Local Bike Routes

The following are from my experience. Check out the excellent 511 Bike Mapper

San Mateo, CA

  • Delaware Road

    Delaware Street is a 'designated' bike route along San Mateo. It is pretty good. In some pockets it experiences a lot of traffic. In the map these are noted by red segments.
    1. between Peninsula Avenue & Poplar road. this is because of shopping center (Safeway, Longs) along Peninsula and San Mateo High School. During school 'peak' hours the traffic is really hectic in this segment. Parents driving to drop-off/pick up their kids. It is so worse, they normally have a police office doing traffic control!
    2. between 2nd avenue & 5th avenue downtown
    3. at the highway 92 junction (mall / post office / freeway access)
    You can avoid some of it by using Claremont street.

  • Claremont Street

    This runs along Delaware for most part and has very little traffic. This will get you past the first two traffic pockets in Delaware(peninsula-poplar & downtown)

    This road however doesn't have signal lights at junctions. So some of them can be a little tough to cross (e.g. Poplar)

  • Crossing the 101 freeway

    1. One good bike friendly freeway crossing is Peninsula avenue. The bridge has bike/pedestrian curbs on both sides and quite decent. Also has ramps to get-on & get-off the bridge. You never have to get off the bike to use this bridge!

      The east side of this crossing is Coyote Point park and you have access to a nice segment of Bay traila here. This is a great connecting trail for Foster City and south wards.

    2. another one is on Monte Diablo street (further south). To the East of freeway, it connects to bay trail. To the west it comes into San Mateo down town.

  • Bay Trail

    Starts at Coyote point park. Goes south along the bay.
    my ride along coyote point trail

  • Alademda Las Pulgas

    Delware street is a road 'east of El Camino Real'. Alameda is 'west' of El camino.
    my ride along alameda de pulgas

  • Crystal Springs Road

    This will give you access to 'west' mountains / HIllsborough area & Sky line.
    my ride on crystal springs

  • Hillsdale Mall

    • From North San Mateo / Burlingame...
      Take Delaware south wards. Delaware will end by Expo Center on 25th street.
      1. Turn left at 25th and cross El Camino. Keep going on 25th. You will hit Hacienda Street. Take a left. This little quiet street will take you all the way to East Hillsdale Blvd. Take a left and the mall will be right there.
      2. you can go through the Expo center parking lot and ......(I haven't dont this yet!)
    • Go south (if starting from North San Mateo) on Alameda de pulgas, turn left (east) on East Hillsdale blvd

Burlingame, CA

Burlingame, being a small town is quite accessible by bike except may be El Camino Real where the road is narrow and always has heavy traffic.

  • California Street

    Runs through Burlingame, connecting San Mateo & Millbrae along Caltrain railway tracks. The segment between Burlingame Ave and Broadway can be little hectic. But other than that it is okay.

  • Crossing the 101 Freeway

    The only freeway bridge in Burlingame is on Broadway and it is HORRIBLE for bicylists and pedestrians. There are no crossing lights and there is a 2 lane entrance to freeway. So one has to litterally run through the traffic to get to the bridge. The other side (Bay shore freeway ) of the bridge is no better. Pedestrians have to again run through the traffic and no bike lanes.

    One of these days I have to write to the Burlingame City Council about this. Please if you are concerned about this, let them know. Unless they hear complaints they won't fix it.