Construction on the first phase of pedestrian and cyclist improvements along Embarcadero Road is set to begin this summer after approval by Palo Alto officials.

The approval of the $2.8 million “Embarcadero Road Improvement Project” comes amid concerns over the potential traffic and safety impacts of the proposed Churchill Avenue railroad crossing closure, which would force some Palo Alto High School students to detour through the Embarcadero underpass on their route to school. 

Embarcadero is currently a high-traffic corridor without dedicated bike lanes and wide sidewalks, unlike other common biking routes for Paly students, such as El Camino Real, Park Boulevard and Bryant Street.

The plan is divided into two phases, with the first focusing on the north end of Embarcadero near Paly. The project includes squaring up curb corners to reduce vehicle turning speeds and widening the Embarcadero sidewalk path between Emerson Street and High Street. Additionally, the project eliminates the vehicular slip lane at Kingsley Avenue, which allows cars to merge onto Embarcadero without entering an intersection. 

The second phase would address similar concerns on the portion of Embarcadero Road south of Middlefield Road.

Junior Ethan Zhang, who has ridden his bike to school along Embarcadero, said that while not many cars use the slip lane at Emerson Street, the project could set a precedent for future bike safety improvements.

“There are a lot of cars going down Embarcadero, but not a lot of them turn at that point [Kingsley slip lane],” Zhang said. “But, if they’re fixing one part, they’ll probably take steps towards fixing the issue at Churchill.”

The first phase is expected to be completed before the next school year starts in August.