Action Alert: Support Dumbarton Corridor Bike/Ped Path

Action AlertAdvocacyDumbartonFeatured
Written By Shiloh Ballard

Lance Armstrong Bikeway, Texas; Source: Rails-to-Trails ConservancyWould you like to bike on an off-street path between Redwood City and East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, or across Dumbarton bridge?That dream could be a reality as Samtrans is wrapping up a study on the Dumbarton Corridor, which analyzes transportation needs and opportunities along this 4.8-mile, 100-foot wide abandoned rail corridor that connects downtown Redwood City to North Fair Oaks, Menlo Park, and finally the Dumbarton bridge. Improvements could include a bike and pedestrian trail, commuter rail, bus rapid transit (BRT), and more.Take Action: We need you to email Samtrans Board of Directors before their August 2 meeting at board@samtrans.com with your support for a bike/ped trail on the Dumbarton Corridor.A paved bike/ped trail within the Dumbarton Rail Corridor would:

  • Provide a safe and critical bicycle/pedestrian transportation connection from across the Dumbarton Bridge to downtown Redwood City and destinations in between.
  • Reduce traffic congestion, particularly during commute hours.
  • Create recreational and health opportunities and safe routes to destinations in communities underserved by safe bicycle and pedestrian transportation alternatives, including North Fair Oaks, Ravenswood, and East Palo Alto.
  • Be a transportation option for short trips compatible with a parallel rail and/or bus transit.

The current bike network in this area is disconnected and intimidating. This area in particular sees one of the highest concentrations of bicycle and pedestrian collisions in the county. The Dumbarton Rail Corridor offers a unique opportunity to prove an off-street trail bypassing some of the major barriers in the area.Similar high quality recreational and transportation experiences found regionally including the Stevens Creek Trail, Guadalupe River Trail and Los Gatos Creek Trail are extremely popular and connect downtown transit hubs, major employment, and residential areas. Google’s average daily counts of bicyclists on the Stevens Creek Trail are as high as 1,700. In 2016, the Guadalupe River Trail at Coleman Avenue serviced 1,269 users daily on average; a 30% increase from the prior year and a continual increase since the first year of counts. Similarly, Los Gatos Creek Trail at Hamilton Avenue had 1,380 users daily in 2016; a 21% increase from the previous year. The Dumbarton Rail Corridor’s similar proximity to city centers, residential neighborhoods, and employment hubs, as well as its potential to close bike/ped transportation gaps suggest it would experience similar usage.Trails adjacent to rail or other transit are becoming more common and are overall very safe. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s report, America’s Rails-with-Trails documents that in 2014, there were nearly 1,400 miles of multiuse trails next to active rail lines in the United States. The study found only one fatality in twenty years (1992-2012) on such a facility.The Samtrans Board of Directors and your local elected officials need to hear if you support a multiuse trail on this corridor. Use (and edit) the bulleted points above to express why it is important to you and your community.Take Action: Email Samtrans Board of Directors before their August 2 meeting at board@samtrans.com with your support for a bike/ped trail and copy emma@bikesiliconvalley.org.You can also encourage your city council and complete streets committees to get involved by emailing them or attending a meeting:

If you’d like to receive updates about this campaign, please email Policy Manager, Emma Shlaes, emma@bikesiliconvalley.org with the subject line: Dumbarton.SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Shiloh Ballard
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