Burlingame El Camino Real construction to begin late 2025, early 2026

While construction occurs, closures of sections along El Camino Real will undoubtedly cause a traffic impact, Caltrans Regional Project Manager Rommel Pardo said, although the agency is working diligently with the city to communicate with residents and minimize delays.

“We are aware of the inconvenience that construction brings,” he said. “We worked hard to reduce traffic impact and inconveniences to motorists, residents and the overall general public as much as possible.”

From late December or early January 2026 through May 2026, some road closures will take place on the northbound side of El Camino Real. From May 2026 to summer 2027, work on pavement, sidewalks and tree replanting on the northbound side will necessitate closures of entire portions of the northbound side of the road, and one southbound lane will be open to northbound traffic. From summer 2027 to winter 2028, when that same work occurs on the southbound side, the traffic handling plan will be reversed.

During reconstruction and repavement of the middle lanes from winter 2028 to spring 2029, the inner lanes on both the northbound and southbound sides will be closed. Caltrans will also make improvements to the intersections during that time period.

Although traffic will flow both ways in at least one lane throughout the majority of the project, Caltrans is also planning to direct regional traffic away from El Camino Real and onto appropriate side streets. The agency will also have detour plans in place for when the road is closed entirely in one direction and will ensure residents and business owners on the street are always able to have access to homes and stores.

While some construction upgrades will be occurring from San Mateo to Millbrae, the bulk of the work will occur in Burlingame. The city’s residents have been awaiting the project — which is decades in the making — for years, Mayor Peter Stevenson said, and are aware it may inconvenience their daily travel plans.

“I know the community has been waiting and talking about this for a long time. It’s great we’re on the precipice of getting started,” he said. “I don’t think anyone is under the illusion there’s not going to be some level of inconvenience, of impact that has to occur.”

There’s a multitude of ways for residents to stay updated about traffic advisories and lane closures as construction begins, Caltrans Public Information Officer Jeneane Crawford said.

All residents and business owners along the El Camino Real corridor will receive mailers informing them of the upcoming work, she said. Community members can also visit elcaminorealproject.com for updates, or sign up for email advisories at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/RTC2N0T. The agency will also be regularly working with city staff, who will provide updated information in Burlingame’s weekly newsletter.

The project itself is one of the largest Caltrans has taken on in the Bay Area in some time and will cost around $130 million. Councilmember Donna Colson voiced gratitude for the various community members who’ve been working toward the project for many years, including Vice Mayor Michael Brownrigg, Public Works Director Syed Murtuza and Historical Society President Jennifer Pfaff, among others.

“This is the biggest project Burlingame is going to do in a decade,” she said. “We all may be gone by the time it’s done, but I really, really hope this thing goes off and in five years we’re all sitting around going ‘Woo-hoo! We did it!’”