HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2312-2331CITY OF PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
Special Meeting
Monday, January 22, 2024
Council Chambers & Hybrid
5:30 PM
Agenda Item
14.Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan (BPTP) Update: an active transportation
plan--Introduction & Overview, Community Engagement, Context & Baseline Conditions,
and Next Steps
City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: INFORMATION REPORTS
Lead Department: Transportation
Meeting Date: January 22, 2024
Report #:2312-2331
TITLE
Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan (BPTP) Update: an active transportation plan--
Introduction & Overview, Community Engagement, Context & Baseline Conditions, and Next
Steps
RECOMMENDATION
Receive this Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan (BPTP) Update—Introduction &
Overview.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff is providing this Information Report as an overview to the City Council on the recently
launched effort to update the City’s existing 2012 Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan
(BPTP). The City’s existing BPTP is a critical planning, policy, and implementation document that
supports efforts to improve the safety and attractiveness of walking, biking, and rolling as a
means of transportation and recreation. The objectives of the BPTP Update are to seek robust
community feedback; reevaluate implementation progress from previous plans to adjust
recommendations for new policies, facilities, and programs; and to determine appropriate
criteria and metrics to prioritize recommendations and network routes. The BPTP Update effort
will also further investigate safety data to propose impactful recommendations, explore the role
of emerging transportation technologies such as electric-bicycles and micro-mobility devices, and
establish big-picture planning to expand bicycling and walking for all user types in support of the
City’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan, the Sustainability/Climate Action Plan, a Safe System approach,
and other planning documents and policies. The Plan Update effort will be an 18–24-month
process, with the Plan Update adoption anticipated for Summer 2025.
BACKGROUND
At its May 17, 2021 meeting, the City Council adopted a resolution supporting the City’s grant
application for the State Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 Funds for the BPTP
Update project, and in September 2021, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)
approved of the allocation of Transportation Development Act Article 3 (TDA3) funds to the City
of Palo Alto in the amount of $334,852 for the purposes of updating the 2012 Bicycle and
Pedestrian Transportation Plan. At the June 19, 2023 meeting, the City Council approved a
professional services contract with Kittelson & Associates, Inc. with subconsultants Mobycon, to
prepare this BPTP Update.
ANALYSIS
The existing conditions and needs analysis is underway. The following section presents a brief
discussion of each of the topics covered in this task.
Network Mapping and Facilities Inventory. Available data has been compiled and the GIS-based
infrastructure inventory has been updated to reflect the existing pedestrian and bicycle network.
Demographic Analysis. The City of Palo Alto has a population of 68,680 according to the American
Community Survey (ACS) 2021 5-year estimates. The working age population cohort (ages 20 to
64) represents the largest population segment in the City at 57% of the total population. Palo
Alto residents are highly educated, with the majority (98%) of people aged 25 years or older
having at least a high school graduate degree. 53% of the population is White, 7% of the
population identify as Hispanic or Latino, and 35% Asian.; Chinese, Asian Indian, and Korean
constitute the major Asian ethnic groups in the City. Approximately 61% of the population
exclusively speaks English at home. Asian and Pacific Island languages make up about 22% of the
population, with around 32% of this group not speaking English proficiently. Other Indo-
European languages account for 11%, of which roughly 14% do not speak English very well. There
are no Equity Priority Communities or Disadvantaged Communities within the City of Palo Alto
but there are Equity Priority Communities in Stanford University and East Palo Alto.
Program and Policy Inventory. Over twenty relevant planning documents and programs were
reviewed to develop an enhanced understanding of the policy and planning environment for
walking and biking in Palo Alto. This work also supports the creation of an updated inventory of
existing programs and policies relevant to biking and walking and identifies gaps or needs that
could be addressed by the Plan.
Bicycle Friendly Community Assessment. Since 2003, the League of American Bicyclists’ (LAB)
Bike-Friendly America program has been evaluating states, communities, businesses, and
universities with the aim of rewarding excellence and raising standards and expectations for what
constitutes a bicycle-friendly environment. As of 2023, Palo Alto was designated as a Gold-level
cycling community. It has been listed as a Bicycle-Friendly Community since 2003 and has been a
Gold-level community since 2010.
The 2023 application increases the emphasis on addressing gaps in the low-stress network with
the most recent report card indicating that neighborhood streets are underutilized in Palo Alto,
which could easily become low-stress linkages in the cycling network for a relatively low cost.
If the City decides to pursue progressing to a “Platinum” level to assist reaching S/CAP goals,
specific opportunities identified for the City of Palo Alto are as follows (based on the 2021 Report
Card and the 2023 application criteria):
•Increasing the overall mileage of bicycle network with a specific focus on addressing gaps
in the low stress cycling network.
•Increase high-quality cycle parking, especially near major activity centers and transit.
•Expand cycling education efforts to reach adults, especially women, seniors,
underrepresented groups, and English learning communities (noting the large Chinese
and Hispanic groups present). Further, the LAB suggests that Palo Alto could offer bicycle
friendly training to motorists, particularly commercial drivers and fleet operators (such as
delivery drivers).
•Creating a bicycle-friendly environment through laws & ordinances.
It is considered that working towards the above suggestions could increase cycling mode share
from a modest 9% closer to the Platinum-level average of nearly 14% in the City. This would have
the added benefit of reducing crash and fatality rates by increasing overall road safety which
would also work towards a Platinum-level community designation. The Bicycle and Pedestrian
Transportation Plan can also help to identify opportunities to achieve the items that were
identified as opportunities to improve.
Bicycle Level of Traffic Stress (LTS). Bicycle level of traffic stress (LTS) is a rating given to a road
segment or crossing indicating the traffic stress it imposes on bicyclists. Levels of traffic stress
range from 1 to 4 with LTS 1 indicating low stress facility and LTS 4 indicating a high stress facility.
