The City of San Mateo’s Sustainability & Infrastructure Committee voted unanimously last week to keep the bike lanes on Humboldt Street. The Commission also endorsed traffic calming measures, street lighting improvements, and exploration of a permit parking program for the city's North Central neighborhood.
Mike Swire, a Peninsula safe-streets advocate with Move San Mateo, told Streetsblog this was a big win and the result of a strong showing at the committee. "We had a great turnout, especially from North Central residents in support of safer streets," he stated. The commission also endorsed "...additional safety measures and a permit parking program."
"We've been very successful in raising awareness. We had support from kids, teenagers, school board members, even people who don't bike," he added.
From a Move San Mateo release:
Comments and survey results indicated overwhelming opposition to the bike boulevard alternatives proposed by the City. These options included removing the separated bike lanes on Humboldt, diverting people on bikes to adjacent streets. This would require kids and adults to bike in the middle of car and truck traffic, without separation or protection. Many North Central residents who bike in the area noted that Fremont and Idaho Streets are too narrow for safe riding. Several mentioned that dense parking next to driveways makes visibility poor, increasing danger for smaller kids biking next to parked SUVs. Lack of visibility may have contributed to the crash which recently killed 4-year-old Ayden Fang in downtown Burlingame. The City of Burlingame has since removed parking next to the crash site.
Funding was a major concern for several of the Commissioners. Removing the bike lanes and installing the bike boulevards would cost $1.5 million. This would be a challenge given that the City is expecting budget deficits of $15M in the coming years. In addition, the City’s unfunded backlog of Capital Improvement Projects is greater than $200M. Staff noted that external grant funding would not be available for any project that removes a bike lane. Staff said that San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA) had informed the City that it would not grant funds for a project that downgrades safety in the area. As a result, San Mateo taxpayers alone would be on the hook for the cost of ripping out the bike lanes.
Last February, Streetsblog reported on the push from local, car-brained residents to remove the bike lane to increase street parking. The bike lanes, which were installed in 2022, removed over 100 parking spaces.
"If we remove the bike lanes on Humboldt and a biker is killed or seriously injured, has the City Attorney addressed whether the City could be held liable for damages?” asked Commissioner Kimiko Narita during the meeting. She also chastised local residents who acted as if they own the parking spots in front of their houses. "Streets belong to all 105,000 of us," she said.
The issue goes to the full city council on February 2.
"Thank you to the Infrastructure Commission for its unanimous support of the Humboldt bike lanes and safer streets in San Mateo, especially for the kids who walk and bike to school, as well as those who cannot afford to drive," said Swire. "I hope that Mayor Lorraine and the rest of the Council listens to the majority of North Central and other San Mateo residents who have spoken out clearly that safety is the number one priority in our community."
For more, check out coverage in the San Mateo Daily Journal.
