Foothills Fire Mitigation Project

• Project typeUtilities Electric - System Improvement

Project Description

To mitigate fire risk from electrical equipment, the City of Palo Alto is undergrounding the overhead electric lines in areas within the City limits west of Highway 280, known as the Foothills. For specific areas of work see the Project Map link below.

Scope of Work

• Underground approximately 49,200 feet of electric overhead distribution lines and fiber optic cable
• Substructure construction, including the installation of boxes and pad-mounted equipment for electric and fiber lines
• Cable installation and line energization 
• Decommission City-owned overhead poles, along with electric and fiber lines and equipment

Project Status by Construction Phases

The City’s effort to move existing overhead electric and fiber lines and equipment underground to reduce fire risk is being carried out in multiple construction phases, as outlined below:

Phase 1 - 7,500’ including portions of Foothills Nature Preserve and Arastradero Road: 

• Substructure: 7,500' completed 

• Cable installation & energization: 7,500' completed 

• De-energized pole removal: planned for completion by end-of-year 2025

• Phase completion target: end-of-year 2025

Phase 2 – 8,000’ in Foothills Nature Preserve:  

• Substructure: 8,000' completed 

• Cable installation & energization: 8,000' completed 

• De-energized pole removal: planned for completion by end-of-year 2025

• Phase completion target: end-of-year 2025

Phase 3 -  7,500’ including portions of Pony Tracks Fire Road: 

• Substructure: 7,500' completed

• Cable installation & energization: 7,500' completed

• De-energized pole removal: planned for completion by end-of-year 2025

• Phase completion target: end-of-year 2025

Phase 4 – 22,000’ including portions of Page Mill Road and Montebello Road: 

• Substructure: 12,000' completed, 10,000' remaining  

• Cable installation & energization: 12,000' completed, 10,000' remaining

• De-energized pole removal: planned for completion by end-of-year 2025

• Phase completion target: end-of-year 2025

Phase 5 – 4,200’ including portions of Arastradero Road: 

• Substructure: 4,200' completed  

• Cable installation & energization: 4,200' completed 

• De-energized pole removal: planned for completion by end-of-year 2025

• Phase completion target: end-of-year 2025

Overall Summary 

• Substructure: 39,200' completed out of 49,200'

• Cable installation & energization: 39,200' completed out of 49,200'

• Project completion target: end-of-year 2025

Location

View the Foothills Fire Mitigation Project Map.