The segment analysis considers roadway functional classification, vehicle volume, posted or
prevailing vehicle speeds, number of vehicle lanes, the presence of on-street parking, and vehicle
parking and bicycle lane widths. The crossing analysis considers the right-turn lane configuration
and length, bike lane approach, vehicle turning speeds, and the presence of a median refuge. The
results of the LTS analysis will inform the locations and types of treatments and facilities needed
to create a low-stress all ages and abilities bicycle network.
Pedestrian Barriers. The analysis of pedestrian barriers will examine linear barriers (such as
freeways, water bodies, and rail lines) and barriers near transit (including gaps in sidewalks, curb
ramps, signals, or disconnected cul-de-sacs) that force people to take detours and increase the
and types of treatments and facilities needed to create direct connections and reduce the length
of walking trips.
Safety and Collisions. A detailed spatial analysis of the five most recent years of reported collision
data involving bicyclists and pedestrians will be conducted to identify pedestrian and bicycle high
injury networks (HINs). Additionally, available variables in the collision data will be analyzed to
identify patterns or trends based on temporal characteristics, lighting conditions, location
characteristics (intersection versus segment), primary collision factors, age, and gender. These
collision profiles will provide a better understanding of the common risks, and where and how
efforts should be focused to most effectively make streets safer for people walking and biking.
The safety analysis also includes a high-level review of the ten most recent years of reported
collision data involving bicyclists and pedestrians has been conducted to understand how the
number and severity of pedestrian and bicycle involved collisions are changing over time. The
following charts illustrate a general decrease in the total number of pedestrian and bicycle
involved collisions.
94 98
92
104
69
78
92
73
40 41
16
7 4 2 2 4 5 2 4 7 2 1
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Total Fatal and Severe Injury
Bicycle Collisions
Activity and Benefits. The analysis will utilize various data sources, including counts and location
based data, to estimate existing and future walking, biking, and rolling activity in the City and
forecast benefits of investments in the active transportation network.
Next Steps
The City’s Office of Transportation will host a Visioning Workshop with stakeholders on January
31, 2024 to craft the Vision and Goals for the Plan Update effort.
Additionally, the existing conditions and needs analysis will be completed over the next few
months and presented to working groups and committees for review and input as part of Phase
2 engagement, anticipated for Spring 2024. Following committee review and input, the City
Council will review the existing conditions and needs analysis in Spring/Summer 2024. Further
along in the project, Council will provide input to shape the process during the later phases, when
we get to the criteria development, prioritizing projects, and ultimately the draft and final plan.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
The BPTP Update project cost is $333,945, including a 10% contingency. The City is eligible to
cover project expenditures under MTC’s TDA Article 3 program and can request an allocation of
up to $334,852 for the effort. City staff anticipates that all eligible costs incurred will be
reimbursed through the TDA Article 3 payment reimbursement process. These funds are included
in the FY 2024 Adopted Budget in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan Implementation
Project (PL-04010).
33 33
37
22
31
25
40
30
10
19
6
1
4 3 1
4 3 3 5
2 2 2
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Total Fatal and Severe Injury
Pedestrian Collisions
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
The goals of the community engagement for the BPTP Update include:
•Communicate timely information to the public and agency partners throughout the Plan Update
•Actively seek feedback prior to key milestones during the development of Plan Update
•Provide meaningful opportunities for involvement
•Demonstrate how community input has influenced the Plan Update’s development
•Seek participation of potentially underserved and disadvantaged communities
•Ensure consistency with applicable state and federal laws and regulations, as well as local policies,
goals, and objectives
•Coordinate with ongoing community engagement efforts carried out through other plans and
programs such as the Safe Streets for All Plan and Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS)
Community engagement is divided into three phases: 1) Visioning; 2) Needs & Concerns; and 3)
Recommended Projects and Programs. The community engagement effort includes a
combination of digital outreach and in-person events.
•Project website and interactive map. The project website can be accessed at:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/bikepedplan. The website recently included an interactive map
that allowed respondents to provide geographic input on key issues and opportunity locations for
walking, biking, and rolling in Palo Alto. The interactive map was open from early October through
December 31, 2024 and received a total of 956 individual comments. The comments used will
inform the BPTP Update vision, goals, and priorities, as well as identify areas of concern and
opportunities for upgrading the pedestrian and bicycle network and improving safety and comfort
for those walking and rolling in the city.
•Committee and Working Group Meetings. The project team will engage the following committees
and working groups at three key points over the course of the plan:
o Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee
o City School Transportation Safety Committee
o Planning and Transportation Commission
o Parks and Recreation Commission
o Rail Committee
o City Council
o Interagency Staff Working Group
•Neighborhood and Focus Group Meetings. Four neighborhood meetings will be held during the
second phase of engagement. These meetings will be jointly organized by the consultant team
and community partners and will be distributed geographically throughout the city. Community
partners will provide a range of roles, including distributing materials, promoting events, hosting
events, providing translation and notetaking, facilitating focus groups, and reviewing material for
the inclusion in the Plan.
•Street Level Engagement: Four street level engagement events will be held at various locations,
to be selected with recommendations from City staff, working groups and committees. These
events will include tabling to introduce the project and seek input on community needs and
recommendations at key locations such as farmer’s markets, City fairs, community events, and
pop-ups during peak lunch, dinner, and drop-off/pick-up hours on site (e.g., downtown, California
Ave., middle and high schools).
o The project team tabled at the Bike Palo Alto event on Sunday, October 1, 2023 to
introduce the project and to receive input from the community on specific locations that
need improvement.
