Palo Alto plans to reform bike lanes on San Antonio Road to promote safety, along with 16 other near-term projects detailed in the 2026 Bike and Pedestrian Transportation Plan.

According to the updated draft plan, the $4.2 million project would construct separated bikeways on San Antonio Road to replace the shared bike and car lanes.

The construction, if adopted by Palo Alto City Council in December, would be scheduled to be completed by 2028.

Palo Alto Senior Transportation Planner Ozzy Arce said the proposal to develop San Antonio Road bike lanes was prompted by an increase in housing units expected in the next few years.

“The City approved zoning for new housing units to be built in this area, and adequate biking and pedestrian infrastructure should also complement that development,” Arce said.

Arce emphasized that the city’s key objective is to implement infrastructure on light-traffic streets.

“The City is prioritizing the projects that are on the low-stress network, [meaning] high comfort, tree-lined streets with fewer traffic emissions, lots of focus on bicycle boulevards,” Arce said.

Palo Alto Chief Transportation Official Ria Lo said the projects would improve safety for school commuters.

“It [BPTP] would be improving the attractiveness and the safety of those facilities,” Lo said.

According to Palo Alto Planning and Transportation Commission Chair Allen Akin, city planners incorporated community opinion from residents and advocacy organizations in their decisions.

With Palo Alto recognized as a Gold-Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists, Arce stressed the importance of designing transportation networks that consider everyone.

“All ages and abilities covers school-age students, but it also covers older adults who want to remain active by biking — using it as a resource to get around and for recreational purposes as well,” Arce said. “If we’re planning for all levels of bikers …  then we create facilities that are inviting for all.”