Grand Boulevard Initiative: Success Stories for Healthy Communities Along El Camino Real

1. GRAND BOULEVARD INITIATIVE:
SUCCESS STORIES FOR HEALTHY
COMMUNITIES ALONG EL CAMINO REAL
TransForm 2015 Let’s Get Moving
Silicon Valley Transportation Choices &
Healthy Communities Summit
March 7, 2015
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2. Megan Channell, AICP| ICF International, GBI Project Manager| channellm@samtrans.com
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Eric Anderson, AICP| City of Mountain View| eric.anderson2@mountainview.gov
Ken Chin| City of San Mateo| Kchin@cityofsanmateo.org
Emma Shlaes | Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition| emma@bikesiliconvalley.org
Uri Pachter| Greenbelt Alliance| upachter@greenbelt.org
TODAY’S PANEL

3. WHY THE GRAND
BOULEVARD INITIATIVE?
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4. CHALLENGE:
EXISTING CONDITIONS
We can do better.
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5. CHALLENGE:
POPULATION AND JOBS
• 714k people living within ½
mile of El Camino Real
• Corridor growth higher
than respective counties
• Not enough homes for
number of jobs
• Imbalance will increase for
both counties overall, but
not for the corridor

6. EL CAMINO REAL CORRIDOR
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• State Route 82
• Peninsula’s major north-
south arterial
• 43 miles: Daly City to
downtown San Jose
• Connects downtowns
• Many agencies and
jurisdictions
El Camino
Real
Corridor

7. WHY THE GRAND
BOULEVARD INITIATIVE?
People friendly places.
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8. WHY THE GRAND
BOULEVARD INITIATIVE?
Before After
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9. • Public health benefits
• Active transportation options
• Walkable, bikable neighborhoods
• Environmental health
• Reduced Pollutant Emissions
• Equity
• Affordable housing and transit options
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
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10. COLLABORATIVE
APPROACH
• Unique approach to inter-jurisdictional collaboration
• Transform a major Bay Area transportation corridor
• Regional opportunity for sustainable growth
• Creating people friendly places

11. • Task Force “Big Tent”
• “Vision & Challenge” (2006) and “Guiding
Principles” (2007)
• Working Committee
• Community Leaders Roundtable
• Determine where collaboration makes
sense
HOW
GBI
WORKS

12. GRAND BOULEVARD VISION
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Walkable
Mixed-use
Enhanced
Transit Service
Complete
Streets
Land Use
Intensification

13. PRECISE PLANS
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14. 14

15. 15

16. 16

17. • Revitalization
• Pedestrian comfort and safety
• Mix of uses
• Neighborhood transitions
• Gathering spaces
• Transit-accessible
• High-quality design
CITY OF MOUNTAIN VIEW
GENERAL PLAN DIRECTION
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18. • Vision and Policy
• Standards &
Guidelines
• Mobility
Improvements
• Implementation
EL CAMINO REAL PRECISE
PLAN CONTENTS
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19. • Vision and Policy
• Standards &
Guidelines
• Mobility
Improvements
• Implementation
EL CAMINO REAL PRECISE
PLAN CONTENTS
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20. PRECISE PLAN AREA
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21. GBI
Growth in strategic areas
Pedestrian streetscapes
Vibrant public spaces
Manage parking
Pedestrian & bicycle connections
Mixed-use development
Preserve community character
ECR Precise Plan
Focused investment/development
Pedestrian-oriented design
Livable and beautiful corridor
Limit parking impacts
Improve bicycle access
New affordable housing
Preserve and connect
neighborhoods
EL CAMINO REAL PRECISE
PLAN GUIDING PRINCIPLES
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22. Development Tiers
• “Base” – No Public Benefits
• “Tier 1” – Proportionate Public Benefits
• “Tier 2” – Negotiated Public Benefits
Community-Identified Public Benefits
• Affordable Housing
• Open Space
• Multi-modal Improvements
EL CAMINO REAL PRECISE
PLAN PUBLIC BENEFITS
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23. • Development review
• Plan assessment
• Zoning ordinance updates
• Bicycle improvements study
• Design palettes
Eric Anderson
City of Mountain View
Anderson@MountainView.gov
CITY OF MOUNTAIN VIEW
NEXT STEPS &
CONTACT INFO
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24. U R I PA C H T E R , P R O J E C T M A N A G E R
U PA C H T E R @ G R E E N B E LT. O R G
( 4 1 5 ) 5 4 3 6 7 7 1 x 3 2 7

25. WHO ARE WE?
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26. WHO ARE WE?
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27. WHY EL CAMINO REAL?
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• Can accommodate growth
• Experience working on general plan
• Create example for other cities

28. PARTNERSHIPS
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29. OUR VISION
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• Vibrant (transit-oriented development)
• Affordable (homes for all incomes)
• Accessible (wider sidewalks, bike lanes)

30. OUTREACH & ADVOCACY
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• Provided feedback at meetings
• Met with council members, staff
• Kept focus on El Camino Real

31. KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
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• Affordable housing: Prioritized!
• Biking on El Camino: Supported!
• Focused development: Endorsed!