•Community Meetings. Two community meetings will be hosted and are planned to be hybrid,
offering both in person and virtual options for participation.
o Meeting #1: Visioning Workshop (January 31, 2024). The goal of the visioning workshop
will be to identify the direction of the Plan and set forth objectives and goals. The
outcomes from the visioning workshop will be revisited at the STAR Analysis workshop as
part of the multi-day in-person collaborative work sessions. Stakeholders will be invited
to this meeting.
o Meeting #2: System Development & Network Priorities (June 2024). The goal of the
second meeting is to refine project recommendations and gather feedback on
prioritization. Stakeholders will be invited to this meeting.
Multi-Day Collaborative Work Sessions. Mobycon staff will be curating and executing a multiday
collaborative work session at two points along the project. The first will occur in Spring 2024.
Activities conducted during this time will set the stage for the network evaluation and project
identification process to follow. The second session will occur in Fall 2024. Activities will focus on
solidifying network recommendations and developing a process to prioritize projects, programs,
and policies for implementation.
Phase 1 Community Engagement Themes
Phase 1 community engagement themes included an interactive map, public survey (developed
and distributed in partnership with the Safe Streets For All Action Plan team), a series of seven
committee and working group meetings, and an in person pop-up event at Bike Palo Alto. A
community meeting visioning workshop is scheduled for January 31, 2024. A high-level overview
of what we heard through these Phase 1 engagement activities is presented in this section.
•Interactive Map. A total of 956 unique comments were received between September 28 and
December 31, 2023. Commenters had the option to select four different comment categories,
including safety concern, infrastructure needed, destination you want to access, and other. Over
half of the comments (54%, or 516 comments) were categorized as a "Safety Concern", followed
by 29% (276) of comments categorized as "Infrastructure Needed", 14% (136) of comments were
categorized as “Other”, and the remaining 3% (28) of comments were categorized as “Destination
You Want to Access”. Participants were given the option to view and like comments from other
users. Notably, comments advocating for improved infrastructure to address connectivity gaps in
existing bicycle facilities, safety enhancements, wider bike lanes for increased rider comfort, and
the provision of bike infrastructure near schools garnered the highest number of likes. The project
team will be further reviewing the comments in the upcoming months.
•Committee and Working Group Meetings. The BPTP Update team engaged with several standing
committees and commissions and created a working group to guide the development of the work.
The Phase 1 working group and committee feedback covers a wide range of topics related to
safety, transportation infrastructure, across barrier connections, transformative technologies,
and future development. Key themes that emerged from these meetings include:
1. Safety is a top priority. People expressed concerns about pedestrian and bicyclist
safety at various locations, especially for students walking to and from school.
2. There is demand for high quality transportation infrastructure. Suggestions to support
more walking and biking included implementation of more bicycle boulevards with
traffic calming treatments on neighborhood streets, as well as additional secure and
long-term bicycle parking, and separated bike lanes on higher speed higher volume
roadways. There was general agreement that quality was more important than
quantity when it comes to transportation infrastructure for walking and biking.
3. Across barrier connections are needed. Committee and working group members
recognized the presence of major barriers, such as U.S. 101 and the Caltrain tracks,
and acknowledged the need for low-stress connections to overcome these barriers.
There was a sense of urgency around selecting a preferred location for grade-
separated crossing(s) of the Caltrain tracks.
4. Power and potential of transformative technologies. The presence of new travel
modes, including e-bikes and e-scooters, as well as the availability of new
technologies such as LiDar and vehicle to infrastructure sensors, has rapidly changed
the landscape of transportation planning and facility design. Committee and working
group members expressed an interest in considering and incorporating these
transformative technologies in the BPTP Update analysis and recommendations.
5. Plan for the future. There is substantial growth planned in Palo Alto, particularly
within select priority development areas. The BPTP Update must consider land use
changes and development patterns.
Bike Palo Alto event. The BPTP Update team participated in the Bike Palo Alto event, which was
held on October 1, 2023 from 1-3 p.m. at Fair Meadow Elementary School. The team received
comments from about 40 participants who expressed concerns related to walking and biking
safety, supported implementation of protected bike lanes, and identified El Camino Real as a
barrier to connectivity within the city.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
California Senate Bill 922 (2022) exempts active transportation plans, such as bicycle
transportation plans like the BPTP Update from environmental review under the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Existing Bicycle Facilities Map (Dated 01/05/2024)
Attachment B: Basemap
Attachment C: Bicycle Friendly Community Benchmarking Memo
Attachment D: Literature Review Summary
APPROVED BY: Philip Kamhi, Chief Transportation Official
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Class I - Shared Use Path
Class IIa - Bike Lane
Class IIb - Buffered Bike Lane
Class IIIa - Bike Route
Class IIIb - Bike Boulevard
Class IV - Separated Bikeway
Trail
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Data Sources: City of Palo Alto, MTC
0 1 2
Miles
Existing Bicycle Facilities Map | 01/05/2024
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Data Sources: City of Palo Alto, MTC
0 1 2
Miles
Basemap | 2023
Kittelson & Associates, Inc.
Technical Memorandum
BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY
This memo provides a review of the criteria for a “Bicycle Friendly Community” as outlined by the League of
American Bicyclists and a comparison of the City of Palo Alto (the City) to Gold- and Platinum-rated peer
communities. We will also examine the detailed evaluation metrics to identify areas for improvement in
Palo Alto and provide suggestions to help Palo Alto improve from a Gold to Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly
Community.
The Importance of Walking & Wheeling
Walking (or moving by wheelchair or mobility device) is the most fundamental form of transportation
available. Regardless of what mode one chooses, there is a point at the beginning and end of their trip in
which they are a pedestrian. Additionally, walking or moving by wheelchair is the one form of
transportation available to everyone, regardless of age or ability to drive or ride a bike. Similar to walking,
wheeling (by any one of the various means from cycling or scootering to using a wheelchair or mobility
device) is, in theory, a widely accessible means of transportation and recreation. In comparison to owning
a vehicle or even purchasing a transit pass, using any of the various wheeling devices is a low-cost (and
sometimes no-cost) way to travel throughout one’s community.
