San Mateo County Transportation Authority plan nears official completion

“We’re looking not just at the 101 freeway corridor. We’re looking beyond that to the transportation network and also looking beyond just driving on the freeway to evaluate improvements for all ways of getting around,” Sue Ellen Atkinson, manager of planning and fund management at the TA, said.

The TA board adopted the North and Mid-County strategies in December, with the South County plan being the final installment. The latter, presented at a TA board meeting Feb. 5, includes 20 priority projects in Atherton, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Redwood City, however, the latter has the largest share. Half of the projects focus solely on bicycle improvements and another six comprise both bike and pedestrian upgrades.

“Redwood City has the largest number of priority projects within their boundaries, with 16, but we were able to identify projects in the South County area so that all of our jurisdictions were represented,” Atkinson said. 

One of the projects on the list includes the Dumbarton corridor, a multijurisdictional effort that would build a bus route along an old railroad line from the early 20th century, connecting East Palo Alto, North Fair Oaks and Redwood City to the old Dumbarton rail bridge.

Another South County project includes bike and pedestrian improvements on Willow Road, which serves as a connection between Menlo Park, East Palo Alto and employment centers near the Bayfront. 

The South County plan builds on earlier work in North and Mid County — approved by the board last year — and includes Caltrain station access improvements, El Camino upgrades and the Colma Creek Connector, a proposed trail connecting neighborhoods to the Bay. 

The projects are at various funding stages, though Atkinson said their inclusion on the official Corridor Connect priority list could position them well for future grants, adding that the agency is also proposing a small, $4 million grant program to help cities kick-start some of their initiatives.

TA board members voiced support for the plan and will officially vote on the South County plan adoption next month.