Safety: Dedicated bike lanes reduce conflicts between people biking and people driving, support a Vision Zero approach, and help prevent injuries and fatalities. Equity & Access: Many North Central residents depend on bicycling and other active modes to reach schools, jobs, transit, and services without access to a car. A robust bike network expands mobility choices for all income levels and ages.
Sustainability & Climate: Increasing bicycle mode share supports San Mateo’s goals to reduce vehicle miles traveled and transportation emissions while improving public health through active transportation.
While concerns about parking and neighborhood needs deserve thoughtful engagement, removing infrastructure that aligns with the City’s own long-range planning priorities would undermine years of community input and data analysis embedded in the General Plan 2040 and the Bicycle Master Plan.
2 I encourage you to retain the Humboldt Street bike lanes and pursue targeted refinements — such as traffic calming, safety improvements, and parking mitigation where appropriate — that keep San Mateo moving toward the goals our community has already formally adopted.
Thank you for your careful consideration and for your continued service to our city.
Sincerely,
Wayne Young
San Mateo North Central Resident
1 From: Yili OD
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2026 8:27 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Please keep the bike lane on Humboldt
Dear city council members,
Thank you for your dedicaƟon and hard work for our city, San Mateo.
Please make a decision that declares that San Mateo is a city of people, not a city of cars. Your vote will decide the safety of people, specifically students who are biking on Humboldt street. I sincerely urge you to hear the overwhelming voices from the schools, the students, the majority of San Mateo residents who support keeping the Humboldt bike lane. I live in North Central and the bike lane on Humboldt has been a blessing to me and my family.
Facing the challenges of financial needs of many other important projects, 1-2 millions of taxpayers dollars are to be spent wisely.
Please support keeping the bike lane on Humboldt street.
Thank you once again!
Yili Young
North central resident
1 From: Rick Ballard >
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 2:57 PM
To: Clerk; City Council (San Mateo); Nicole Fernandez
Subject: Comment for Agenda Item 7, Humboldt Bike Lanes Alternative Dear Mayor and City Councilmembers,
I'm Rick Ballard, a North Central resident. I care deeply about my neighborhood and my neighbors. And I'm writing to ask you to keep the Humboldt bike lanes.
I want to focus on two things.
First, the proposed alternatives are dangerous — not because of speed, but because of sightlines.
On streets like Fremont, a driver pulling out of a driveway cannot see an oncoming cyclist until it's too late. I've experienced this; a driver came out of a driveway, couldn't see me, and I missed being hit by barely a foot. Speed humps won't fix this. Traffic circles won't fix this. The streets are narrow, driveways are everywhere, and the geometry doesn't change. This is the same sightline problem that killed a four- year-old in Burlingame this year.
If you reroute cyclists — including children biking to school — down these streets, someone will be seriously hurt or killed. I don't want that to be this council's legacy.
Second, this is fiscal recklessness. The city is running a budget deficit. You are preparing to ask voters for a tax increase. And you are considering spending over a million dollars to rip out recently-installed infrastructure and restore parking spaces. It's hard to ask citizens for more money while spending this way.
Please keep the Humboldt Street bike lanes.
Thank you,
Rick Ballard
North Central San Mateo resident
1 From: Christine Cook
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 12:44 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Support for Retaining the Humboldt Street Bike Lanes Dear Mayor and City Councilmembers,
I’m a North Central resident and I rely solely on my bike for transportation. I’m writing to urge you to retain the Humboldt Street bike lanes.
As a taxpayer, I’m concerned about the cost and waste involved in removing infrastructure that was recently installed with public funds. Reversing course now spends additional money without clear evidence of a corresponding public benefit.
As a resident and cyclist, I’m a constant user of our bike infrastructure, and it’s a rare day when I don’t ride on or cross the Humboldt bike lane. I’m one of many. Humboldt street is challenging with both high speed and high volume traffic. The Humboldt bike lanes importantly provides a safer, more predictable street for people of all ages who choose to bike, walk, or drive. Removing them would reduce safety and accessibility, not improve it.
I’ve heard concerns raised about parking and older residents. These are important issues, but they deserve solutions that don’t come at the expense of safety, sustainability, and long-term livability. Many older residents benefit directly from calmer streets, safer crossings, and reduced traffic speeds, outcomes that bike lanes help deliver.
San Mateo has the opportunity to continue moving toward a more walkable, livable city that supports a variety of transportation choices. I strongly encourage you to keep the Humboldt Street bike lanes and focus on improving, rather than undoing, our existing infrastructure.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Christine Cook
1 From: Jean Dail
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 1:05 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Added / new bike lanes have caused some serious problems Dear City Council Members,
It seems the good intentions for adding bike lanes has had very bad unintended consequences. The community of San Mateo drives. That’s our system of transportation. Cars need places to park. Then we can get out and walk to our destination.
As much as you are advocating for more bike lanes, the aging population of San Mareo is not going to use them. When’s the last time you rode a bike? Vs when was the last time you parked your car?
I had no idea the entire length of Alameda had plans for a bike lane!!! The traffic back ups this will create are going to be horrific!
Please consider ensuring parking spaces at a minimum stay the same in quantity before and after adding bike lanes. In addition, if you are going to ADD bike lanes to almost all of Aleameda, you need to ensure the traffic volume will not be impeded. If this cannot be accomplished, you need a different plan.
Sincerely, Jean Dail
Mayor Adam Lorraine and San Mateo Councilmembers,
My name is Natalie Dias and I’m a junior student at San Mateo High School.
