The San Carlos Station is accessible from a both the east and west sides of the city, but pedestrians and cyclists alike confront a number of north-south barriers including El Camino Real, the grade separated tracks, and Old County Road. On either side of this cumulative barrier, and throughout the rest of San Carlos, pedestrian circulation is fairly unimpeded and comfortable, as traffic speeds are usually moderate on streets other and El Camino and Old County Road.

A traffic study commissioned by the City as part of the East Side Specific Plan was nearing completion at the time of this study and may offer additional insight into the issue of balanced access.

SamTrans buses serving San Carlos and communities to the north and south also use the train station facility as a hub. Local buses circulate and layover in the parking lot to the north of the station, while El Camino buses stop on the street itself.

Issues

San Carlos Caltrain Railroad Trestle Workshop participants generally were pleased with how easy it is to walk around downtown, although some people felt that motorists drive too fast along San Carlos Avenue and pointed out that people take illegal U-turns. New pedestrian improvements under construction will continue to make downtown pedestrian friendly.

El Camino Real, however, drew the most complaints; several groups noted how unpleasant and unsafe it felt to cross or walk along the narrow sidewalks that line the arterial. Groups also noted that the lack of intersections and the continuous landscaped median on El Camino south of San Carlos is problematic.

While it is certainly an improvement on what was there before, the median also blocks pedestrians' line of sight across the street to businesses on the other side, prevents people from crossing, and seems to encourage motorists to drive faster than they would otherwise because the restriction on pedestrian movement causes them to perceive the block as being dominated by cars. (See more discussion of El Camino, below)

The grade separation has a divisive impact and should figure prominently in any discussion of balanced access. Landscaping, such as evergreens, on the west side of Old County would visually buffer the Caltrain rail and soften the berm's wall effect. Participants in the workshop also evaluated the three existing pedestrian connections under the railroad tracks:

• The pedestrian tunnel at Arroyo leading to the undeveloped site on El Camino was felt to be isolated and unpleasant.
• The second pedestrian connection, a wider opening at the station, was felt by workshop participants to be poorly lit and, because depressed and thus not visible, possibly hard to monitor by the police. This passage is cluttered-visually and physically-by landscaping, electrical and utility boxes, newsboxes, etc., further reducing the view corridor through to the other side. In addition, taxis park on the east side of the opening, blocking visibility through both sides.
• Finally, the Holly Street connection was also felt to be un-pleasant. Participants liked the protected sidewalks on Holly Street under the grade separation, but noted that they were a barrier blocking visibility and accessibility to important neighborhood retail uses on Old County Road and Holly street from the sidewalks.

On the east side of the tracks, Old County Road acts as an additional barrier. It is currently about 40 feet wide, with a single lane in each direction (except at Holly where it widens significantly) and space for parking which is used only in some locations. In some locations there are no sidewalks.

Crosswalks are also not well delineated. It was noted that there should also be more incentives for people to make use of improved access to the east side, such as more shops, pocket parks, easy crossings across Old County Road, and wider sidewalks.

Participants felt that Laureola Park's visibility and presence is quite poor, for example, and can be improved with enlarged entrance way signage and clear directions to parking.

Another problem in Old County Road is that taxis at the station tend to conflict with other motorists; they park in the only passenger drop off ("kiss n' ride") area on the east side and regularly exceed the five-minute parking rule. Therefore, there is no space for shuttle buses or cars to pick up and drop off passengers on the east side.

Residents are concerned about commuter parking and traffic speed on side streets. Even now, commuters routinely park on neighborhood streets, taking over parking spaces used by residents to avoid the $1.00 a day parking fee at the station. This problem is reported to be particularly acute when there are large events, such as Giants Games, in San Francisco. Residents are concerned that the new development near the station will exacerbate the situation further.

Finally, groups requested traffic calming measures to slow traffic in local streets, such as additional stop signs and neck-downs (to the east of commercial uses) to help protect residents' quality of life.