Active modes of travel have a wide variety of benefits for individuals and society as a whole. Walking and
wheeling (when requiring human effort), provide users with exercise opportunities that can be incorporated
into their daily routine. Exercise has been found to improve both physical and mental health, improving
overall public health and wellbeing. This can have significant benefits to the health system and result in
economic benefits as well.
This can have significant benefits to public health with one study finding that a moderate increase in active
transport (40.5 to 53.4 minutes per person week) – in line with preferred transportation scenarios from the
five largest California transportation planning regions – could result in an annual reduction of 909 deaths
and 16,084 disability adjusted life years (DALYs) which is the sum of years of life lost due to premature
155 Grand Avenue, Suite 505
Oakland, CA 94612
P 510.839.1742
August 22, 2023 Project# 28476
To: Ozzy Arce
City of Palo Alto, Office of Transportation
From: Kittelson & Associates, Inc. and Mobycon
CC: Sylvia Star-Lack, City of Palo Alto, Office of Transportation
RE: Palo Alto Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan Update – Bicycle Friendly Community
August 22, 2023 Page 2
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mortality and years of living with disability. A significantly more ambitious scenario, increasing cycling to 283
mins per person per week could result in 8,543 fewer annual deaths and 194,003 fewer DALYs.1
In addition to public health improvements, active transportation provides economic benefits in a variety of
ways, from reductions in healthcare costs associated with a healthier population, to increased property
values, business revenue, and tourism. Such benefits have been observed across the country with
Northwest Arkansas seeing $137 million in economic benefits from investments in cycling2, Indianapolis
generating a $1.01 billion increase in property values adjacent to the Indianapolis Cultural Trail3, and the
Miami Valley in Ohio attracting $13 million worth of goods and services income annually associated with
the trails in the region4.
It is well-known that walking and wheeling by human-powered modes is also much more environmentally
friendly than travelling by motor vehicles, whether powered by fossil fuels or electric motors. Achieving
higher mode share of zero carbon emission (walking) and low carbon emission (cycling) modes can
significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, linking back to public health
outcomes due to reduced pollution. Motor vehicles also produce a significant amount of environmental
microplastic pollution from tire wear, an issue that is of growing concern with larger, heavier vehicles that
wear down tires more quickly. This is especially pertinent with the growing number of large vehicles on
streets and roads (such as SUVs and pick-up trucks) as well as electric cars (which weigh more than internal
combustion vehicles). It is noted that bicycles (both pedal-powered and electric) produce emissions
through the logistics and assembly chain, as well as brake and tire particulate during use, however at
almost insignificant levels compared to motor vehicles.
Walking and wheeling are also economically more sustainable for communities as walking and wheeling
infrastructure tends to be cheaper to provide and maintain, as well as being more space efficient in
moving similar numbers of people as car infrastructure. In almost all cases, walking and wheeling are the
cheapest forms of transportation even when compared to transit.
Finally, providing well-planned and designed walking and cycling networks ensure residents and visitors
have mobility options to safely and comfortably travel within their community. Traditional auto-centric
planning and street design has created auto-dependent cities where using sustainable forms of
transportation can be uncomfortable and even dangerous. Without access to a car, people can be
excluded from opportunities to participate in society. This has manifested within Palo Alto through historical
zoning practices relegating non-residential uses to a concentrated location resulting in significant travel
distances for day-to-day errands. Providing diverse transportation networks allows people of all ages,
abilities, incomes, and ethnic backgrounds to choose what form of transportation is best suited to their
needs and desires, contributing to the creation of a more equitable community.
1 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140516302419
2 https://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/about-us/newsroom/bicycling-provides-137-million-in-economic-benefits-to-northwest-arkansas
3 https://uli.org/wp-content/uploads/ULI-Documents/Active-Transportation-and-Real-Estate-The-Next-Frontier.pdf
4 https://uli.org/wp-content/uploads/ULI-Documents/Active-Transportation-and-Real-Estate-The-Next-Frontier.pdf
https://www.mvrpc.org/sites/default/files/2013trailsurveyreport.pdf
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Principles of Good Network Design
To create a truly sustainable transportation network, high quality facilities for all road users must be
provided. Five key principles are considered for network planning and design. By ensuring all five principles
are met within the network, a system of streets and spaces are created that improve access and
connectivity while encouraging people to walk and cycle for all kinds of trips, from the work commute to
daily errands and beyond, thus serving a wide variety of users.
◼ Cohesion – A cohesive active transportation network is one that allows users to get from A to B using
active modes, with key origins and destinations linked as a cohesive whole that can be easily
navigated by bike or on foot. Gaps in sidewalks or cycling facilities undermine cohesion as they
present barriers for users to overcome, forcing users into environments that are not suited to them,
such as a busy roadway.
◼ Directness – A direct trip by active means, or any mode for that matter, is one that can be
completed quickly and with minimal effort. Since walking and cycling are human-powered modes, it
is important that unnecessary detours are avoided. Such detours may require excessive time or
energy for the user, presenting a barrier to active modes. Routes that are short and quick for
pedestrians and cyclists result in walking and cycling trips that are competitive to other forms of
transportation, increasing the likelihood of their use.
◼ Safety – Safety is a key aspect in an active transportation network. Unsafe conditions, such as mixing
active users with vehicles on high speed and volume roadways is a major deterrent to a large
proportion of the population. A key aspect of creating a safe environment is minimizing differences in
speed and mass. In practice, this means providing dedicated spaces for pedestrians and cyclists in
the form of sidewalks and cycle tracks where traffic speeds and volumes are high. In some cases,
such as local streets where volumes are low, mixing users can be safe as long as the street is designed
to slow vehicles to 20 mph or less, a speed that is safe for vulnerable road users. When creating a safe
environment, perceived safety must also be taken into consideration. If an environment feels
threatening to active users, even if there is no real danger, that environment will be avoided when
possible.
