Bike Pedestrian Master Plan

The Town of Atherton has developed a Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan. The primary purposes for the development of a Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan are to:

• Provide a comprehensive plan for bicycle/ pedestrian improvements throughout the Town;
• Provide connectivity with adjacent agencies;
• Improve bicycle and pedestrian safety;
• Become more strategic and successful competing for bicycle/pedestrian grant funding; and
• Identify barriers and solutions for residents to safely access bicycle and pedestrian destinations within the Town of Atherton and to other regional destinations.

Current Status

At the November, 2014 City Council meeting, Council confirmed priorities and accepted the Master Plan. The City hired a consultant in March 2015 to develop preliminary engineering concepts and cost estimates for Class I and Class II paths and to develop bid documents for Class III bike routes (installation of signage/sharrows).

The Phase I Implementation webpage has additional data on implementation.

The City Council budgeted $500,000 in FY 2014-15, and $530,000 over the following four years to implement projects in the Master Plan. The Town has also applied for Transportation Development Act (TDA) grants to fund design and construction of the Class III bike paths and improvements identified in the Master Plan at the Middlefield Road and Oak Grove Avenue intersection.

The Master Plan outlines strategies, priorities, and projects that help improve safety, remove barriers, and provide new options for active transportation while maintaining and enhancing the Town's natural character.

For more details, visit the Phase I Implementation Page

Historical Project Materials

Initial Study and Negative Declaration (PDF)
Pedestrian Inventory Segment Map (PDF)
Annotated Map - Notes from Kickoff Meeting (PDF)
PowerPoint Presentation (PDF)
FINAL Master Plan Report (PDF) - July 2014

Highlights in the report include:

- Pedestrian-friendly design guidelines and policy recommendations for property frontage landscaping and drainage
- A vision for a safer El Camino Real, including locations for crosswalk upgrades and the potential for a "Grand Boulevard Greenway" trail that can be implemented in phases over time
- Identification of a "Bay to Ridge Greenway" recreational corridor that includes shared-use trail concepts along Watkins Avenue, Middlefield Road, and Marsh Road
- Priorities for implementing the regional bike plan, including enhancements to existing bike lanes and development of a new north/south "bike boulevard" that provides a low stress, shared bikeway into south to Menlo Park/Palo Alto and north to Redwood City
- Safe Routes to School projects for improving safety and reducing school-related traffic congestion (by encouraging walking and biking)
- Strategies for successfully pursuing grant funding and other opportunities to collaborate with neighboring communities

Initial Master Plan Project List (PDF)
Priority Projects List from the Master Plan (PDF)

In addition to the projects identified as priorities in the adopted Master Plan, Council has identified the following projects as priorities at their September 2014 Study Session and as such will be included in the Class III PS&E and feasibility analysis to:

(1) Middlefield Road, from Jennings Lane to Ringwood Avenue. Dedicated on-road bike lanes along its entire length plus a separate off-road, two-way path from Watkins to Marsh.
(2) Atherton Avenue, from Alameda de las Pulgas to El Camino Real. Initially, a bike route sharing the road with vehicles, with consideration of eventually widening the road to allow dedicated on-road bike lanes in the future.
(3) Selby Lane from El Camino Real to Selby Lane School. Dedicated on-road bike lanes.
(4) Elena Avenue/Faxon Road/Barry Lane/Atherton/Selby Lane and a parallel route splitting off at Isabella Avenue/Elena Avenue/Atherton Avenue/Austin Avenue. A bike route sharing the road with vehicles
(5) Watkins Avenue from El Camino Real to Middlefield Road. A bike route sharing the road with vehicles.


November 9 , 2013 Bike/Pedestrian Tour

Atherton Bike Inventory Map with draft priority intersections (PDF)

This map helps assess walkability of shoulder conditions on a pre-defined priority network, and identifies top intersections listed in the online public survey. Please note that while El Camino Real and Valparaiso are not included, we will be able to discuss key pedestrian issues during and after the tour.

Atherton Draft Discussion Map: Proposed Pedestrian Network (PDF)

This map integrates existing and planned routes from the San Mateo County Bikeways Plan, Menlo Park Bicycle Plan, Menlo Park Downtown Specific Plan, and North Fair Oaks Community Plan. It also proposes new routes and features within the Town of Atherton, based on survey feedback and Alta analysis.

DRAFT potential improvement recommendations sheets for discussion on the tour (PDF)

These generally consist of tour stops and other identified priority intersections. Modifications and additional intersections/segments may be included based on tour feedback, in preparation of the draft master plan report.

Primary exhibit summarizing potential improvements on Valparaiso, from the 2012 Safe Routes to School Plan (PDF)

For reference.

Project Contact:
Mike Kashiwagi
Senior Engineer
650-752-0532
Email Mike Kashiwagi