Cyclists brave rain to show support for North Fair Oaks

A number of cyclists and Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition members rode in the wet weather to provide comments to the community plan being developed for the North Fair Oaks Community, an unincorporated portion of southern San Mateo County. In a tangible show of support, cyclists (those who rode to the event) in attendance represented over 10% of total attendees.

This meeting was an important venue for cyclists to voice their support for creating a safe and convenient bikeway on Middlefield Rd. This portion of Middlefield Rd. runs through the main commercial portion North Fair Oaks, a one-mile section with a vibrant neighborhood retail area complete with supermarkets, restaurants, a library and community center, and various retail stores selling clothing, gifts, cell phones and other household items.

Currently the Class II bikeway from Menlo Park to Redwood City disappears into a gap with no bikeway and unsafe road conditions at the railroad crossing on Middlefield. Travelling towards Redwood City the bike lane reappears near the newer Costco development before reaching Woodside Rd. The current draft of the San Mateo County Comprehensive Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan proposes an extremely inconvenient re-route to the north (pdf map of proposed detour) via Bay Rd. Many attendees at Saturday's meeting support the idea of streetscape and roadway development that creates a safer street for cyclists and pedestrians and see no need for a reroute from such a destination-rich neighborhood.

Please help support a safe bikeway on Middlefield Rd. in the North Fair Oaks Area by contacting the project manger for the C/CAG sponsored bike plan or San Mateo County Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson's office. Supervisor Jacobs Gibson, of the County's 4th district represents the North Fair Oaks Community.

photo credit: Liz Henry