Streetscape plans for a reimagined downtown San Carlos revitalizing the space to be more pedestrian focused and apt for community events were approved by the city’s Planning Commission, recommending the finalized design framework to the City Council.
With Laurel Street functioning as a central spine, the design framework tackles street improvements to areas mainly between San Carlos and Arroyo avenues. The improvements follow the establishment of a pedestrian mall on the 700 block of Laurel Street, looking to expand this pedestrian-oriented space, design consultant Jim Stickley said.
“It’s really going to favor pedestrians and outdoor diners, so we really wanted to create space for all of that to happen,” Stickley said. “In order to do so, something has to give.”
Significant design changes include reducing the four lanes on San Carlos Avenue to two with a shared left-turn lane, and a loss of approximately 47 parking spaces between Holly Street and Arroyo Avenue.
On Laurel Street, the “giving” will be the limited vehicle use adjustments, including parallel parking only on one side of the street. The space gained from these minimizations will more than double the width of sidewalks on the 600 and 800 blocks of the street. The redesign also is moving away from parklets, which occupy parking spaces, to dedicated outdoor dining tables at storefronts.
Each of the three blocks of Laurel Street will also have a featured public space.
San Carlos Avenue will also be reconfigured to serve as a major gateway to downtown, with widened sidewalks, and one travel lane in each direction with a center turn lane. It will include protected bike lanes, which will also be implemented on El Camino Real.
Reducing the lanes on San Carlos Avenue has raised lots of discussion from the public and city staff, with growing concerns about traffic patterns and congestion. More detailed traffic studies will be conducted moving forward to consider alternative routes to rebalance traffic flow “taking pressure off of San Carlos Avenue,” Stickley said.
The Downtown Streetscape Master Plan is one aspect of the overarching Downtown Specific Plan, which is planned for completion in September 2025.
With the Planning Commission’s approval, the City Council will now discuss and vote to approve this final design plan at its meeting April 28.
(4) comments
What a horrible idea. San Carlos Avenue is the only way to the 101 freeway and El Camino - reducing lanes will back up traffic immensely during the morning rush. San Carlos Avenue is also the only thoroughfare for parents and kids to get to the ~10 schools directly bordering the area - it already takes me 30 minutes sometimes to get from my house near Carlmont to the freeway to get to work. Factor in the future Black Mountain Housing Project right off San Carlos Avenue on Alameda De Las Pulgas that is going to bring 87 new family unit homes. I cannot imagine the gridlock that these projects are going to cause in conjunction with one another. We better get our personal drones ready for launch.
While that may be the route you are currently familiar with and the only one you use, there are quite a few streets in San Carlos that lead to El Camino which can then take you to a 101 freeway entrance - Holly and Howard being two of them and multiple others. You might save some drive time if you try an alternate route.
This is (another) ill-flawed concept yet again by the outside source claiming to help a City that already HAS people on the payroll of San Carlos who are better at changing items within San Carlos than outsiders.
Making San Carlos Ave one lane WEST and EAST - will NEVER work.
No No No. Go back to the drawing board and please pick up all those misleading 'sandwich' signs misleading people to think its almost done. No, the 'on-paper' stuff is almost done - not the actual implementing.
Another stupid idea that will cause more congestion on San Carlos Ave.Parallel parking will take more time for driver to park vs diagonal parking. Seems city council is more concerned about restaurants than retail businesses. Joe Ruk
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