San Rafael Adopts Bike and Pedestrian Roadmap as Renters Press for Protections

San Rafael now has a long-range plan for walking and biking. On Oct. 19, 2026, the City Council unanimously adopted its 2026 Citywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, which lists 122 projects. The mayor questioned how little weight the plan gives to safety. The council also approved a $2.9M rebuild of the 2nd and 4th Street intersection and an $817,000 wildland fire truck, while tenant families urged protections before winter storms arrive.

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• Bike and Pedestrian Plan adopted 5-0, with 23 priority projects estimated at $70M to $90M
• Mayor objects to lower safety weighting, which fell from 48% to 15% of project scoring
• $2.9M 2nd and 4th Street rebuild approved 4-0 with Councilmember Hill recused
• Neighbors warn closing the Marquard left turn could push traffic onto narrow hillside streets
• Organized renters demand emergency protections, and the issue returns in November
• $817,000 wildland fire apparatus funded 5-0 after a councilmember pulled it from consent

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Bike Plan Passes, but Safety Weighting Draws Fire

Why it matters: An adopted plan keeps San Rafael eligible for state and regional grants. The 23 top projects carry an estimated cost of $70M to $90M. Over the past eight years, the city won about $47M to $49M in grants.

The basics: The 2026 plan replaces the 2018 version. It adds design guidelines and a pedestrian priority network. Public Works and consultant Parametrics built it over two rounds of community engagement. They reported that 17 projects from the 2018 plan are complete. The new plan has seven chapters and uses equity data in its prioritization.

Where things stand: The biggest change is in how projects are ranked. Network connectivity is now the main scoring criterion. Safety counts for much less than it did in 2018.

“In 2018, safety added up to 48% of the overall prioritization score. And as noted, that has reduced to 15% of the 2026 priority score,” said Jimmy Jessup, transportation planner with Parametrics.

Staff argued that safety is covered in other ways. The separate Local Road Safety Plan addresses crash-based safety. Projects also get a second safety score in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Traffic calming and roadway safety programs fill other gaps.

Mayor Kate Colin was not fully persuaded. She cited Vision Zero, the goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries. “I’d rather have them total to 20 because of that priority,” she said.

Councilmember Eli Hill asked how the city will measure results. “One of the unfortunate statistics that I would like for us to have better visibility to is KSI, which is killed or seriously injured,” he said. Public Works said collisions are trending down. Staff added that Miovision traffic-count data could be included in annual metrics.

The other side: Vice Mayor Rachel Kertz asked for more attention to pedestrians, older adults and accessibility. “We need to reprioritize in terms of that focus,” she said.

Earlier, during open public comment, Danielle Mahoney, a Country Club neighborhood resident, said neighbors on Point San Pedro Road fear permanently losing street parking to bike striping.

Advocates backed the plan. Phil Mooney, a Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee member, praised staff and the consultants. Shane Trimmer, policy and planning director of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, welcomed two features. One is "dig-once" coordination with paving, which builds bike improvements during scheduled street work. The other is guidance for bicycle boulevards. He also asked the city to add a level-of-stress map.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Vice Mayor Kertz moved to adopt the plan, and Councilmember Maika Llorens Gulati seconded. Vote: For: 5 (Colin, Kertz, Llorens Gulati, Bushey, Hill), Against: 0, Absent: 0.

Councilmembers asked staff for three things:

• A regular progress-reporting cycle
• A project table showing each project's previous and current rank
• A sharper focus on older adults and accessibility

Cyclists and grant-seeking staff come out ahead. Pedestrian and safety advocates will want to watch how the CIP's safety scoring applies the plan in practice.

What's next: Staff will need to return with a progress-reporting framework. Individual projects will compete for funding through the CIP.

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2nd and 4th Rebuild Approved Over Neighbor Worries

Why it matters: The redesign cuts pedestrian crossings at the intersection from about five to two and keeps emergency access. It changes turning movements for about 45,000 daily vehicles. It also eliminates the westbound left turn onto Marquard Avenue.

Where things stand: The project is funded with OBAG 3 regional grant money and gas tax revenue. Construction will take about four months in five phases, with some night work. The design includes:

• A business access lane
• A pedestrian refuge island
• A raised median to deter non-emergency left turns

Staff are also coordinating the work with Marin Water and PG&E.

Traffic studies by Kimley Horn and Parametrics found less delay at the intersection itself and some added delay nearby. “The delay at the intersection is being reduced across all peak times on average with the implementation of the project,” said Graham Melgaard, senior civil engineer. Staff declined Parametrics' recommendation to remove parking with red curbs on East and West Streets.

The other side: Mike Moore, a West Street resident, opposed removing the left turn. He said diverted traffic would land on narrow streets and asked the council to keep the turn or commit to further study. Victoria DeWitt asked how navigation apps and delivery routing would affect the neighborhood, and what mitigation the city would offer.