◼ Comfort – Comfort is an often-overlooked aspect of designing an active transportation network.
Frequent stops at stop signs and red lights can negatively impact user comfort as this increases the
physical exertion required of cyclists when starting from a stop and can be irritating for pedestrians.
Other aspects that can negatively influence comfort include bumpy or uneven surfaces and
excessive noise from vehicles or other sources. Perceived safety, as mentioned above, can also be
linked to comfort as a feeling of being unsafe undermines feelings of comfort.
◼ Attractiveness – While attractiveness is a personal opinion, there are certain elements that have been
found to be widely considered as attractive along an active transportation route. Open spaces with
greenery, a well-maintained route, quiet streets, and an aesthetic built environment are generally
seen positively while traffic congestion, certain land uses (such as industry), and poorly lit routes are
considered unattractive and deter from the use of a route or network.
What Makes a Great Cycling Community?
Since 2003, the League of American Bicyclists’ (LAB) Bike-Friendly America program has been evaluating
states, communities, businesses, and universities with the aim of rewarding excellence and raising standards
and expectations for what constitutes a bicycle-friendly environment. As of May 2023, there were 506
Bicycle Friendly Communities, though nearly 900 have applied.
Communities hoping to be recognized as a Bicycle Friendly Community must complete an extensive
application process covering bicycling facilities, maintenance, last-mile connections, education, media
presence, data-collection, promotion, regulations, planning, staffing and other conditions. The LAB report
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card uses information from the application as well as federally available data to make decisions regarding
awards.
The League of American Bicyclists has identified five elements5 essential to great cycling communities:
Equity & Accessibility, Engineering, Education, Encouragement and Evaluation & Planning.
• Equity refers to fostering a fair and inclusive planning process and cycling environment that seeks to
include all potential users, regardless of background, and re-balance historical inequities by proactively
reaching out to and providing extra support for marginalized groups. Accessibility means expanding
the traditional “cycling” umbrella to include a wider range of mobility options which can open mobility
opportunities to those with a range of disabilities.
• Engineering means designing, building, and maintaining safe and convenient places to cycle and park.
High-quality cycling environments are connected networks of trails, quiet streets, and protected cycle-
tracks. They also include a variety of convenient, secure cycle parking options.
• Education means providing a wide variety of opportunities for community members to acquire the skills
and confidence to ride – from bike classes in elementary schools to accessible courses for beginner
adult riders.
• Encouragement includes providing a range of incentives and opportunities to get and keep people
cycling – from Bike to Work programs to National Bike Month Activities and Open Streets events.
• Evaluation & Planning means planning for and evaluating the cycling system to measure current gaps
and challenges and plan for future improvements.
League of American Bicyclists – Bicycle Friendly Communities
The most recent publicly available report card for Palo Alto is from spring 2021. The Bicycle Friendly
Communities application has been offline for a significant update (discussed in more detail below) but still
focuses on the core Five E aspects.
As of 2023, Palo Alto was designated as a Gold-level cycling community. It has been listed as a Bicycle-
Friendly Community since 2003 and has been a Gold-level community since 2010. The following table
shows awards made to comparable peer communities6. Platinum-level communities include Davis, CA; Fort
Collins, CO; Boulder, CO and Madison, WI. Peer gold-level communities include Oakland, CA and Santa
Cruz, CA.
5 https://bikeleague.org/bfa/5-es/
6 https://bikeleague.org/bfa/award-database/#community
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Community Award (2023 spring) Population Land Use
Davis, CA Platinum 69,289 Suburban
Palo Alto, CA Gold 67,082 Suburban
Santa Cruz Gold 59,946 Suburban
Boulder, CO Platinum 108,090 Small town
Santa Monica, CA Gold 90,401 Urban
Fort Collins, CO Platinum 174,871 Urban core surrounded by low
density suburban areas
Madison, WI Platinum 258,054 Urbanized area
Benchmarks for Palo Alto
Applicants for the Bicycle Friendly Communities complete an extensive application7 in order to be
evaluated on a series of metrics. Palo Alto submitted an application and was evaluated in spring 2021 by
the League of American Bicyclists on these measures relative to the average platinum-level community, as
shown in the following table.
Average Platinum Palo Alto Comparison
High Speed Roads
with Bike Facilities
36% 80% Exceeds average for
Platinum communities
Bicycle Education
in Schools
GOOD VERY GOOD Exceeds average for
Platinum communities
Share of
Transportation
Budget Spent on
Bicycling
14% 76% Exceeds average for
Platinum communities
Bike Month and
Bike to Work Events
VERY GOOD VERY GOOD Meets average for Platinum
communities
7 https://bikeleague.org/sites/default/files/Guide_to_the_Bicycle_Friendly_Community_Report_Card.pdf
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Presence of Active
Bicycle Advocacy
Group;
YES YES Meets average for Platinum
communities
Active Bicycle
Advisory
Committee
MEETS AT LEAST
MONTHLY
MEETS AT LEAST
MONTHLY
Meets average for Platinum
communities
Bike Plan is Current
and is Being
Implemented
YES YES Average
Total Bicycle
Network Mileage to
Total Road Network
Mileage
80% 33% Below average for Platinum
communities
Bicycle–Friendly
Laws & Ordinances
VERY GOOD ACCEPTABLE Below average for Platinum
communities
Bike Program Staff
to Population
1 per 21k 1 per 26.8k Below average for Platinum
communities
Cycling Ridership 13.6% 9.19% Below average for Platinum
communities
Crashes per 10k
bicycle commuters
100 281.05 Below average for Platinum
communities
Fatalities per 10k
bicycle commuters
0.4 0.69 Below average for Platinum
communities
Palo Alto scores well on the percentage of high-speed roads with bike facilities, bicycle education in
schools, and share of transportation budget spent on cycling. However, Palo Alto has a much higher rate
of crashes and a lower cycling mode-share than the average Platinum community.
