For Immediate Release: December 9, 2020
Contact: Norm Dorais, Public Works Director, (650) 286-3279, ndorais@fostercity.org
To maximize public safety, facilitate efficient construction, and maintain the overall project timeline, the Levee Trail from Shorebird Park to just north of the San Mateo Bridge will be closed, beginning on or around January 7, 2021.
Signage noting this approximately two-mile additional Levee Trail closure is now being placed along that section of the levee. Community members will soon see fence posts being installed along Beach Park Boulevard in preparation for the fencing, but the trail will not be closed until the fencing is installed in early January. The levee from Shorebird Park south to Rock Harbor Lane/Port Royal Avenue is already closed and under construction. These closures are expected to continue for the duration of the project.
The section of Levee Trail from the San Mateo Bridge, around Baywinds Park, and along 3rd Avenue to the City of San Mateo will remain open at this time. Trail users coming from Baywinds/3rd Avenue should be advised that the Levee Trail will dead-end just before it comes to the San Mateo Bridge. At that point, trail users will have to turn around and go back to 3rd Avenue to exit the Levee Trail. Detour signage will be in place, and a new detour map will soon be available showing the set of roadway/bike path alternatives to the entire section of temporarily-closed Levee Trail.
While closure of significant portions of the Levee Trail is inconvenient, it is an important public safety measure, and allows for the most efficient construction scheduling. The result will be a shorter overall construction duration and reduced length of construction impact to the public. Without the levee closures, the overall timeframe for construction would extend beyond the approximately three-year period currently anticipated.
The City recognizes that this is a much-used recreational destination for our community and understands the challenges that the closure poses. We appreciate the community’s patience and support during construction on this vital project that will protect Foster City for generations to come.
As construction will continue for approximately the next three years, it’s crucial to remember that the closed, fenced trail and staging areas are not safe for the public, and trespassing into fenced areas is prohibited at all times. Construction work with heavy equipment and machinery is underway, and work can move quickly to different areas within the closed portion of the levee and staging area. Even when work is not underway in a specific location, it is not safe for the public to be anywhere inside the work zone. Foster City Police have added patrols to the area to help keep the construction sites secure.
The Levee Project will protect Foster City homes, schools, businesses, and essential City services and infrastructure during storms and high tides, and from future sea level rise. The improved levee will be more resistant to earthquake damage, and will prevent designation of the City as a flood zone, thus avoiding requirements for homeowners to purchase expensive, permanent flood insurance. And, the improvements to the Levee/Bay Trail will provide the community with an enhanced, more inviting recreation destination, maintaining the natural beauty of the levee and our scenic views.
Foster City community members can subscribe to receive email construction updates. For more information about this project, please visit www.FosterCityLevee.org. Additional questions can also be directed to the Foster City Public Works Department at (650) 286-3270 or leveeproject@fostercity.org. Any construction-related issues may be reported to the project hotline at 1-800-213-6320 (calls will typically be returned within one-to-two working days).