CA: San Mateo City Council opposes Highway 101 connector project

After several members of the public voiced their opposition, the San Mateo City Council voted this week to formally oppose a Caltrans project that would link U.S. Highway 101 and State Route 92.

Opponents argued that widening the highway, a key component of the proposed connector project, would not solve traffic issues and could worsen them due to “induced demand,” the theory that increased highway capacity encourages more driving.

“We all want better and safer infrastructure, but progress in these areas must be balanced against the well-being of less privileged community members,” said Councilmember Danielle Cwirko-Godycki. “Taking parks away from children and homes away from senior citizens, and there are two group homes on Adams Street, to expand highways and build pay-to-play toll lanes for the wealthy is not acceptable.”

The project aims to create a direct managed lane connecting SR 92 with Highway 101 express lanes, according to the proposed project’s website. Currently, drivers using the express lanes must exit and navigate multiple lanes of traffic to reach SR 92, a maneuver the project website states causes congestion and discourages carpooling.

Project proponents believe the connector would improve connectivity, operational efficiency, and encourage carpooling and bus use.

The San Mateo County Transportation Authority, the local agency overseeing transportation projects, noted the connector could potentially alleviate traffic and improve safety by allowing drivers to move between freeways via a ramp, possibly with a toll for single-occupancy vehicles, similar to existing high-occupancy vehicle lanes on Highway 101. Carpool vehicles might be exempt or receive discounted rates.

However, studies indicate the project could require the seizure of 30 or more homes through eminent domain.

The project is still far from final approval.

The environmental study and preliminary design phase are ongoing and expected to conclude by 2026. Detailed design is slated for 2027 to 2029, with construction projected to begin in 2029, pending approvals and funding. Transportation authorities estimate the project cost could exceed $193 million, with potential increases due to future construction costs.

Cwirko-Godycki advocated for prioritizing investments in existing infrastructure and public transportation improvements. She supported the council’s decision to send a letter urging Caltrans and the SMCTA to reconsider the project.

“We will not stand for sliver takings or eminent domain of properties and parks,” Cwirko-Godycki stated.

Opponents, who filled the council chambers on Monday, said the project would negatively impact public transit ridership, potentially requiring increased taxpayer subsidies to maintain viability, and would worsen air pollution in nearby neighborhoods like Fiesta Gardens, potentially increasing childhood asthma rates.

SMCTA representatives acknowledged shortcomings in community outreach prior to the meeting, but emphasized the project’s early stage and invited more public involvement.

Mayor Rob Newsom criticized the proposed managed lanes, questioning their effectiveness for mass transit and noting their increasing use as toll lanes with fluctuating prices that are unaffordable for many.

“The project appears to be diamond lanes to nowhere,” Newsom said. “And while diamond lanes used to be for carpools, HOVs, and commuter buses, now these lanes have become more pay-to-play, and the pricing is all over the place. … I can’t even afford to use these lanes, and many of you, like me, find yourselves in the same predicament.”

While not opposing the letter, Deputy Mayor Adam Loraine urged the public to allow transportation authorities to continue the environmental review process. He expressed concern that opposition was based on “worst-case scenarios” that had not yet been proven by analysis.

Loraine noted the project stemmed from decades of interest in addressing traffic congestion at the Highway 101 and 92 interchange.

“We don’t yet know whether this project would severely impact 33 homes or whether it would end up with minimal impacts,” Lorraine said. “We don’t yet really know whether this project would induce demand or whether it might help reduce some traffic slowdowns at the same intersection that’s had notable slowdowns for decades.”

In addition to residents, several Peninsula organizations, including the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, Transbay Coalition, and 350 Silicon Valley, have voiced their opposition to the project.

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