CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 15 Section Name: OLD BUSINESS Account Number: 10-4661 File ID: 26-11129 TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Public Works Department
MEETING DATE: May 18, 2026
SUBJECT:
19th Avenue / Fashion Island Boulevard Multimodal Improvement Project — Informational Update RECOMMENDATION:
Receive an informational update about the 19th Avenue/Fashion Island Boulevard Multimodal Improvements Project.
BACKGROUND:
19th Avenue/Fashion Island Boulevard Multimodal Improvement Project (Project) will enhance safety, accessibility, and operations along this 1.3-mile east–west corridor from Pacific Boulevard to Mariners Island Boulevard for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
The Project combines two previously separate efforts: the Fashion Island Class IV Bikeway Project, identified through the Smart Corridor and Mobility Hub Study to improve bicycle connectivity, and the Norfolk Street/Fashion Island Boulevard Intersection Reconstruction Project, which addresses congestion and traffic flow at a key junction.
By consolidating these efforts, the City and its partners can deliver a more integrated solution that advances safety, reduces congestion, and strengthens multimodal connectivity.
Sponsored by the City of San Mateo, with the San Mateo County Transportation Authority as lead implementation agency, the Project is estimated at $28 million and funded through local and federal sources. Design began in early 2025. Key improvements include Class IV separated bikeways, intersection and signal upgrades, removal of conflict points, lighting enhancements, and pedestrian improvements.
September 2025 City Council Update
On September 15, 2025, the Project team provided an update to City Council at roughly the 35% design phase. In that meeting staff discussed the Project scope, goals, initial outreach strategy and feedback, funding and overall schedule for the Project. There were over 15 public comments with the overall tone strongly positive and supportive, with broad consensus favoring the Project’s safety improvements, protected bike lanes, pedestrian enhancements, and Complete Streets approach. Many speakers praised the design as thoughtful, well-researched, and a rare opportunity to leverage significant grant funding ($500k–$1.5M city contribution toward ~$28M total Project cost) for substantial safety gains on a high-injury corridor.
Council feedback was consistent with public feedback where it was strongly supportive of the Project. A general theme praised the Project’s scope and goals in that not only would it improve safety and modal usage on the corridor but also provide congestion relief. Outside of the positive support, Council wanted the Project to continue the robust outreach so voices are heard and acknowledged, focus on decisions backed by data and while it’s great to leverage so much grant
funding, the Project team should be cautious against rushing the Project through because of grant deadlines. Below is a summary of the positive and constructive feedback provided for the Project team to focus on moving forward.
Common positive themes:
Urgent need for safety upgrades due to current traffic conditions (speeding, close passes, collisions at intersections like the gas station/Arco gas station driveway, bridges, and Norfolk/Fashion Island intersection) Benefits for families, children biking/walking to school, equity (youth, seniors, diverse users), reduced screen time for kids, and shifting short local trips away from cars to ease congestion Appreciation for protected/separated bike infrastructure, buffers, improved crosswalks/ramps, and specific fixes at the gas station and ramps
Strong support for multimodal balance and future growth (upzoning/developments) many viewed safer infrastructure as a way to reduce overall vehicle traffic and congestion long-term Praise for early outreach, staff presentation, and the Project’s funding leverage Concerns or constructive suggestions:
Need for robust traffic modeling to account for future developments (15–20% potential increase) and avoid spillover into neighborhoods like Fiesta Gardens or impacts on school safety (e.g., Bermuda Drive) Requests for more right-turn storage, better enforcement (blocking lanes), improved lighting (especially under overpasses), and careful handling of parking loss (some suggested diagonal parking alternatives) Questions about specific design elements, such as the number of crosswalks at Norfolk, bike islands in turn lanes, signal phasing at the gas station, bus integration, and engagement with the Arco gas station owner Emphasis on continued community input, data sharing (including bike usage stats and industrial camera data), and ensuring the Project remains balanced for all users (cars, bikes, peds, transit) without rushing solely for grants One or two speakers stressed low current bike/transit mode share but saw the Project as key to increasing it safely
Outreach Efforts Since September 2025 Council Update
Since September 2025, staff have incorporated feedback from the City Council and advanced the Project while maintaining a robust community engagement plan. As the design progressed from 35% to 100% completion, the team adapted by holding additional discussions where needed.
Over the past six months, the Project team has conducted four community workshops. Efforts to maximize reach and create an inclusive environment for all community members were utilized: two sets of in-person and virtual meeting options were provided, and all meetings were advertised through the various city channels including the e-newsletter, social media, city website, over 10,000 mailers to residents in surrounding neighborhoods for each pair of in-person/virtual community workshops, and 46 poster boards along the corridor and high-traffic areas in close proximity to the corridor including the Hayward Park Caltrain Station, Trader Joe’s, and the Fiesta Gardens community center for each community workshop.
