Redwood City blocking cars on six miles of city streets

Measure hopes to slow traffic, help social distancing

Redwood City has closed about six miles of city streets to curb speeding cars along empty streets and to allow for social distancing.

City staff said in a report that the primary goal of the program is to “provide safe space for people to get physical activity within their own neighborhood, without jeopardizing their health.”

Redwood City is second to Palo Alto on the lower Peninsula in closing down city streets, both locales following in the footsteps of San Mateo and San Francisco up north and Oakland to the east.

Redwood City Council approved the street closures on Monday.

Council member Alicia Aguirre sees this as an opportunity to do in a more organized way what people are doing by themselves.

“People are already walking on the street because they’re trying to avoid other people and cars coming through,” Aguirre said. “I think what we’re trying to do is make this safer and slow it down. I have a real compassion for the dense areas where they need to get out. Those are the folks that need more space.”

The “slow streets” program won’t affect emergency vehicle access, transit services or delivery services, and will affect 11 streets covering six miles, or about 3% of the total city street mileage. Officials will put up road signs and barricades starting May 1 at a cost of about $10,000.

The entire program could cost the city about $30,000 if it expands to more streets.

The street closures will affect portions of Flynn Avenue, Stambaugh Street, Allerton Street, Poplar Street, Vera Avenue, Ebener Street, Page Street, Cypress Street and East Oakwood Boulevard, C Street, Katherine Avenue and the Bridge Parkway will be down to one lane in each direction.

Staff said they would consider closing other city streets after officials get a sense of how well it is working.

Council member Janet Borgens, though originally willing to back the program, became more skeptical about the program after hearing from residents concerned that children will get too used to being able to play on the open street, a “bad habit” that would be dangerous to pick up.

“I did feel the concern of we should not make it that comfortable for someone to play on the streets,” Borgens said. “If it becomes for several weeks, I’m not sure it doesn’t become the normal for our children.”