Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Steve Monowitz, Director of Planning and Building
Subject: San Mateo County Transportation Authority Cycle 8 Pedestrian and Bicycle Program Call for Projects funding request for the Midcoast Multi-Modal Trail - Carlos Street Gap Closure Project
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution supporting the Midcoast Multi-Modal Trail - Carlos Street Gap Closure Project and authorizing submittal of an application to the San Mateo County Transportation Authority for Cycle 8 Pedestrian and Bicycle Program Funding.
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BACKGROUND:
The Midcoast Multi-Modal Trail (Trail) is envisioned to be a separated bicycle and pedestrian trail on the east side of State Route 1 (SR-1) that will allow residents of and visitors to the unincorporated San Mateo County Midcoast to safely access neighboring communities, town centers, schools, and recreational destinations without having to drive on the highway.
The Trail was conceptualized in the community-developed Highway 1 Safety and Mobility Improvement Study (2012) and reaffirmed in Connect the Coastside: The San Mateo County Midcoast Comprehensive Transportation Management Plan (2022). The Trail is envisioned to span from Montara south to Miramar, where it will connect with the Naomi Patridge Trail in Half Moon Bay, providing for a continuous, regional bicycle and pedestrian trail. Portions of the Trail have also been identified by the Parks Department as part of the Ohlone-Portolà Heritage Trail, which is envisioned as a 90-mile trail alignment highlighting the role of the Ramaytush Ohlone in guiding the 1769 expedition led by Gaspar de Portolá.
From 2014 to 2022, the County dedicated resources and secured external funding to plan, design, permit and construct the first 0.8-mile section of the Trail in El Granada from Coronado Street to Mirada Road.
DISCUSSION:
Since 2021, the County, San Mateo County Transportation Authority (TA) and Caltrans have been collaborating on the Moss Beach State Route 1 Congestion and Safety Improvements Project (Moss Beach Project) (see <https://www.smcgov.org/planning/moss-beach-sr-1>). The Moss Beach Project is currently in the project approval and environmental review phase. Improvements under consideration include: intersection controls (signals or roundabouts) at the intersections of State Route 1 (SR-1) with 16th Street, California Avenue, and Cypress Avenue; marked pedestrian crosswalks; Class 2 bike lanes on SR-1; bus stop improvements; and improvements to the portions of the Trail where it is aligned in the Caltrans right of way from Marine Boulevard to Etheldore Street and from Carlos Street to 14th Street. The Moss Beach Project does not include the portion of the Trail outside of the Caltrans right of way on Carlos Street from Etheldore Street to SR-1.
To address this gap, the Planning and Building Department (Department) secured technical assistance from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and, in 2025, completed the Carlos Street Midcoast Multimodal Parallel Trail Gap Closure Project Feasibility Study (Study) (see <https://www.smcgov.org/media/158507/download?inline=>). The Study identified a concept for the Trail on Carlos Street (Attachment A), which includes a proposed Trail alignment and roadway upgrades necessary to implement the Trail, key issues to address during the environmental phase, and an opinion of probable cost. Coastside Fire Protection District was consulted during the Study and subsequently confirmed that Carlos Street will need to be widened to meet minimum fire apparatus access requirements as a necessary component of the proposed project.
The Department is seeking $1,530,000 from the San Mateo County Transportation Authority’s Cycle 8 Pedestrian and Bicycle Program for the environmental and plans, specifications, and estimates phases for the Midcoast Multi-Modal Trail - Carlos Street Gap Closure Project (Carlos Street Project). This funding, if received, would require matching funds from the County in an amount up to $170,000.
The San Mateo County Transportation Authority requires submission of a resolution of local support for the Project to qualify for funding.
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
The Carlos Street Project will positively impact residents and visitors in Moss Beach, including youth, older adults, and those with no or limited access to a vehicle by increasing multimodal transportation options to access local resources such as the Post Office, central Moss Beach businesses, Moss Beach Park, church, and coastal resources. The Project’s goal is to increase safety for people walking and bicycling by providing a dedicated bicycle and walking path. It will also provide a direct connection for future residents of the Cypress Point Affordable Housing Community, a 71-unit multi-family project located at Carlos Street and Sierra Street, to the community’s local resources.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The County will need to identify a source for and provide up to $170,000 in required matching funds if the County is awarded the requested $1,530,000 in funding through the Cycle 8 Pedestrian and Bicycle Program Call for Projects.
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Project Area Map and Build Alternative