Additionally, all printed materials for the community workshops included Spanish and simplified Chinese translations, and all community workshops provided Spanish and Chinese translation services.
In addition to the community workshops, staff held multiple focused meetings with business owners, concerned community groups, established homeowner associations, College Park Elementary School PTA, SAMCEDA, a coalition of students from Nueva School, and re-engaged with the Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission (SIC) through the quarterly Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee and a dedicated SIC meeting in April just for this Project. The Project team also provided information about the Project to the Center for Independence of Individuals with Disabilities but did not receive a response when requesting a meeting to discuss it further.
The Project team also continued engaging with SamTrans, the San Mateo Police Department, and San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department as stakeholders to review and provide feedback on the Project designs and receive their buy-in on the proposed design. One recommendation for changes came from the Fire Department to increase the width of the travel lanes at a pinch point in the corridor, which led to modifying the westbound protected bikes lanes. There are no outstanding comments from any of these stakeholders.
Community Feedback
Through this engagement, several consistent themes have emerged:
1.Congestion Relief:
Congestion along the corridor, particularly at Norfolk Street, has been a longstanding issue and emerged as a top community priority during the first workshop. In response, the Project team refined and optimized the design to ensure meaningful reductions in travel time and delay.
Traffic modeling identified key bottlenecks and informed targeted improvements, including revised lane configurations on the bridge, intersection reconfiguration, extended turn pockets, and optimized signal timing.
Staff shared these findings with the community at the second and final workshops, demonstrating how the design responds directly to input.
The final design is expected to reduce travel times by nearly 30% during the morning peak and nearly 50% in the afternoon peak in the peak direction. These gains are balanced by modest impacts in the westbound direction, with delays increasing by 15% or less, reflecting a carefully calibrated approach that improves overall corridor performance while maintaining acceptable conditions for all users.
2.Safety:
Improving safety along the corridor is a central objective of the Project, informed by collision history and community concern. The corridor is part of the C/CAG Countywide High Injury Network, with over 200 collisions between 2019 and 2024. A disproportionate share of these incidents at nearly 25% of all collisions occurred at the 19th Avenue/Delaware Street intersection and at the SR-92 eastbound off-ramp near the ARCO gas station driveway, highlighting these locations as critical conflict points.
To specifically address the high collision rates at the SR-92 off-ramp and gas station driveway, and to provide additional protection for the two-way protected bikeway, a new median is proposed along the off-ramp and extending toward the 19th Avenue/Delaware Street intersection. This median will eliminate a major conflict point by restricting turning movements at the driveway, significantly reducing the potential for vehicle conflicts.
Recognizing the importance of maintaining access to the adjacent gas station, staff have worked closely with the property owner and ARCO’s parent company, British Petroleum, to refine the design. As a result of this coordination, the design of the median has shifted northerly to ensure that gas tanker trucks can maneuver safely and efficiently out of the gas station and onto 19th Avenue.
At the owner’s request, access to the ARCO station from northbound Delaware Street has also been maintained, rather than fully restricted as initially proposed. To support this change, the driveway on Delaware Street will be widened to accommodate increased use. While inbound access to the gas station is maintained, eastbound left turns from the driveway onto northbound Delaware, one of the higher-conflict movements, will be prohibited to improve safety. Instead, motorists traveling northbound on Delaware, eastbound on 19th Avenue, or toward the eastbound freeway on-ramp will be directed to use the new signalized intersection at 19th Avenue.
Together, these targeted design changes address the corridor’s most significant safety risks while balancing operational needs and maintaining viable access for adjacent properties.
3.Multimodal Connectivity:
As one of four critical east–west crossings of US 101, the corridor plays an essential role in connecting neighborhoods east and west of the US-101 freeway. Because these crossings are limited, improving this corridor is key to providing safe, reliable travel options for all users and supporting long-term mobility across
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the city.
The Project delivers a continuous 1.3-mile Class IV separated bikeway from Pacific Boulevard to Mariners Island Boulevard, creating a high-quality, low-stress route that physically separates bicyclists from vehicle traffic. This facility helps close a key gap in the City’s bicycle network and improves access to nearby schools, parks, transit stops, and employment areas.
To support safe and efficient travel, the bikeway is paired with five signal modifications, including dedicated bicycle signals and improved intersection controls. These upgrades provide safer crossings while maintaining coordinated traffic flow along the corridor.
