Belle Haven Traffic Calming Plan implementation

Project typeTraffic and transportation

Temporary bulb out with bollards from Belle Have traffic calming plan pilot

Upcoming construction - Willow Road and Newbridge Street signal shutdown

Willow Road and Newbridge Street signal shutdown - Monday night (Dec. 2) at approximately 9 p.m. to Tuesday (Dec. 3) around 1 p.m.

During this time, the City and Caltrans will turn off the Willow Road and Newbridge Street signal. The signal will be out temporarily to change the signal operation and equipment upgrades on Newbridge Street to improve pedestrian crossings (to cross Willow Road). No operational changes will be made to Willow Road.

These changes are being made as part of our Vision Zero initiative to reduce fatalities in the City of Menlo Park. The new Newbridge Street signal operation will allow pedestrians to cross Willow Road without the danger of facing left-turning vehicles.

During the shut off, major traffic impact is expected due to the intersection operating as a four-way stop. We encourage residents to find alternative routes during the signal shut off, such as Marsh Road or University Avenue.

Note that construction schedules may need to change based on field conditions, materials availability, and other work taking place in the area. Updates will be included in the City's Construction News.

Project Description

The Belle Haven neighborhood is defined as the area bounded by Willow Road on the east, the Dumbarton Rail Corridor on the north, and U.S. Highway 101 on the south. The traffic calming plan has identified a set of improvements to help reduce speeds and cut-through traffic traveling through the neighborhood to reach destinations outside of the area.

On Sept. 21, 2021, the City Council approved the permanent implementation of a modified plan(PDF, 415KB).

Since construction activities started in late 2023, many of the traffic calming improvements have been completed, including all curb extensions (bulbouts), nose islands, and speed tables.

Project background

On Aug. 20, 2019, the City Council approved the final Belle Haven Traffic Calming Plan and adopted Resolution No. 6492 to remove on-street parking for intersection bulbouts. In June 2020, temporary traffic calming measures within City jurisdiction were installed. Also, schematic design plans on third party agency rights of way were submitted to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) for improvements along Ivy Drive (Hetch Hetchy pipelines) and Caltrans for improvements along Willow Road (State Route 114) in October 2020 for initial review.

On March 23, 2021, staff presented to the City Council a set of revisions to the approved implementation process because of the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic, which centered on data collection and a neighborhood wide community survey.

On Sept. 21, 2021, the City Council approved a final changed plan and its permanent implementation.

Since the Sept. 21, 2021 City Council meeting, staff worked with Meta to complete final design of improvements (October 2021 through September 2022) and have been coordinating with Caltrans and SFPUC to receive authorization to complete the improvements outlined in the adopted plan. Delays reaching agreement with these third party agencies have extended the timeframe for implementation of the plan.

In April 2023, the City received all required permits and executed agreements from third party agencies. In July 2023, Beals Martin was selected as the general contractor and construction started in September 2023.