Conceptual design plans for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure improvements in Belmont near the downtown transit area are in the works following the City Council’s authorization of funding.
The council authorized design and construction plan services for its Belmont Village Bike and Pedestrian Project at its Feb. 14 meeting for around $124,000 with Parisi Transportation Consulting. It will include cost estimates and project design plans for pedestrian crossings, coordination with Caltrain for review and permits, and conceptual plans for class two and three bike plans.
The bike and pedestrian plan calls for creating new bike lanes to improve connectivity for travel throughout the city, with an emphasis on the area of the future downtown Belmont.
Phase one proposes the installation of a High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk at the El Camino Real and Hill Street intersection to improve safety near the Belmont Caltrain Station and future affordable housing developments. A HAWK crosswalk helps alert drivers to pedestrians crossing with red and yellow lights above the crosswalk. Phase two would see class two and three bike lanes along Fifth, Sixth and O’Neill avenues, along with bike lanes at Belmont Canyon Road.
New bike lanes are being concentrated in the Belmont Village Specific Plan area, a site identified by the city as ripe for future growth because of its proximity to transit, new housing and amenities. The proposed Belmont Village area is centered around the Belmont Caltrain Station, near the intersection of El Camino Real. The area is bound by Wessex Way, Hiller Street and the city limits on the east, and Sixth Avenue from Broadway to Hill Street and Middle Road on the west, according to the city. Pedestrian and bicyclist activity is steadily increasing within the city limits and particularly around the Belmont Village core, a city staff report said. Mayor Julia Mates said the city wants to encourage people to get out of cars and use bicycles to reduce greenhouse gas.
“We are hoping to get folks comfortable biking around in the downtown corridor and making sure that as we build out our downtown, people can safely use bikes,” Mates said.
The city estimates that phase one of the project will start in the summer of 2024, with proposed construction costs estimated at $500,000. Staff is looking at additional grant options to fund the remainder of the project. The city is applying for funding from the San Mateo County Transportation Authority and has already received $300,000 for the HAWK crosswalk.
The headline is misleading as is every time I hear the term downtown Belmont. Belmont does not have a downtown and never will have. People can fudge their personal wishes and desires but there will never be an actual downtown Belmont. People stuck on using that phrase must have an inferiority complex because Belmont is fine just the way she is.
JustMike - I agree with you. Has anyone ever asked if we wanted or needed a downtown? All there is left are some cheesy commercial buildings and copycat architecture that you can find in any city.
I don’t see any funds earmarked for bicyclist education. You know; ride with traffic not against it. Stay off the sidewalks. Stop signs are not a suggestion. Stuff like that.
City should be eliminating car traffic stealing seats and efficiency from the Caltrain/bus corridor and killing/injuring/delaying people trying to get to the bus stop.
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(5) comments
The headline is misleading as is every time I hear the term downtown Belmont. Belmont does not have a downtown and never will have. People can fudge their personal wishes and desires but there will never be an actual downtown Belmont. People stuck on using that phrase must have an inferiority complex because Belmont is fine just the way she is.
JustMike - I agree with you. Has anyone ever asked if we wanted or needed a downtown? All there is left are some cheesy commercial buildings and copycat architecture that you can find in any city.
I don’t see any funds earmarked for bicyclist education. You know; ride with traffic not against it. Stay off the sidewalks. Stop signs are not a suggestion. Stuff like that.
Post of the day [beam]
City should be eliminating car traffic stealing seats and efficiency from the Caltrain/bus corridor and killing/injuring/delaying people trying to get to the bus stop.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.