University Avenue Streetscape Project

• Project typeTraffic and Transportation

Project Overview

Palo Alto is widely known as the birthplace of Silicon Valley and has a rich history of innovation that attracts people from all over the world. University Avenue serves as a focal point of Palo Alto’s downtown and is a unique commercial district serving residents, visitors and businesses and is the main route to Stanford University. University Avenue is a regional and local public destination for shopping, dining, and entertainment. 

The University Avenue Streetscape Project is intended to facilitate people-centric activities and create a more vibrant and inclusive space that would support residents, visitors, and local businesses. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted local businesses and the City closed a section of University Avenue to facilitate outdoor dining and enhance the retail experience in an effort to support these businesses. Although University Avenue was re-opened to vehicular traffic in Fall 2021, the City launched the University Avenue Streetscape Project, a new effort to build upon this experience and reimagine infrastructure changes enhancing this important commercial district and re-shaping the future of University Ave. an Downtown Palo Alto alike. 

Project Vision

Celebrate the unique character of the “Birthplace of Silicon Valley” by creating a vibrant, visually attractive streetscape with spaces and elements that enhance the visitor experience, provide safe access for pedestrians and bicyclists, and encourage shopping, dining, and gathering.

Project Goals

• Showcase unique character of University Avenue and Palo Alto as ‘Birthplace of Silicon Valley’ 
• Accentuate and enhance the retail experience
• Maximize pedestrian and bicycle use
• Maintain vital 2-way vehicular access
• Maintain parking opportunities
• Maintain delivery and loading zones, rideshare spaces
• Include performance space between Alma and Middlefield Road
• Explore opportunities to present public art and provide technology exhibits
• Create gathering spaces
• Maximize opportunities for outdoor dining
• Explore cost-effective interim measures to show progress

Accomplishing these goals could require re-designing streets, widening sidewalks, and re-aligning curbs and utilities, and re-configuring and parking areas. A funding strategy to fund this major infrastructure investment will also need to be developed as part of the project scope and could include establishing an assessment district.

Scope of Work

The project implements a phased approach to develop a concept for University Avenue. Phase 1 focuses on public outreach to understand needs. This effort in coordination with a series of technical studies will result in a preferred plan that will be presented to Council. Upon Council’s review of the preferred plan, future phases including design, bidding and construction would be developed.

Phase 1

• Stakeholder coordination and public outreach.
• Data collection to define the existing conditions such as tree health, utility conditions, and general topography.
• Transportation assessment, which includes vehicles, transit, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
• Conceptual design alternatives for University Avenue.
• A community preferred plan for University Avenue.
• Cost estimate, funding and assessment planning.

Community Engagement

Since University Avenue is a place of importance to the entire Palo Alto community, the City plans a robust stakeholder engagement process. This will include soliciting input from a stakeholder working group, the downtown and the greater Palo Alto community, and various Boards, Commissions, and Committees. Engagement will occur through meetings and surveys and updates will be provided through the City’s various communication channels. Regular updates will also be provided at the Retail Committee. Stakeholder engagement planned will help inform the City Council decision making process.

Downtown Community and Palo Alto Community at Large

• Engagement through social media, printed and e-newsletters, utility inserts, project web page and Palo Alto Connect blog, tabling at community events, and Open Town Hall surveys

Boards, Commissions, and Committees

• Engage BCCs after Council provides direction on vision and preliminary design
• Architectural Review Board, Historic Review Board, Pedestrian/Bike Advisory Committee, Planning/Transportation Commission, Public Art Commission

Retail Committee and City Council

• Regular updates to the Retail Committee and to City Council at key milestones
  
  

Past Meetings

Prior to the June 3, 2024 Council meeting, the City hosted four Block Ambassadors focus group meetings between November 2022 and November 2023, a community workshop on March 1, 2023, a community online survey from March 2 through April 9, 2023, a Council meeting in December 2023 and two Retail Committee meeting

Project Background

Council directed staff in 2021 to study transforming the University Avenue streetscape. The University Avenue Streetscape project was initiated in 2022. Extensive community and stakeholder engagement was conducted between late 2022 and August 2023 and included multiple stakeholder and technical advisory committee meetings, community meetings, and a community survey.

On December 18, 2023, staff presented a streetscape feasibility report with three primary streetscape options and a preferred streetscape concept plan to Council, based upon community and stakeholder input. Council directed staff to bring back additional options that further enhance gathering spaces, maximize outdoor dining on sidewalks and in parklets, provide alternatives for bicycle and vehicular traffic, and reflect the historic nature of Palo Alto as the birthplace of Silicon Valley. Council also asked staff to develop a more inclusive stakeholder strategy. 

On June 3, 2024, staff presented additional concept designs and re-affirmed Council support for the project vision and goals. Staff also presented a robust stakeholder strategy. Council supported staff recommendations and directed staff to initiate the stakeholder engagement strategy and bring back a preferred concept design, along with options for lower cost alternatives.

Project Timeline

Project Documents

• December 2023 Council staff report(PDF, 9MB)
• June 3, 2024 Council staff report