The League of American Bicyclists provides numerous resources8 to communities aspiring to become
Bicycle Friendly Communities or improve their awards. The site includes resources to improve on the Five E’s
but also guidance on conducting a bicycle parking inventory, organizing bicycle events, and forming a
bicycle advisory committee.
8 https://bikeleague.org/bfa/community/resources/
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Opportunities for Improvement and 2023 Application Year
Last year, the League of American Bicyclists announced a change in their awards process9. The biggest
change is the addition of the Equity and Accessibility section as part of the Five E’s but the new process
also puts emphasis on other criteria. A review of the 2023 application for Bicycle Friendly Communities
includes the following additions:
◼ Understanding community socioeconomic and demographic information including:
o median age of the community
o languages other than English spoken at home
o foreign born population
o median household income
o poverty rate
o bicycle commute by sex
o percent of household without vehicles
o disability characteristics
o racial and ethnicity distribution
◼ Defining the bicycle network for on-road and off-road cycling facilities and adoption of a Safe
System approach to the delivery of the bicycle network.
◼ Updating bicycle infrastructure to make it more accessible for all ages and abilities, including people
with physical and/or cognitive disabilities.
◼ Network maintenance and use of mechanisms (e.g., 311) for cyclists to identify issues, problems and
hazards on the network as well as funding mechanisms for ongoing maintenance.
◼ Providing bicycle access to transit
◼ Regional coordination of bicycle facilities to ensure network connectivity and cohesion across
municipal boundaries.
The 2023 application increases the emphasis on addressing gaps in the low-stress network with the most
recent report card indicating that quiet streets are underutilized in Palo Alto, which could easily become
low-stress linkages in the cycling network for a relatively low cost.
Specific opportunities identified for the City of Palo Alto to progress up to “Platinum” level community are
as follows (based on the 2021 Report Card and the 2023 application criteria):
◼ Increasing the overall mileage of bicycle network with a specific focus on addressing gaps in the low
stress cycling network, especially on quiet neighborhood streets where traffic calming can create
safe cycling spaces for a relatively low cost. The 2023 application has been adjusted to place a
heavier emphasis on building a cohesive low-stress network rather than disjointed pieces of
infrastructure, reflecting the Safe Systems Approach10.
◼ Increase high-quality cycle parking, especially near major activity centers and transit.
◼ Expand cycling education efforts to reach adults, especially women, seniors, under-represented
groups, and non-English-speaking communities (noting the large Chinese and Hispanic groups
present). Further, the LAB suggests that Palo Alto could offer bicycle-friendly training to motorists,
particularly commercial drivers and fleet operators (such as delivery drivers).
◼ Creating a bicycle-friendly environment through laws & ordinances:
o The BFC application asks about the following Bike-Friendly policies:
▪ Banning parking in bike lanes and harassing cyclists
9 https://bikeleague.org/change-coming-bicycle-friendly-community-awards/
10 https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/zerodeaths/docs/FHWA_SafeSystem_Brochure_V9_508_200717.pdf
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▪ Banning cell phone use while driving and harassing cyclists (now enacted
statewide)
▪ Penalties for failing to yield to a cyclist when turning, 'dooring' cyclists
▪ Vulnerable road user and safe passing distance laws
▪ A law that allows cyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield sign (i.e. whether the “Idaho
Stop” is legal in your state), a law that allows cyclists to treat an unresponsive red
light as a stop sign (i.e. “Dead Red” law) and a law that allows bicyclists to follow
pedestrian signals instead of motor vehicle traffic lights at signalized intersections
◼ The BFC application also asks communities about bike-unfriendly policies and ordinances. The City
seems to require cyclists to use bike lanes, where available. The City also prohibits riding on sidewalks
in the central business district and bans “trick riding”. The following are other bike-unfriendly policies
the BFC application asks about:
o Where Cyclists Can/Must Ride: Local law requires bicyclists to use side paths and/or bike
lanes regardless of their usability, laws requiring cyclists to ride as far to the right of the road
as practicable without exceptions, restrictions on sidewalk riding inside and/or outside of
the Central Business District, dismount zones/regulations on shared-use paths and the
banning of cycles from non-highway roads that are open to vehicles.
o What/How Cyclists Can Ride: Local law restricts usage of electric-assist bicycles,
mandatory bike registration and/or helmet use for all ages and bans on exhibition or “trick
riding” (e.g. wheelies).
o Who Can Ride: Local or school policies restrict youths from riding to school, “Bicycle safety
checks” or other legal or de facto enforcement stops occur.
It is considered that working towards the above suggestions by building a more extensive/robust cycling
network, increasing the amount of high-quality cycle parking and access to transit, expanding education
efforts across different demographic groups and improving cycle-friendly ordinances through policies
could increase cycling mode share from a modest 9 per cent closer to the Platinum-level average of
nearly 14 per cent. This would have the added benefit of reducing crash and fatality rates by increasing
overall road safety which would also work towards a Platinum-level community designation.
Kittelson & Associates, Inc.
Technical Memorandum
LITERATURE REVIEW
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan (BPTP) Update will examine the existing bicycle and
pedestrian infrastructure, guide investments in active transportation and recommend policies and practices
to build a safer and better pedestrian and bicycle network in the City of Palo Alto. The purpose of this
memorandum is to provide a synthesis and summary of existing plans, programs, and polices from recent
documents. This will help develop an understanding of the policy and planning environment for walking and
biking in Palo Alto.