I want to express my extreme disappointment that this council is planning to remove the Humboldt Street Bike Lanes. Every morning and afternoon, students at my school use the lane to get to campus. They use the lane because it is accessible and safe.
A week ago, a pedestrian died while crossing South El Camino Real at 17th, another road that leads to my school. This is because cars around my school drive fast and recklessly. With amenities like the the Humboldt Bike lane, we are able to protect bikers from bad driverd. If we remove the bike lane and continue to prioritze cars over pedestrians and bikes, we are bound to see more tragedies.
San Mateo prides itself on being one of the most progressive and sustainable cities, and I’m all for that. Our commitment to clean energy, reach code support and youth climate engagement programs make me feel proud to live where a clean future for my generation is prioritized. But removing the Humboldt Bike lanes is not removing a means of transport, it erodes our commitment to sustainability.
I understand that one of the main reasons for the bike lane removal is parking space for residents.
However, I take the bus down that road every day and almost every house has a two car garage.
The downside of having less parking space is much smaller than the safety and positive reputation that the road instils.
So many youth have shown up today because the removal of the bike lanes affects us directly.
We want to see sustainability commitments being upheld, and above all we want a safe means of transport.
I advocated for this issue back in April last year, and I am advocating for it again. I believe that upholding the Humbolt Bike Lanes is how we can build a city for people, and not just cars.
Istrongly urge the council to reconsider their decision to remove the Humboldt Street Bike Lanes. The youth are listening.
1 From: Alexandra Dove
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 3:41 PM
To: Clerk; City Council (San Mateo)
Subject: Agenda item 7, keep Humboldt bike lanes
Dear City Council,
I am wriƟng today to express my support for keeping the Humboldt Street bike lanes. As a North Central resident for several years now, I have appreciated having safe infrastructure that allows my family to get around by bike for daily errands and commuƟng. The proposed alternaƟves on Fremont and Idaho would be a significant downgrade in safety, and I am concerned about the risks this would pose to cyclists, especially children traveling to school.
I strongly encourage the council to keep the exisƟng bike lanes in place.
Thank you,
Alexandra Dove
North-Central San Mateo
Sent from my iPhone
1 From: Michael
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 3:10 PM
To: City Council (San Mateo)
Cc: Clerk; David Light; Killough, Maurine; Francie Souza Subject: 2/2/26 Humboldt Bike Lane Relocation
Mayor Loraine and Councilmembers - You're going to hear a lot of noise tonight, and no doubt have already received tons of AI generated emails, form letters, and communications of all sorts decrying the outrageous removal of the bike lanes on Humboldt. Many of these will be from people who do not live on Humboldt, in North Central, the surrounding neighborhoods, San Mateo, or even the Bay Area or state.
Your job is to separate the signal from this noise.
Most if not all of you would say you like to be "data-driven". Let's focus on that, because the data illustrates several things: these lanes are simply not used. We have camera data, data from another citizen who put out cameras, and personally I drive that corridor up to 4x a day between here and Burlingame High School with my son, and my observations corroborate that complete lack of usage.
There are usually literally zero bikes - commute hours, school hours, beautiful weather, weekdays, weekends - doesn't matter. Secondly, the removal of parking has negatively impacted an equity priority neighborhood with seniors, and workers that rely on vehicles to make a living. Finally, the lanes have been in place for over 2 years, and there is no data to suggest it has made anything safer - there has been no decrease (or increase) in collisions. That makes sense because if you have zero usage, you will also have zero collisions.
In a nutshell - the suffering being endured by the residents of North Central on this corridor is being inflicted for no good reason. None.
It's worth noting as well that no one is removing lanes - they city will simply relocate them to better places. Also worth noting these lanes were rushed to be installed without proper neighborhood notification and meetings that would have avoided this disaster in the first place. So this is really righting a wrong that should never have occured.
As an avid cyclist with 10s of thousands of miles ridden everywhere imaginable - big cities, small cities, on road, off road, foreign countries - I can tell you we don't generally care about bike lines. Even when I bike with my wife and kids, we find side streets and go the most expeditiious yet safe routes. I only bike ECR when absolutely necessary, and I avoid Delaware. For the same reason, Humboldt is sub- optimal as
a truck route and main thoroughfare. We also don't mind going a little further for a nicer, quieter ride - it's easy on a bike.
Also as a cyclist I'm embarrassed by the bike zealots and their antics. They do not represent me nor do I believe they represent the majority of cyclists. Again, many of these people don't live in the affected area, much less San Mateo, and I promise you they do not really use these lanes, since nobody really does. It's also sad to see the "Safe Streets Everywhere" (funded by the same large bike coalition SVBC) being weaponized as a means to justify the theft of parking from these residents under the guise of safety (who are these phantom riders being kept safe?), rather than representing the actual residents of San Mateo.
Don’t reward the tantrums of this handful of zealots with your support.
2 The net impact of optimizing and relocating these lanes on bikers is zero. The net impact of optimizing and relocating these lanes on safety is zero. The net impact on the residents who had their parking unfairly removed from them is immeasurably positive. This should not be a remotely difficult decision.
So, you find yourself in the difficult position of being villainized by outsiders, oftentimes with highly specious information propogated by opportunistic zealots and activists. I ask you to be courageous and do what's right tonight and immediately restore all parking ("immediate" is doing a lot of work here since they've been waiting 2+ years), and relocate these lanes to a much better location.
The best way to combat special interest meddling is to not bow to them. Trust that we, the residents who truly understand what's going on here, will have your back and ensure that the voters in San Mateo are getting the right message.
Sincerely, Michael Weinhauer, Central Neighborhood