Improved wayfinding, connections to trail, top concerns for residents

*Photo Credit: Heather Wolnick*
*SVBC volunteers pose for a photo in front of the Bay Trail at Ryder Park in San Mateo. Volunteers provided a safety inspection and/or repaired 30 bicycles free during a bike repair clinic.*

Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition recently reported its recommendations on equitable access to the Bay Trail, finding that San Mateo County residents prefer separate paths for different modes of transportation and improved wayfinding and access to the Bay Trail for residents west of Highway 101.

Top Findings:

Community members want consistent and visible wayfinding, both on the trail itself as well as getting to the trail.
Community members want to improve the bicycle networks to and from the Bay Trail to ensure safer access for neighborhoods west of Highway 101.
Community members want to separate modes of use on the trail so faster-moving uses do not commingle as much with slower-paced uses.
Community members would like micromobility, a category that includes both bicycles, and scooters and other devices, both on and off the trail. These devices can provide a means to get from city-centers and other originations to the trail without a car. SVBC would like to see a regional body such as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) implement a regional micro-mobility program — and getting to the Bay Trail should be an extension of that program.
Most survey respondents said they use the Bay Trail mostly for recreation, compared to 14% who used it as their normal commute to and from points of interest.
Community members want more collaboration from municipalities developing their portions of the Bay Trail to create a consistent experience with respect to cleanliness, trail condition, and wayfinding.
Community members want to mitigate the environmental impact of development near the trail to protect the natural habitat of wildlife and reduce pollution into the Bay.

*Photo Credit: Anthony Montes*
SVBC Volunteer and Advocate Tim Ryan adjusts the brake lines on a bicycle during the bike repair clinic at the Orange Park Farmer’s Market in South San Francisco on July 01, 2023. Volunteers provided a safety inspection and/or repaired between 40-50 bicycles free of charge during the clinic.

These recommendations will help shape the next phase of MTC’s Bay Trail Equity Strategy, which serves as a guiding framework for agency staff and partners as they work to maintain and expand the 500-mile trail around the Bay. This framework was developed through MTC’s Equity Platform to center equity at every stage of the development process. To extend its reach, MTC partnered with SVBC to learn how the Bay Trail can be a place for everyone, of all ages and abilities, in San Mateo County.

As part of the outreach efforts, SVBC conducted a listening session during its April Biketivist Forum. There, participants shared their experiences with the Bay Trail, the current conditions of the trail, and the lack of connectivity. A full debrief of the listening session can be found in the final report here, and you can view a recording of the forum here.

In addition, SVBC created the Bay Trail Access Survey to capture community feedback, and hosted two community engagement events in San Mateo County to collect survey responses. The events were hosted in the North Central and South San Francisco areas, both of which are within or adjacent to an MTC Equity Priority Community Area; these are areas that have a significant concentration of underserved populations, such as households with low incomes and people of color.

SVBC focused on these areas to ensure the voices of minority communities would be a priority, and this was reflected in our survey demographics. The survey was completed by a majority of minority community members, including 45% from those who identify as asian, 35% white, 15% for those who identify as hispanic, and 5% from other minority community members. If compared to US census data in 2020, this demographic closely resembles the current population in San Mateo County.

*Photo Credit: Anthony Montes*
*South San Francisco residents wait for their bicycles to be inspected at the bike repair clinic at the Orange Park Farmer’s Market in South San Francisco on July 01, 2023.*

Both events included a free bike repair clinic, snacks, refreshments, gift cards and other incentives for completing the survey. In total, SVBC repaired at least 80 bicycles, engaged with hundreds of community members, and collected nearly 80 survey responses. This could not have been done without the support of our network of volunteers, bike advocates, and community and public partners.

To that end, we provide a special thanks to the City of South San Francisco, San Mateo County Safe Routes to School, StraightWheel Cycling, the West Coast Farmers Market Association and Coastside on Bikes, for their contributions and support.

What can you do to improve access?

Ultimately, it’s the responsibility of individual cities and jurisdictions to improve and build a network that connects your neighborhood to the Bay Trail. Luckily there is a community of advocates in San Mateo County working on just that!

If you live/work/play in Southern San Mateo County, you can sign up for the City of San Mateo Team, Belmont & San Carlos Team, or the Redwood City Team to learn how you can improve biking in your neighborhood. For those living north of Millbrae, you can sign up for the North San Mateo County Team.

One last thing! MTC is currently receiving feedback for its SFO Gap Study for the Bay Trail. This is a separate study from the one written about in this article. The online survey and map helps the agency understand Bay Trail use, key factors for the new Bay Trail segment, key destinations in the study area, and route preferences.

The survey and map will close on September 30, 2023, and it is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese.