Connolly urges ‘pause’ on Tiburon Boulevard bike lane project

Assemblymember Damon Connolly has asked Caltrans to halt its planning for new bike lanes on Tiburon Boulevard and to address community concerns.

“Our office strongly urges Caltrans to pause the current advancement of the design, re-engage with affected stakeholders, and work toward a safer, more balanced solution that reflects the priorities of our local communities,” Connolly wrote in a May 19 letter to the agency.

Two days after Connolly sent his letter, Tiburon Mayor Holli Thier announced that the town and Caltrans would hold a public workshop on June 4 about the agency’s plan to repave the road, fix drainage problems and add pedestrian and bikes lanes on both sides of the road.

“We are going to have a forum with Caltrans,” Thier told the Town Council on Wednesday. “They will be there at the meeting, along with our public works staff, and we will have a conversation letting our residents have a forum to express concerns directly to Caltrans, and also to have Caltrans come back with their solution for us.”

A Caltrans spokesperson was unavailable for comment Friday on Connolly’s letter.

Tiburon has not taken a formal position on the bike lanes, but it has submitted technical comments to Caltrans on its latest design and commissioned a traffic study that is not yet finished.

On Friday, Thier praised Connolly for helping “the town of Tiburon’s efforts to ensure our residents’ safety.”

Connolly’s letter noted that the Reed Union School District, the Tiburon Peninsula Traffic Alliance, Marin Transit, Belvedere, public safety agencies and “most importantly, our constituents” have expressed concerns about the bike lanes.

They have all written recent letters to Caltrans citing the potential negative affects on student safety, bus stop accessibility and service, traffic congestion and emergency access and response times. Those letters have also said Caltrans has not responded.

“The lack of transparency and meaningful engagement throughout the process has left our community and public agencies feeling sidelined,” Connolly said.

Marin cycling advocates have also criticized Caltrans’ plans, saying the bike lanes should be widened, vehicle lanes narrowed and the speed limit reduced.

Connolly noted he had supported Caltrans’ upgrades in 2023. But now, he said, the lanes also “pose serious risks” to cyclists because they are “adjacent to high-speed traffic.”

“These proposed lanes, especially in locations like Reed Ranch Road and Blackie’s Pasture, pose serious risks to cyclists, including children, and create conflict points with vehicles and pedestrians,” he said.