Bus-only lanes likely won't work on El Camino, councilman says

"Bus-only lanes may work well in London, but they likely won't work for Belmont, a councilman said. SamTrans is shopping around options to various city councils to make El Camino Real safer for bicyclists and pedestrians, and one of the options includes a bus-only lane. Belmont Councilman Tom Mc-Cune has lived in London and said the bus-only lanes work well there."

""That's not the kind of bus service we have here. We have buses that run not very often," McCune said. Other safety options McCune and the rest of the council on Feb. 10 reviewed plans by SamTrans to reduce driving lanes from three to two in each direction on El Camino to make way for bus-only lanes. Council preferred the option with a continuous separated bike lane with wider sidewalks."

"The other option included wider sidewalks with more trees, rather than a bike lane. Mayor Julia Mates said a separated bike lane with wider sidewalks would be the best way to prevent any bicycle deaths. San Carlos also pans idea Belmont council's review of the bus lane idea came a night after San Carlos City Council panned the idea for similar reasons."

SamTrans is proposing safety options for El Camino Real that include a bus-only lane and alternatives focused on pedestrians and bicyclists. Belmont council reviewed plans to reduce driving lanes from three to two in each direction to accommodate a bus-only lane. Council members favored a continuous separated bike lane with wider sidewalks; an alternate option offered wider sidewalks with more trees instead of a bike lane. Councilman Tom McCune noted that local bus frequency makes bus-only lanes less suitable. San Carlos also rejected bus-only lanes, citing concerns about cars using empty bus lanes. The Grand Boulevard Initiative allocates $750 million, and council will revisit the plan in August.

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