Staff responded with several points:

• About 300 vehicles make the left turn each day, and many already use West End Avenue.
• Truck restriction signs are planned.
• The signal at Greenfield Avenue will be adjusted.
• Cameras will monitor traffic.
• No new red curb will be added beyond what state rules require.

Mayor Colin asked about "local traffic only" signs and about working with Google and Apple on their mapping apps. “There is no one solution that’s going to please everybody,” she said.

Supporters included Matthew Hartzell, director of planning at TAM, who suggested sign maps for future complex projects. Dave Rhoads, co-chair of a local walk-bike advocacy group, backed the design but asked for larger bike queue boxes and a bollard on the median.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Councilmember Hill recused himself because his residence is within 500 feet of the project. Vice Mayor Kertz moved both resolutions.

• Construction contract: $2,297,267, plus a $577,733 contingency, for a total not to exceed $2,875,000. The project is exempt from state environmental review (CEQA) as a minor alteration of existing facilities. Vote: For: 4 (Colin, Kertz, Llorens Gulati, Bushey), Against: 0, Recused: 1 (Hill).
• Construction management, inspection and testing agreement: not to exceed $573,908. Vote: For: 4 (Colin, Kertz, Llorens Gulati, Bushey), Against: 0, Recused: 1 (Hill).

Pedestrians and through-traffic gain from the new design. West and East Street residents carry the risk of diverted traffic, and the actual effects won't be known until construction is finished.

What's next: Staff promised signage, signal timing changes and monitoring. “We would love to keep hearing from residents on what they’re seeing,” said April Miller, public works director.

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Renters Press for Protections Before Storms

Why it matters: Tenant families say they have been asking for protections since August. They fear displacement or having their homes red-tagged as unsafe once El Niño storms arrive. The council took no action Monday.

The basics: Advocates asked for three main policies:

• Rent stabilization, which caps annual rent increases
• Just-cause eviction rules, which require a stated reason for an eviction
• A ban on RUBS, short for ratio utility billing systems, which split utility costs among tenants by formula

Where things stand: An organized group of English- and Spanish-speaking commenters, several tied to Parent Voices, made a coordinated appeal.

• Amarantha Silva, a Parent Voices California community organizer, asked for three commitments: put available emergency protections in place now, publish a timeline for comprehensive renter protections, and say what the city will do before November.
• Cecily Gramajo asked for a moratorium on rent increases and on disaster-related no-fault evictions.
• Maria Petsch asked for an emergency plan before the storms, saying she fears a red tag and eviction.
• Aura Sarat of Parent Voices asked the city to close gaps affecting subleasers and to guarantee tenants a right to return after repairs.
• Beatriz Chan, a Canal child-care provider, said displacement harms children.
• Dalia Chan Rosado asked for clarity on what happens before November.
• A Marin Tenant Power Committee representative cited a BAFA eviction report.

The other side: Kira, a public commenter, argued that the council's subcommittee format shuts out affected tenants. Mayor Colin disputed that. “Our subcommittee meetings are actually open public meetings that are both recorded, and you can participate in person,” she said.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: At the mayor's request, staff confirmed the item will return in November. Renters remain without interim protections until then.

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Wildland Fire Truck Clears 5-0

Councilmember Maribeth Bushey pulled the $817,000 purchase from the consent calendar. “I’d like to request that item 2G be held from the consent calendar due to the amount of the appropriation and the importance of wildfire preparation,” she said.

The vehicle is a four-wheel-drive unit that pumps 500 gallons per minute and carries 500 gallons of water. It also serves California Mutual Aid strike teams, which send local crews to fires elsewhere in the state. “Our larger fire engines that are designed for structural firefighting cannot make it up some of those roads there,” said Abe Roman, fire chief.

The money comes from the vehicle replacement fund. City Manager Paul Navazio said the request was submitted during budget planning but left off the final list. He added that replacement funds have not kept pace with rising costs.

Bushey moved approval. Vote: For: 5, Against: 0, Absent: 0.

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• Consent items 2A-2F passed 5-0. Gregory Andrew, a public commenter, flagged a gap on the 350 Merrydale item: $106,000 in the staff report versus $159,000 in the agreement. He also urged that contracts like the Northgate plan agreement be discussed openly rather than approved on consent.
• City moving to sanrafael.gov: Website and email addresses are changing to meet federal requirements.
• Sanitation and finance: Bushey reported consolidation steps at the Central Marin Sanitation Agency (CMSA) and a $5M payment toward unfunded pension liabilities. Hill said the Finance Subcommittee is reviewing sanitary rates, affordable housing fee waivers and storm drain funding gaps.
• Proclamation: The council proclaimed Oct. 28 National First Responders Day.
• Successor Agency: Meeting as the Successor Agency to the former redevelopment agency, the council voted 5-0 to dissolve it.

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Looking ahead: Tenant protections return to the council in November. The 2nd and 4th Street rebuild will run about four months once it begins.