One ramification of opting to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment is the necessity to address the many permanent and semi-permanent elements that occupy the sidewalks, which currently present an obstacle course to people walking around downtown. Workshop participants would like to move the propane tank on El Camino Real between Holly and San Carlos Avenue, and Group 4 suggested putting utility boxes underground. Group 5 recommended that bus shelters be reoriented in order to better protect waiting riders from the wind, and also suggested the incorporation of art installation at the sites. Improvements to the comfort and appearance of bus shelters would have a beneficial impact as long as their locations also allow for mutually beneficial relationships with nearby businesses and activities. This is one of many good examples of how the four livability principles feed off each other: balanced access complements a lively downtown mix, and vice versa.

Opportunities

Short TermCrosswalk times across El Camino and Old County Road should be lengthened to better accommodate pedestrians. The crossing signals could also be modified to have an automated crossing phase. The City should more clearly delineate crosswalks with striping or pavers to increase their visibility to motorists.

The city should also develop a bicycle master plan to identify the best routes to encourage commuter and recreational cycling to the station and around the downtown.

More and better signage should be strategically added to direct out-of towners to parking and attractions; a good example of this is the San Carlos sign at the foot of San Carlos Avenue that directs visitors to City Hall and the library. The City is conducting a more detailed analysis of Old CountyRoad, to determine the best use of street space - whether it should be reallocated from parking (which is not completely used today) to additional sidewalks or bicycle route. The city should also evaluate the suggested traffic calming measures and four-way stops signs proposed for residential side streets.

A residential parking permit program (which would prevent commuters from parking on side streets near the station) and perhaps a change to the cost structure of train parking are potential solutions, but local residents should be surveyed about these ideas.

A number of short-term improvements should be made on Old County Road. Intersections at the train station could be enhanced with better marking or pavings. Adding corner pocket parks or cafes at the corner of East San Carlos Avenue and Old County Road would help create a welcoming gateway to the neighborhood and encourage local business. Local artists could improve the visibility to Laureola Park by painting a mural on the concrete wall owned by a repair shop. Opening up the retaining walls to adjacent stores at the northeast and southeast corner of the Old County-Holly intersection with stairs and a landscaped gateway to the shopping center would enhance pedestrian access. Finally, SamTrans and the city should look at re-locating or better managing the taxi waiting and pickup area, and decided whether to provide a dedicated shuttle and "kiss n' ride" on both sides of the station, where community, bus, and train information (schedules and routes) can also be displayed.

Bike lanes and upgraded bus shelters would entice people to leave their cars at home when heading to the train station.

Long-TermA long term, continuous program to make San Carlos' downtown streets - including Old County Road - pedestrian friendly should be undertaken, building on the current improvements at Laurel and San Carlos streets. Downtown sidewalks throughout the City (particularly on Old County Road) should be widened in order to facilitate and encourage pedestrian flow.

New and improved bus shelters and waiting areas would give a higher visibility for transit, while making it more comfortable for transit riders. Better and more closely spaced street lighting would increase pedestrian safety at night.

Pedestrian obstacles, like the propane tank on El Camino Real between Holly and San Carlos Avenue, should be moved, and utility boxes put underground. Improving all the pedestrian walkways under the existing grade separation would facilitate cross-town movement. The existing pedestrian tunnel at Arroyo should be converted into a "paseo" with better lighting that would empty out onto pedestrian plazas on both sides.

Plans should be developed to upgrade the station under crossing when the tracks are widened. In addition, a new pedestrian under crossing through the berms could be introduced in alignment with potential pedestrian access points in the area of the new development.

The location that currently looks most appropriate is near the intersection of Old County Road and Riverton Drive on the east side of the tracks which would go through to Oak Street on the west side of El Camino Real. This new pedestrian under crossing would open up and link to a public space adjacent to the new mixed-use development.