32. U R I PA C H T E R , P R O J E C T M A N A G E R
U PA C H T E R @ G R E E N B E LT. O R G
( 4 1 5 ) 5 4 3 6 7 7 1 x 3 2 7

33. CITY OF SAN MATEO’S
SUSTAINABLE STREETS PLAN
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Complete Streets +
Green Streets =
Sustainable Streets

34. PUBLIC OUTREACH
• Four workshops
• Community survey
• Taste and Talk Series
• Fact sheets

35. COMMUNITY DESIGN
WORKSHOP

36. COMMUNITY VISION
September 2013

37. COMMUNITY VALUES
• Community/Friendship
• Environment/Parks/Beauty
• Vibrant Downtown
• Safety
• Location
• Weather/Climate
• Walkable/Transit Access
• Healthy
• Family

38. VISION ZERO
• “No loss of life is acceptable” on San Mateo streets
• Emphasis on complete streets and traffic calming to reduce
injury incidence and severity

39. REALMS OF THE STREET

40. STREET DESIGN PRINCIPLES
• Pedestrians are top priority
• Local priorities above regional
needs
• Accommodation for all users
• Safety through design
• Action, observation, improvement
• Sustainable Streets include Green
Streets
• Design proactively, not reactively

41. WORKSHOP #2:
EL CAMINO REAL

42.  Vision to improve
bicyclist and pedestrian
safety while still
accommodating current
and anticipated levels of
vehicular travel, transit,
and parking
 Road diet (six lanes to
four)
 Extended sidewalks
 Raised one-way cycle
tracks
EL CAMINO REAL

43. EL CAMINO REAL @ 3RD
AVENUE
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44. 44
EL CAMINO REAL @ 3RD
AVENUE

45. 45
EL CAMINO REAL @ 3RD
AVENUE

46. 46
EL CAMINO REAL @ 3RD
AVENUE

47. 47
EL CAMINO REAL @ 3RD
AVENUE

48. SILICON VALLEY BICYCLE
COALITION
Emma Shlaes
Policy Manager
Emma@BikeSiliconValley.org
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49. 49
Mission to create a healthy community, environment, and economy
through bicycling for people who live, work, or play in San Mateo and
Santa Clara Counties.
Advocacy Initiatives
1. Vision Zero
2. Connecting Our Communities
4. Smooth Streets and Trails
5. Safe and Comfortable Freeway Crossings
6. Bikes + Transit

50. EL CAMINO REAL INITIATIVE:
WHY BIKE ON EL CAMINO REAL?
• Best north-south route
• Access to shops, services, jobs,
school, residences
• Access to transit
• People are already using it –
need for safety

51. TRAFFIC COLLISIONS

52. WHAT WE DON’T WANT
TO SEE

53. WHAT WE WOULD LOVE
TO SEE

55. BIKES ARE GOOD FOR
BUSINESS
49% -Increase in retail sales
-Fewer commercial vacancies
After a protected bike lane installed in NYC:
When new bikes lanes installed on Valencia St.
in SF:
2/3 Of merchants saw a positive impact
on their business
A study in Toronto concluded that those who
arrive by bike or foot spend more $$/month
than those who arrived by car.

56. SILICON VALLEY BICYCLE
COALITION
Emma Shlaes
Policy Manager
Emma@BikeSiliconValley.org
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57. Questions & Answers from the
panelists
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PANEL DISCUSSION

58. Megan Channell, AICP| ICF International, GBI Project Manager| channellm@samtrans.com
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Eric Anderson, AICP| City of Mountain View| eric.anderson2@mountainview.gov
Ken Chin| City of San Mateo| Kchin@cityofsanmateo.org
Emma Shlaes | Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition| emma@bikesiliconvalley.org
Uri Pachter| Greenbelt Alliance| upachter@greenbelt.org
THANK YOU!