Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan Update

Project typeTransportation Planning
Project value$334,000
Completion DateDecember 31, 2025

Project Description

Palo Alto has been at the forefront of bicycle and pedestrian transportation planning since the early 1980’s, when the City developed the nation’s first bicycle boulevard on Bryant Street. The City’s existing Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan (BPTP), adopted in 2012, built upon those extensive planning and design efforts, and the 2025 update will continue the legacy of innovative active transportation planning. The new Plan Update effort will reflect community needs and desires, consider recent trends in cycling and bicycle technology, and address changes in bicycle and pedestrian planning and design. The BPTP Update is grant funded by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's (MTC) Transportation Development Act 3 program.

Vision Statement

We envision a city where sustainable, safe, efficient, equitable, and enjoyable transportation thrives. Together, we will create a comfortable and connected street and trail network that supports walking, biking, and rolling for people of all ages and abilities. We continue to be a leader in Safe Routes to School and invest more in active transportation infrastructure, education, and encouragement programs.

Objectives & Goals

Objectives:

Safe & Inclusive
Connected & Accessible
Community-Led & Cooperative
Comfortable & Enjoyable
Integrated & Collaborative

Goals:

Robust community outreach
Evaluate progress since the 2012 BPTP
Adjust recommendations for new policies, facilities, and programs
Determine appropriate criteria and metrics that prioritize recommendations and network routes

The BPTP Update will also review 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 Systems approach, and other planning documents and policies.

Scope of Work

Review Existing Bicycle and Pedestrian Policy and Program Documents
Inventory Existing Facility Conditions
Community Outreach (throughout)
Determine Bicycle and Pedestrian Network Enhancements
Identify Implementation and Funding Strategies
Develop Plan Update Document (Final Document)

Project Timeline

Phase 1

07/2023 - 01/2024
Visioning
Phase 2

02/2024 - 05/2024
Needs and Concerns
Phase 3

06/2024 - 05/2025
Recommended Projects & Programs
Phase 4

05/2025 - 12/2025
Plan Adoption

Project Status: Plan Update Recommendations & Upcoming City Council Meeting

Using community input, safety and collision data, demand data, and adopted City Plans, including the 2012 BPTP as a foundation, the project team developed the initial set of project recommendations for the BPTP Update. Review them below:

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the project recommendations! The deadline to provide feedback closed on April 30, 2025. The Project Team is tentatively scheduled to present the project recommendations, including an updated Prioritization Framework, to the City Council at their Monday, June 2, 2025 meeting. The agenda packet will be posted here once available.

Over the summer, the Project Team will refine the project recommendations based on the City Council's feedback and develop the Draft BPTP Update Plan. The Draft Plan is anticipated for public review in fall 2025.

Supplemental Materials

Existing Conditions Analysis of Biking and Walking in Palo Alto

In early 2024, the project’s existing conditions technical analysis was developed and released sharing information on biking and walking demand and activity levels in Palo Alto, a Bicycle Level of Traffic Stress analysis, a safety and collision analysis, and a barriers analysis, among other topics.

Review the Analysis and Maps

Past Engagement

The Project Team presented the Plan Update Recommendations at the following meetings during the third phase of engagement. A Summary of Phase 3 Community Engagement document will be available soon.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee: Tuesday, February 4, 2025
Planning and Transportation Commission: Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Parks and Recreation Commission: Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Transportation Planning Workshop: Wednesday, April 2, 2025
- Presentation(PDF, 6MB)
School-Community Focus Group: Late February 2025
Pop Up Events
- Cal Ave. Sunday Farmers Market: March 30 and April 6, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Around the World in a Day Festival: Saturday, March 29, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Third Thursday Music Event: Thursday, April 17, 5-9 p.m.
- Palo Alto Earth Day Festival: Sunday, April 27, 1-4 p.m.

April 2024 Work Session Week

In April 2024, the project team hosted a series of in-person events and mobile workshops to gather input on the bicycle network development and Plan Update guidelines:

Bicycle Network Development Workshop: This workshop provided a visual way to identify priority origin/destination pairs within the transportation network and resulted in a conceptual key bicycle corridor network based on existing desire lines. The workshop offered a hands-on approach to explore key factors including local routes, travel behaviors, and infrastructure gaps. The outcomes from this workshop will be used to verify, modify, remove and create the active transportation network recommendations.
- Workshop Presentation(PDF, 11MB)
Community Walking Tour: The tour focused in the downtown area, and included a discussion on what works and what doesn't in creating a pedestrian friendly zone. Feedback will inform future Pedestrian District Guidelines.
Community Cycle Tour: The community bicycle ride was a leisurely evening bike ride around Palo Alto to discuss transportation needs and opportunities as they rode a route that included several streets on the high injury network and streets near future housing sites. Feedback will inform the team's understanding of community needs, and will influence the conceptual and final bicycle network recommendations.
Earth Day Festival: Office of Transportation staff provided information on City Transportation Projects, including the BPTP Update at the Palo Alto Earth Day Festival. The team sought input on community needs and priorities related to walking and biking in the City, asked about their experience locally, and offered an informational postcard to take home and learn more about the Plan Update effort.