Belmont hopes El Camino upgrades bring safety improvements

Planned improvements along the Belmont stretch of El Camino Real is part of a project known as the Central El Camino Real Multimodal Plan, which would also include San Mateo, San Carlos and Redwood City. The improvements range from less-resource-intensive projects to more capital-intensive initiatives, though the agency is still in the early stages of identifying all the projects that will be included in the plan.

Mayor Julia Mates said during a City Council meeting Sept. 9, that with an increase in housing development along El Camino Real, the plan should prioritize safety for nearby residents.

“We have less control over our land use now, but we should all be in agreement that given the fact the state is mandating so much of the housing be along transit corridors, and El Camino Real is one of those … safety is a priority,” Mates said.

The multimodal plan is one of the projects under the Grand Boulevard Initiative, a nearly 20-year-old effort that includes ECR improvements throughout the entire county. But the Grand Boulevard project has undergone its own twists and turns. The initiative was once focused on housing and land use along the corridor but, with stricter housing mandates from the state, SamTrans recently pivoted to focus more on transit-related projects, though minimal funding has been secured beyond feasibility studies.

Councilmember Gina Latimerlo said she hoped to see better traffic with the upgrades.

“I would love a place for buses to stop that do not interrupt the flow of traffic and do not put people in dangerous situations,” Latimerlo said.

The entire Grand Boulevard Initiative, which includes about 22 miles of redesign, could take up to a decade to complete. SamTrans hopes to finalize the cost, construction schedule and secure necessary funds for the multimodal plan — from San Mateo to Redwood City — by 2026.