Documents List
The following table lists the relevant documents and programs that were reviewed, summarized, and
synthesized for this task.
Table 1. List of Documents Reviewed
No. Document Name
Year of
Adoption
1. City of Palo Alto Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan 2012
2. City of Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan 2017
3. City of Palo Alto Sustainability and Climate Action Plan 2023
4. City of Palo Alto Parks, Trails, Natural Open Space and
Recreation Master Plan
2017
5. City of Palo Alto Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan 2019
6. City of Palo Alto Public Art Master Plan 2016
155 Grand Avenue, Suite 505
Oakland, CA 94612
P 510.839.1742
October 24, 2023 Project# 28476
To: Ozzy Arce
City of Palo Alto, Office of Transportation
From: Kittelson & Associates, Inc.
RE: The Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan (BPTP) Update – Literature Review (Task 2.2)
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7. City of Palo Alto Safe Routes to School (SRTS) 2021
8. Palo Alto SRTS Five-Year Work Plan, Safe Routes to School
Partnership Consensus Statement
2021
9. Adopted Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Safe Routes
to School Policies
2021
10. Santa Clara Countywide Bicycle Plan 2018
11. The County of Santa Clara Stanford University Community Plan 20221
12. 2050 Plan Bay Area 2021
13. VTA Bicycle Technical Guidelines 2022
14. VTA Valley Transportation Plan (VTP) 2040 2014
15. Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC) Regional
Bicycle Plan for the San Francisco Bay Area Update
2009
16. Central Bikeway Feasibility Study Alternatives Analysis 2022
(Peninsula Bikeway Study)
2022
17. VTA Bicycle Technical Guidelines 2012
18. Caltrans District 4 Bike Plan 2018
19. Caltrans District 4 Pedestrian Plan 2021
20. Caltrans Bay Area Bike Highway Study 2022
21. Palo Alto’s Local Road Safety Plan by VTA 2022
1 Track changes version available -
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ef397ab7a79e315cd9066ae/t/648a1d95f21c5553baf74820/1686773154192/SCP
+Draft+Board+of+Supervisors+12.13.22+Tracked+Changes.pdf
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Topics and Key Themes
The following relevant topics were reviewed and summarized for each document and overall themes within
each topic and across all reviewed documents are synthesized in this section.
◼Vision and goal statements
◼Existing policies and programs related to active transportation
◼Established needs, issues, and concerns raised in the study
◼Current/planned projects coming from the study
◼Community feedback captured in the document
◼Community partners/contact information if available
◼Data documentation to incorporate
The complete summary for each document is provided as an attachment to this document. Key themes
from this review are presented in this section.
Vision and Goals
There is strong alignment among the vision and goals established in the documents reviewed, particularly
surrounding sustainability and climate action. For example, the 2012 Palo Alto Bicycle and Pedestrian
Transportation Plan support the goals identified in the City of Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan and reflect
specific targets mentioned in the 2007 Palo Alto Climate Protection Plan.
Common themes around vision and goals from the review of these plans include :
◼Increasing biking and walking trips for all purposes
◼Constructing and maintaining safe and accessible streets for walking and biking to all modes and
people of all ages and abilities
◼Developing a network of bikeways, pathways, and traffic-calmed streets that connects various
business districts, residentials areas, open spaces and parks
◼Improving the aesthetics of walkways and bike paths to attract more walking and biking trips
◼Reducing overall vehicle miles traveled
◼Seeking to improve the quality of life, as well as environmental quality, economic health and social
equity
Policies and Programs
Most of the policies and programs mentioned in each plan aim to promote the goals and vision of that
specific plan. They are also in line with the vision of similar plans that promote non-motorized transportation.
For example, the 2030 City of Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan introduced programs and policies that focus on
collecting bicycle counts and conducting surveys to understand bicycle use (Program T1.16.1); encourag ing
participation in local walking and biking events (Program T1.16.4); providing facilities that encourage walking
and biking (policy T-1.19); prioritizing investments for enhanced pedestrian access and bicycle use within
Palo Alto (Program T1.19.2) etc. These policies and programs are in line with the goals and visions of the
Comprehensive Plan and are consistent with the 2021 City of Palo Alto Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Plan as
well.
Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC) Regional Bicycle Plan for the San Francisco Bay Area 2009
Update mentions programs and policies such as Bike-to-Work day, pedestrian and bicycle training, resolution
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8752, resolution 37653 etc. developed by MTC that aim to make bicycling safer and more accessible
throughout the region.
These existing programs and policies mentioned in the relevant plans are consistent with the purpose of the
BPTP Update and will be reflected in the Plan.
Needs and Challenges
Common themes surrounding needs and challenges per review of the plans include:
◼Improving access to neighboring commercial centers
◼Improving bicycle parking facilities
◼Defining a core network of crosstown and recreational routes
◼Introducing traffic calming strategies
◼Drastic changes in future environmental conditions due to climate change
◼Enhancing comfort and making parks more welcoming
◼Safety concerns such as unsafe crossings due to high vehicular speeds and volumes and unfriendly
freeway interchanges
◼Traffic congestion in educational districts during peak hours
◼Issues related to optimizing bicycle safety such as angle of crossing, smoothness of crossing, gap
between the flangeway and roadway, and closing bike paths at night
◼Uncertainty of funding opportunities
◼Improving level of traffic stress of bicycle facilities on major and minor bike corridors
◼Failure to yield to pedestrians on the roadway
◼Bicycle theft
Plans and Projects
Some plans and projects recommendations that have been initiated through adoption of these plans
include:
◼Across barrier connections across the City (Adobe Creek Highway 101 Overcrossing, Caltrain/Alma
Barrier Crossing at Matadero Creek etc.)
