Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan Update

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:

• 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.

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.