Why I like shopping in downtown Millbrae

I live near downtown San Mateo, but instead enjoy free parking in Millbrae, and no motorcycle cops hassling the downtown retail shoppers there.

Broadway Millbrae features no parking meters plus a one-hour on-street parking allowance, resulting in an active daytime streetscape of happy shoppers.” 

Centrally-located parking on Broadway Millbrae allows me to shop at Safeway, Trader Joe’s, Dean’s Produce, plus at a deli, restaurants, bakeries, Walgreen’s Pharmacy and potentially other services. All with just one stop.

Employees at the Millbrae main post office even seem happier! My expedited passport-renewal was the easiest that I can recall — and I’ve lived seven decades.

Have you noticed that there are no stop lights along Broadway in Millbrae’s happening downtown?

Oh, and did I mention no parking meters?

So no need for costly privatized parking enforcement enforcers, such as you have surely experienced if you’ve tried to park and support downtown San Mateo businesses.

Have I missed other attributes that Millbrae’s Broadway shopping district offers?

Perhaps easy access from Highway 101 might be one. Besides the BART and Caltrain shared-station within walking distance.

Two City Council districts share parts of our downtown San Mateo.

So we now have two of our five councilmembers sharing the opportunity for a focused approach to improving the success of our downtown businesses.

Let’s hope for more convenience and less hassles near home.

I certainly do.

Doug Handerson

San Mateo