◼Trails and Shared Use Pathway projects (Embarcadero Road / Rinconada Park Sidepath, Adobe Creek
Reach Trail etc.)
◼Bicycle boulevard projects (Castilleja-Park-Wilkie Bicycle Boulevard, Bryant Street Bicycle Boulevard
etc.)
◼Intersection spot improvements (El Camino Real Intersection Through-Markings, Charleston Road at
Middlefield Road Bicycle Through-Lanes etc.)
◼Infrastructure Programs (Bicycle Parking Corral / Rack Installation Program, Pedestrian Countdown
Signals & Crossings Program etc.)
◼System rehabilitation and Maintenance (Castilleja Street-Park Boulevard, Lytton Avenue etc.)
◼Design, Feasibility, and Planning (Middlefield Road "Complete Street" Plan Line Study, Embarcadero
Road Plan Line Study etc.)
◼Non-Infrastructure - Education Encouragement (Citywide Traffic Counts and Data Collection, Bike Palo
Alto! / Palo Alto Sunday Streets etc.)
2 First adopted in 1980 and most recently amended in 2005, this resolution guides the allocation of the “Transportation
Development Act, Article 3,” which funds $2.9 million worth of Bay Area bicycle projects annually
3 This resolution, adopted in 2006, requires agencies applying for regional transportation funds to document how the
needs of bicyclists and pedestrians were considered in the process of planning and/or designing the project for which
funds are requested
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◼Plan, design and construct 10.5-acre site in Baylands for park uses; plan, design and redevelop
Cubberley Community Center
◼Incorporate 7.7-acre site into Foothills Park
◼Demonstration projects: Hale Avenue Extension, SkyLANE, 101/Blossom Hill Road, Lundy Place
Connector, Diridon Bicycle Connections
◼Freeway interchange improvements (I-280/Page Mill Interim Improvements)
◼Planned Bicycle Bridge/Undercrossing (Stanford Avenue /Seale Avenue, San Francisquito Creek,
Adobe Creek Bridge)
Public Input
Community feedback and public input is a crucial factor throughout long -term planning processes. It helps
inform and shape the final recommendations of plans. Most plans significantly invested in conducting public
workshops, public surveys, open houses and community engagement events to hear from the public
throughout the development of the plan. Common themes and takeaways per the review of the relevant
plans include:
◼Providing accessible and safe active transportation (walking, biking, etc.) routes to natural open
space, community centers and parks is a high priority
◼Enhancing physical and mental well-being is a critical function of parks for people who live, work and
play in Palo Alto. Loop trails, bicycle and pedestrian paths to parks and places to relax are top priorities,
along with exercise equipment or additional classes
◼Low-stress bicycle facilities are desired
◼Frequently requested bicycle infrastructure improvements include more trail lighting, better
accommodation at signalized intersections, better access and signage to bicycle paths, more
frequent maintenance, more space to store bicycles on transit vehicles, secure bicycle parking
◼Access to Berryessa BART, connections to east San Jose, completion of the Coyote Creek Trail and
Guadalupe River Trail, north-south connections in east and central Santa Clara County are desired
◼Design safer and more intuitive highway crossings and interchanges
◼Streamline and communicate the process for local agencies to engage with Caltrans and for Caltrans
to engage with local communities
◼Increase investment in bicycle facilities on state highways
◼Preference for fully dedicated bike facilities that is separate from traffic and has space for multiple
modes
◼Bike highways should prioritize access and connection for low-income and disadvantaged
communities and people without personal access to vehicles
Community Partners and Champions
Community partners and champions involved in the formulation of some of these plans include:
◼The Junior Museum and Zoo
◼The Children’s Theatre
◼Cubberley Artist Studio Program (CASP)
◼Palo Alto Art Center (PAAC)
◼Police Department staff
◼PTA Transportation Safety Representatives at each PAUSD school
◼Student representatives
◼School principals
◼PAUSD staff in Sustainability
◼County Department of Public Health
◼Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition
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◼Almaden Valley Cycling Club
◼County Parks and Recreation Department
◼Santa Clara Valley Water District
◼Bicycling advocacy organizations
◼Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District)
◼Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC)
◼Business Community
◼Community-Based Organizations, Advocates and Non-Profits
◼County Transportation Agencies (CTAs)
Data and Other Resources
Data that would be relevant to this Plan based on the review of the relevant plans include:
◼Percentage of workers who bike to work, by place of residence, in Santa Clara County (2015) –
(Santa Clara Countywide Bicycle Network, 2018)
◼Financially constrained projects in Santa Clara County - (VTA Valley Transportation Plan (VTP) 2040,
2014)
◼Regional bikeway network mapping - (MTC’s Regional Bicycle Plan for the San Francisco Bay Area
Update, 2009)
◼Average Bay Area weekday bicycle trips (2000) - (MTC’s Regional Bicycle Plan for the San Francisco
Bay Area Update, 2009)
◼Motor vehicle/bicycle collision analysis - (MTC’s Regional Bicycle Plan for the San Francisco Bay Area
Update, 2009)
◼Unbuilt regional bikeway network mapping - (MTC’s Regional Bicycle Plan for the San Francisco Bay
Area Update, 2009)
◼Santa Clara County top tier projects – (Caltrans District 4 Bike Plan, 2018)
◼Collision data – (Palo Alto’s Local Road Safety Plan by VTA, 2022)
◼Collision classification – (Palo Alto’s Local Road Safety Plan by VTA, 2022)
◼Bicycle/pedestrian collisions – (Palo Alto’s Local Road Safety Plan by VTA, 2022)
◼Top collision trends – (Palo Alto’s Local Road Safety Plan by VTA, 2022)
◼High injury network – (Palo Alto’s Local Road Safety Plan by VTA, 2022)