City Council - June 2, 2025

Council weighs arterial bikeways against neighborhood routes

The Palo Alto City Council weighed whether the city’s updated bicycle and pedestrian plan should emphasize protected lanes on major streets, lower-stress neighborhood routes or near-term safety work. Staff plans to prepare a draft over the summer and return it to the public and council in the winter.

The current plan dates to 2012. Staff evaluated 125 candidate projects and identified 42 that scored 70 or higher for further review, initially considering safety and connectivity and then factors such as feasibility, cost, readiness and community support. Proposed Middlefield Road segments scored 65 and did not enter the ranked list, though staff said they remain on the long-range network map.

Middlefield Road drew the sharpest disagreement. Some council members questioned investing in protected lanes where parallel routes exist and favored neighborhood-focused improvements. Others sought more detailed analysis of the corridor’s distinct segments and supported arterial upgrades where no adequate alternative connection exists. Staff said later design work could consider two-way bikeways and changes to parking or travel lanes.

Public commenters also split over Middlefield Road, with opponents citing parking, access, lane removal and outreach concerns while supporters backed protected facilities and stronger connections to local destinations. Other speakers called for better South Palo Alto and rail-crossing connections, traffic calming on Bryant Street and stronger enforcement of e-bike safety rules.

Council members called for quicker measures including red-curb markings near intersections, traffic calming and consistent funding for quick-build projects. Several favored Cambridge Avenue as the main through-bicycle route and California Avenue as a slower route serving local destinations. Staff said it was developing speed-moderation recommendations for California Avenue and nearby intersections, while its current approach retains California Avenue as the connection between the train station and El Camino Real and uses Cambridge as an alternative during special events.

Other requests included improved east-west rail crossings and reconsideration of a possible Bay-to-Bay path extension along Chimalus Drive. Staff said the Chimalus project had been added to the list for consideration and would require council direction on whether and how highly to prioritize it.

Flood-control decision shifts to late summer or early fall

A council member reported that the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority now anticipates making a final decision on flood-control alternatives in late summer or early fall. A Palo Alto community meeting was delayed and is likely to be held in late August as public engagement continues.

Regional transit deficits frame possible 2026 measure

A council member reported projected annual operating deficits of about $75 million for Caltrain and $60 million for VTA. The member also discussed SB 63 as a prospective regional transit funding measure that could appear on the November 2026 ballot.

Council fills three Architectural Review Board seats

The council appointed David Hirs, Yingshi Chen and David Martin to full terms on the Architectural Review Board ending March 31, 2028. The city clerk will contact the appointees about onboarding.

Primary sources

Watch the meeting on YouTube · Read the official meeting agenda