San Carlos maintains slow streets program in eastside neighborhood

Results from the pilot program showed that the establishment of pylons, signs stating “local traffic only” and high visibility crosswalks was overall effective, consultant Mark Spencer said. 

Traffic data showed that the project only slightly decreased the amount of cut-through in the neighborhood, but city staff believe there will be a more noteworthy impact and benefit to the neighborhood once developments on the eastside are fully implemented. 

“I believe the system is working as intended and achieving results,” Spencer said. “I think the results will actually improve over time as more development comes online, then the effectiveness will grow.” 

Feedback from residents varied, and survey results were statistically insignificant — 52% of survey respondents wanted the measure to become permanent, while 48% wished the program would end. 

However, many in the neighborhood who sent in comments to the City Council felt the mitigations were helpful, or at least not detrimental, to keeping the streets safe. 

In addition to limiting cars that cut through the neighborhood, it was hoped the slow streets program would address concerns of speeding there. However, data collected showed that speeding was not a concern, Spencer said. Therefore, no additional slowing measures were recommended for council approval.

Councilmembers approved making the program “permanent” by keeping the pylons and possibly increasing signs as a precautionary measure to what the eastside neighborhood will experience in coming years. 

The influx in development will bring with it a slew of new drivers and residents to the area, which demands special attention, Mayor Sarah McDowell said. 

In addition to the pylons and signs, the city installed high visibility crosswalk markings and additional no parking zones.

Councilmember John Dugan said that he supports maintaining the program, handing it off from the traffic consultants to city staff to “live and breathe with it and get their own experience and make it a part of our city and evolve over time in that fashion.” 

Related to safe streets, the San Carlos Planning Commission also received a presentation from a deputy from the Sheriff’s Office on traffic safety in the city.

In 2024, there were 128 traffic collisions, 72 of which involved injuries. Nine were pedestrian involved collisions that resulted in injuries, three involved cyclists. There was one fatality involving a cyclist. There were no fatalities resulting from DUI, five were injured from DUI. There were seven hit-and-run collisions that involved injuries.