Millbrae reimagines El Camino Real

However, the median project design itself is separate from other infrastructure changes, Sam Bautista, director of Engineering and Public Works, told the City Council at its Jan. 9 special meeting to discuss the proposal.

The architecture firm presented three options — increasingly grand in scale and design — but all emphasizing natural trees and foliage, fluid form and a sense of place, differentiating Millbrae’s section of road as unique and identifiable.

“I hope we don’t consider going cheap for this,” Councilmember Ann Schneider said. “[I hope] that we do what Millbrae deserves and we do it right.”

The project will require the removal of all current median trees, replacing all irrigation and implementing new drip irrigation, removal of existing lighting and removal of the top 12 inches of soil — both to flatten out the site and because of lead contamination, Matt Gaber, NCE principal landscape architect, said.

The first option, named forest city, would “try to include as many trees as possible” in the median space, making the statement that “Millbrae is this city you drive through and Millbrae is this forest you experience,” Gaber said.

The concept includes a simple, cost-effective pedestrian barrier with trees on the smaller side, Gaber said, noting that, with nearly 2 miles of medians, things can get expensive quickly. This design would utilize mulch, rather than shrubs or other foliage, for the ground areas.

The second concept, called “a place in the sun,” would prioritize Millbrae’s sun logo design and incorporate trees of different sizes and species and more colorful plantings, he said. This would also include embellishing Millbrae’s gateways and include tree lighting at key intersections.

The final concept, the grand boulevard, would incorporate trees of up to 60 inches — including evergreens — with lighting, art and sculptures throughout. Rather than the simple cable ropes used in the other designs, the grand boulevard idea would use laser-cut metal panels to create pedestrian barriers.

“This is where we really go for it,” Gaber said.

Councilmember Gina Papan said she hoped the “long overdue” project could be completed in conjunction with other El Camino Real redesigns and asked the design team to factor in the high winds Millbrae receives, to create a sustainable project.

“We’re making an investment,” she said. “I hope you all are aware of the gusts of wind we get. We’d hate to make this huge investment and have it fall over, tip, blow away. Please definitely put that somewhere in the plan.”

The architectural team said the site was ill designed for bioswales — vegetated ditches that allow for the collection of stormwater and are less harmful than asphalted storm gutters — due to the sloping gradient of the road, which pushes water away from the median.

Schneider said in comments that, “in a perfect world,” the road diet would be completed alongside median reconstruction to expand the entirety of the median, building higher edges that would allow for a bioswale in the middle.

But the current project is planned to stay within the borders of the existing medians, Gaber said.

After hearing the design presentation and providing feedback, councilmembers had the opportunity to participate in interactive discussion on the redesign, including drawing their own suggestions on the tentative plans.