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At a recent Redwood City Council meeting city staff presented the proposed Capital Improvement Program for fiscal year 2025–26 as part of a five-year capital plan, with the majority of funds allocated to transportation infrastructure improvements.
No formal votes were taken during the meeting on Monday, April 14, but council members provided input to help shape the final budget before it is brought back for approval.
As currently proposed, the city would allocate about $72.9 million across all funding sources to support 59 capital projects in fiscal year 2025–26. Of that amount, about $31.3 million would go toward improving roads, sidewalks, traffic signals and road safety.
The proposed budget allocates $300,000 for installing protected and buffered bike lanes on El Camino Real and $250,000 for designing a new bike facility and pedestrian improvements along Bay Road from 5th to 15th avenues. An additional $124,000 is set aside for ADA upgrades and pedestrian safety improvements at El Camino Real and James Avenue, near Sequoia High School and the Caltrain station. About $100,000 is dedicated to installing 10 to 15 rectangular rapid flashing beacons at pedestrian crossings near schools.
Council members broadly supported staff’s recommendation to allocate the largest share of CIP funds to transportation.
Council member Isabella Chu requested increased funding for traffic safety, especially protected bike lanes, pedestrian crossings and school zone improvements.
“I would take a C-minus in almost everything else if we were an A-plus in safe streets,” Chu said.
A recommendation in the budget sets aside $20,000 for the Essential Wheels e-Bike Loaner Program, to lend e-bikes to essential workers, such as restaurant and hospital staff, for commuting to their workplaces.
California’s new Daylighting law, which took effect on Jan. 1, prohibits parking within 20 feet of any crosswalk, marked or unmarked. Following this, the staff proposed investing $300,000 to paint red curbs near crosswalks to improve visibility and comply with the law.
The proposed budget includes $7 million for the Roadway Pavement Management Program, which funds road repairs, crack sealing and resurfacing. The project aims to conduct annual evaluations to assess street conditions and identify which ones need resurfacing or repairs.
“If we were to prioritize more road traffic safety, the traffic safety program, including protected bike lanes, we could actually reduce our ongoing long term road repair costs that are included in that pavement program budget,” Council member Chris Sturken said.
Staff has recommended investing $13.3 million in the upcoming fiscal year for the reconstruction of the State Route 84/U.S. Highway 101 interchange—one of the proposed transportation projects aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving access for cyclists and pedestrians, as per a staff report. According to the city, the SR 84/US 101 interchange’s outdated design contributed to 195 collisions between 2018 and 2022. The project has been in the works for years, and the estimated three-year construction timeline is expected to begin in 2027.
The Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan is set to receive $2.2 million to make city infrastructure accessible to all. The city further plans to invest $1.25 million to make the Broadway pedestrian mall permanent by closing Broadway between Jefferson Avenue and Main Street to vehicles. As per the staff report, this involves installing more bollards and barriers around the mall. A portion of these funds will also be used to replace the trash enclosure in the Main Street parking lot. The mall opened as a temporary pandemic measure but gained widespread support for revitalizing downtown and creating a pedestrian-friendly space.
According to Finance Director Beth Goldberg, the city faces a $243 million shortfall over its five-year CIP budget and a $16 million shortfall for fiscal year 2025–26. Due to the shortfall, 18% of identified needs, such as replacing traffic signals, will remain unfunded.
Aileen Chan, a public speaker at the meeting, said the city needs improved bike infrastructure on major roads in Redwood City, especially Woodside Road, Middlefield Road and El Camino Real.
“Using side streets (for riding) isn’t good enough, as drivers tend to speed through and drive through stop signs,” Chan said. “I was T-boned riding to work using a side street.”
During the State of the City address on March 24, the city outlined road safety as one of its top priorities, aiming to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries through its Vision Zero plan.
The council will adopt the final budget on June 23.