The Project also improves connections to transit by coordinating with SamTrans and maintaining reliable bus operations along the corridor, a new bus island for westbound buses near the Mariners Island Blvd intersection along with a short bus-only lane. Pedestrian enhancements, including improved crossings, ADA-compliant facilities, and better lighting, further strengthen first- and last-mile connections to transit and nearby destinations.
Together, these improvements create a more balanced corridor that accommodates all modes of travel. By expanding safe and convenient options beyond driving, the Project supports mode shift for shorter trips, reduces pressure on the roadway network over time, and enhances overall corridor efficiency.
4.Pedestrian and Lighting Enhancements:
Public input consistently identified gaps in lighting and pedestrian infrastructure as key concerns along the corridor, particularly near freeway ramps, bridges, and complex intersections. These conditions reduce visibility and contribute to safety challenges for people walking, especially during early morning and evening hours.
The Project addresses these issues through corridor-wide streetlighting upgrades that bring existing facilities up to current City standards, significantly improving overall illumination and visibility. New lighting will also be installed over the Seal Slough Bridge, where no lighting currently exists to provide a more consistent and safer environment for all users.
Pedestrian improvements are designed to enhance both safety and accessibility. These include ADA- compliant curb ramps, high-visibility raised crosswalks, and protected intersections that reduce exposure to turning vehicles and clarify right-of-way. Curb extensions (bulb-outs) at key locations will shorten crossing distances and improve sightlines between pedestrians and drivers.
A critical enhancement is the addition of a new pedestrian walkway on the south side of the Seal Slough Bridge. Currently, pedestrians must use the north side and cross multiple times to access destinations on the south side, creating inconvenience. The new walkway will provide a continuous, direct route, closing this gap in the network thereby creating a continuous walkway along the entire southerly side of the corridor.
By incorporating extensive community and Council input, the Project delivers a true Complete Street aligned with the City’s 2040 General Plan. The final design reduces congestion, enhances safety, and expands travel options through coordinated, data-driven improvements, transforming the corridor into a safer, more reliable, and more equitable east– west connection across US 101.
April 30, 2026, Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission Feedback The Sustainability & Infrastructure Commission held a special meeting on April 30, 2026, to review the final design of the 19th Avenue / Fashion Island Boulevard multimodal improvements project. Staff presented Project goals, history, outreach efforts, and design status, and solicited commissioner input prior to advancing the item to City Council in mid-
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May 2026. Key elements discussed included congestion relief (particularly eastbound PM peak traffic), enhanced pedestrian and bicycle safety/access, improved transit operations, and efforts to minimize parking impacts.
Commissioners provided supportive feedback on the final design, with several highlighting the strong emphasis on safety improvements. Commissioners commended the protected bike lane configuration and two-way facility on the westerly segment as a meaningful step toward better multimodal connectivity, while noting the importance of the concrete medians and intersection treatments (such as curb bulbs and truck aprons) for reducing turning conflicts, and supported the pedestrian pathway additions along the southerly side of the Seals Slough Bridge to close existing gaps and the significant safety improvements the Project will bring to the Delaware Street and 19th Avenue intersection near the ARCO gas station.
Commissioners inquired about construction phasing and potential impacts to nearby businesses, expressing appreciation for the outreach efforts and the Project’s alignment with the Bike and Pedestrian Master Plans. Overall, the Commission expressed broad support for advancing the design, with minor questions focused on implementation details such as street lighting/landscaping enhancements and parking mitigation strategies.
Funding and Schedule
The Project reached a major milestone in early 2026 with the award of nearly $16.5 million in San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA) Highway Program funding for construction. An additional $3 million in Regional Measure 3 funding has also been recommended by the Transportation Authority and is expected to be formally allocated by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) in fall 2026.
The total Project cost is estimated at approximately $28 million. With these funds, the City’s contribution remains just $500,000, about 1.8% of the total, substantially reducing local costs while advancing critical safety, congestion relief, and multimodal improvements.
Next Steps
The Project team anticipates final Caltrans approval by August 2026 and formal allocation of the remaining $3 million in MTC funding by fall 2026. Remaining federal funds are expected to be obligated by January 2027. Staff will then advertise the construction bid and return to City Council in mid-2027 for contract award.
This item is for informational purposes, and staff welcomes Council feedback as the Project transitions from final design into construction.
Additional information is available at www.cityofsanmateo.org/19thFIB, including the concept design and Project fact sheet.
BUDGET IMPACT:
There is no budget impact for this informational presentation.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This informational update is not a project subject to CEQA, because it can be seen with certainty that it will not cause a physical change in the environment. (Public Resources Code Section 21065.)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
None
STAFF CONTACT
Bethany Lopez, Senior Engineer
[email protected]
(650) 522-7313