Palo Alto's bike boulevards

A bicycle boulevard is a quiet street that has been tuned for bikes. Cars are still allowed, but the design keeps them slow and discourages through traffic, so people on bikes can ride in the lane comfortably. The City of Palo Alto puts it simply: "a shared street design where vehicles and bicycles operate in the same space at low speeds."

Palo Alto has a special claim here. The city calls Bryant Street "the first Bicycle Boulevard implemented in the United States." The city dates it to the 1970s; Palo Alto Online reported its opening in 1982. Decades later, bike boulevards are the backbone of the city's new bike plan. This page lays out the network as the city publishes it, the projects in progress and on hold, the key crossings and where to park. For route ideas, the Bay Trail and riding in the hills, see our main guide to biking in Palo Alto.

Bryant Street, the original

Bryant Street runs north to south through the middle of the city, a few blocks east of Alma Street and the railroad. Its official name is the Ellen Fletcher Bicycle Boulevard, after Ellen Fletcher, the former council member and bike advocate who championed it. The city's Bryant Street project page gives its current extent as Palo Alto Avenue, at the north edge of town, to East Meadow Drive in south Palo Alto.

The route passes through downtown, Professorville, Old Palo Alto and Midtown. It is the natural bike route between downtown and the southern neighborhoods, running parallel to busier Middlefield Road.

Planned updates

The city has two Bryant Street projects on its books:

• An update from Palo Alto Avenue to East Meadow Drive, with sharrow markings, bicycle boulevard branding signs and possible added traffic calming "depending on community preferences." The city notes these improvements were not built in the first phase of its program.
• An extension from East Meadow Drive to the southern city limits, reaching San Antonio Road by way of Nelson Drive and MacKay Drive. The city lists the streets as Redwood Circle, Carlson Court, Ely Place, Duncan Place, Creekside Drive, Nelson Drive, Shasta Drive and MacKay Drive.

The newer boulevards

In the 2010s the city set out to extend the idea across town under a program called Neighborhood Traffic Safety and Bicycle Boulevards. The city's program page describes the goal as building out the bicycle boulevard network with traffic calming "to create low-stress bicycle routes." According to a city FAQ, a 2014 City Council infrastructure plan set aside $20 million to carry out the city's 2012 Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan, which funded this work.

Ross Road was a centerpiece of Phase 1. The city's FAQ says it was chosen because it links up with Bryant Street and creates a safe crossing of Oregon Expressway. The 2012 plan had also named it as a future bike boulevard. The new features drew mixed community feedback. A City Council staff report on February 24, 2020 reviewed traffic data and community feedback and recommended changes, most of which were put in place.

Then the program paused. The city says that "as of 2021, NTSBB projects are on hold pending the development of a Citywide Community Engagement plan." No public meetings were scheduled on the program page in October 2026.

The tools the city uses

The city's FAQ lists the traffic calming tools behind these projects:

• Bulbouts, curb extensions at corners that narrow the road and shorten crossings.
• Chicanes, alternating curb extensions or islands that make drivers weave and slow down.
• Raised intersections, speed tables about 3 inches high across a whole crossing.
• Roundabouts, where drivers yield on entry and circle a center island.
• Slotted speed humps, which slow cars while letting wider emergency vehicles pass.
• Shared lane markings and wayfinding signs that tell drivers to expect bikes.

The 2026 bike plan

On June 15, 2026 the City Council adopted the 2026 Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan. It updates the 2012 plan and puts bike boulevards first. The city says its primary strategy "prioritizes neighborhood-based Bicycle Boulevards." In public outreach, residents rated them the most comfortable and familiar type of bikeway, with fewer tradeoffs for traffic and parking.

The plan's main numbers, as the city summarizes them:

1. A 10-year framework with 19 miles of near-term enhancements.
2. 25 priority bicycle projects.
3. Intersection and crossing upgrades, described as "over 20" in the overview and listed as 25 projects in the project section.
4. Protected bike lanes on high-traffic gateway corridors that lack a safe parallel route.
5. New Pedestrian Districts.

The low-stress network in the plan rests mainly on shared-use paths and bike boulevards. Adoption does not mean construction. Each project still needs funding and design, so check the city's transportation pages for what is actually being built.

Paths and crossings on the city map

A bike boulevard is only as good as its crossings. The city's 2025 Palo Alto Bicycle Routes map labels these off-street paths and grade-separated crossings:

The two tunnels matter most for everyday riders. The Homer Tunnel crosses under the tracks a few blocks south of Palo Alto station. The California Avenue tunnel runs under the platforms at California Avenue station. The Bol Park path is covered in our Bol Park guide. The Adobe Creek bridge over Highway 101 leads to the shoreline and the Bay Trail.

Where to park your bike

Palo Alto has plenty of racks but they are not always where riders want them. A city survey on December 14, 2023, published as part of the new plan, counted bike parking in and around downtown:

• 679 spaces at 142 locations along University Avenue, Hamilton and Lytton avenues and nearby side streets, including the Caltrain station area.
• Inverted U racks were the most common type. About 90 percent of racks were on sidewalks.
• Use was highest near the Caltrain station and along University Avenue. Surveyors saw riders locking to sign poles and trees where racks ran short.

At the train stations, Caltrain lists 178 racks plus BikeLink eLockers at Palo Alto and 33 racks plus eLockers at California Avenue. Lockers are rented by the hour through the BikeLink app. On the Stanford campus, the university counts more than 13,000 bike parking spaces. Wherever you park, use a U-lock through the frame. Bike theft is common near stations and downtown.

Riding the network

Bike boulevards are calm, but they still cross major streets such as Embarcadero Road, Oregon Expressway and East Meadow Drive. Use the signals and crossings provided rather than darting across. Expect children riding to school in the morning and mid-afternoon, especially on Bryant Street. California law requires helmets for riders under 18.

Palo Alto has no bike share program. Bring your own bike, bring one on Caltrain or rent one. You can compare bike rentals near Palo Alto online, or ask at a local shop listed in our bike shops guide.

Frequently asked questions