City of San Luis Obispo, CA

In early 2025, the City launched a pilot project on Grand Avenue between Slack Street and Monterey Street using low-cost safety improvements.

Changes to the street included:

• Reducing car lanes from five to three
• Adding buffered and protected bike lanes with space and physical separation between people biking and cars
• Adding green pavement markings where bikes and cars may cross paths
• Making crosswalks more visible and improving pedestrian access to transit and crossing Grand Avenue, including a flashing beacon crosswalk at Grand & McCollum

The City is now monitoring the results of the pilot installation to understand what’s working, what needs to change, and what should be removed. This monitoring process includes analysis of traffic data, crash history, and community feedback.
This input will help shape recommendations for permanent design features that may be implemented when Grand Avenue is planned for paving in the summer of 2027, as funding allows. Preliminary recommendations will be shared with the City’s Active Transportation Committee, City Council, and the community for review later this fall. The overall goal of this effort is to make Grand Avenue safer and more comfortable for everyone to use, while maintaining efficient traffic flow and access for emergency services.

PUBLIC INPUT OPPORTUNITIES
Do you travel along Grand Avenue by foot, wheelchair, bike, car, or public transit? Share your experience and help shape future improvements.

1. Take the Online Survey: Visit www.slocity.org/OpenCityHall to participate in the Grand Avenue Paving Project input survey. The survey will remain open for seven weeks and close on June 10, 2026.

2. Attend the Active Transportation Committee (ATC) Meeting: The City will introduce the project at this meeting. No formal decisions will be made.
   • Location: City Hall Council Hearing Room, 990 Palm Street
   • Date: May 20, 2026 or May 21, 2026 (final date to be confirmed soon)
   • Time: 6:00 pm

Draft recommendations for permanent designs for Grand Avenue will be presented the community, Active Transportation Committee, and City Council in fall of 2026.

For more information on the project, visit the Grand Avenue Paving Project webpage.

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Media Contact: Dana Murray, Transportation Planner / Engineer II, (805) 781-7310, dmurray@slocity.org