On June 2, the Northern California Section of the American Planning Association presented the 2017 Award of Merit for comprehensive planning for a small jurisdiction to the East Palo Alto General Plan Update and Westside Area Plan. Patrick Siegman led the transportation aspects of the plan, as part of a team led by Raimi + Associates.

The Plan provides a comprehensive strategy for addressing the city’s many pressing needs, from housing affordability, to public health, to infrastructure deficiencies, to sustainability. Key transportation strategies include a Vision Zero policy, which places safety first and foremost; supportive policies and plans for traffic calming, bicycle, and pedestrian networks; transit-priority streets; new bicycle and pedestrian-friendly street types; and performance measures that prioritize safety over roadway widening. The plan also replaces a proposed high-speed bayfront expressway with a bicycle and pedestrian trail that reconnects the city to its waterfront.

The plan was unanimously adopted by the City Council in 2016 and implementation is underway.

Image courtesy of Raimi + Associates