Quarry Road Transit Connection at El Camino Park

Project Description

The Quarry Road Transit Connection project will construct a roadway for transit vehicles from the intersection of Quarry Road & El Camino Real to the Palo Alto Transit Center and facilitates direct transit movement onto and from El Camino Real.

Enhancements are designed to improve safety, access and connectivity by:

Reducing bus transit times by an estimated 3-5 minutes per trip.
Alleviating congestion at the University Avenue/El Camino Real interchange and University Circle by streamlining bus movements and mitigating the need for buses to navigate through densely trafficked areas.
Adding pedestrian and bicycle paths within El Camino Park and at the intersection of Quarry Road and El Camino Real.

Supported by goals and policies outlined in the 2017 Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan and the 2026 Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan, this project emphasizes the improvement of transportation infrastructure and multimodal connectivity. The proposal also aligns with Caltrain electrification, which may alter future train frequency, resulting in potential increases in bus and shuttle services.

The estimated construction cost for the proposed project is roughly $4.3 million, with efforts underway to secure funding through external sources, including the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

Project Status

On November 3, 2025, the City Council approved a cost-sharing agreement with Stanford University for design and engineering work for the Quarry Road improvements and Transit Center Connection. This design work is expected to extend to mid-2027. In 2026, a transit operators workshop was held in February 2026 to understand the needs of bus and shuttle services at the Transit Center. A community workshop focused on bicycle and pedestrian challenges and improvements was held on May 7 at City Hall.

As of September 2026, the project design is nearing 60% completion. Public engagement will occur in October and November 2026 at the Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee (PABAC), the Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) and City Council to inform the community about the design status.

Design Elements

Design Elements and Layout

The current design includes the following elements:

East leg of the intersection

Bus-only connection to the Palo Alto Transit Center
Low-speed mixing zones at corners for people on bikes and on foot
Two-way bicycle lane across the east leg to provide direct access between trails

North leg of the intersection

Existing median reconfigured for a bus-only left turn onto the Quarry Road extension
Protected bicycle lanes on the southbound approach and northbound departure

West leg of the intersection

Protected bike lanes on the eastbound approach and westbound departure
Eastbound bike lane relocated against the curb
Eastbound through movement allowed for buses only

South leg of the intersection

Right-turn movement allowed for buses from the El Camino Real northbound on-ramp

Intersection-wide elements

High-visibility crosswalks across all intersection legs
Corner islands to reduce vehicle turning speeds
Leading pedestrian interval signal timing to allow pedestrians a head start when crossing
One-way bicycle lanes across the north, south, and west legs to minimize conflicts with turning vehicles

Conceptual Plan Option A with callouts pointing to design elements

Comment on Project Concept Plans

Provide feedback on the project concepts below by November 5. Which one do you prefer? Alternative A remains within the project boundaries. Alternative B has a larger footprint that would require additional time and funds to acquire right-of-way. Input will be shared at the November 9, 2026 (tentative) Council meeting.

Alternative A

Conceptual Plan_Option A for Quarry Rd Transit Connection

Alternative B

Conceptual Plan_Option B with larger west side footprint

Click here to view form.

Upcoming Meetings/Events

October 28, 2026 Planning and Transportation Commission

November 9, 2026 City Council (Tentative)

Project Background

In November 2024, 74% of Palo Alto voters approved ballot Measure D to un-dedicate a portion of El Camino Park for the Quarry Road Transit Connection proposal.

El Camino Park consists of approximately 10.75 acres of land and is leased by Stanford to the City. The Park was dedicated by the City in 1965 by ordinance for recreational and conservation purposes.

The proposed project will develop up to a 0.33-acre a strip of the underused, passive portion of El Camino Park to provide a direct transit connection from El Camino Real to the transit center. This area of the park does not have playing fields but does provide bike and pedestrian circulation throughout that serves the park. Any portion of the strip of land not needed for the transit connection would be rededicated as parkland. The project plans to improve multi-modal movement to and through the park and seeks to enhance the use and enjoyment of El Camino Park and the recreational amenities provided to the residents of Palo Alto and the surrounding communities. The Quarry Road Transit Connection will allow buses that use the Palo Alto Transit Center to exit directly to El Camino Real at Quarry Road, rather than circling back via University Avenue. The project will therefore reduce bus travel times and will also implement bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements at the intersection of Quarry Road and El Camino Real.

Letter of Intent between City of Palo Alto and Stanford University

To provide a more complete context for the proposed Quarry Road project, including its relationship with the Palo Alto Transit Center and El Camino Park, a letter of intent was finalized between the City of Palo Alto and Stanford outlining actions that each party plans to undertake, including:

Responsibilities for the funding, design, and construction of the roadway. This includes Stanford contributing up to $4 million for completion of the project, as well as maintenance funding;
Extension of the lease for playing fields at El Camino Park for an additional ten years through 2052; and,
Undertaking a long-term visioning process for the Palo Alto Transit Center that addresses dynamic public spaces, multi-modal transit needs, and community engagement.

Read the Letter of Intent(PDF, 140KB)

Palo Alto Transit Center Bus & Shuttle Service

The Palo Alto Transit Center (PATC) is the mobility hub of Palo Alto and has the second highest Caltrain ridership on the corridor. SamTrans, Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority (VTA), AC Transit, and Dumbarton Express all run buses to the PATC to complement Caltrain service and connect Palo Alto to San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, and the East Bay, respectively. Additionally, Stanford’s Marguerite shuttle service and other private shuttles provide last-mile connections from the PATC to campus facilities for employees and visitors. In total, roughly 600 buses serve the transit center daily and about half are Marguerite shuttles.