FAQS

BACKGROUND

This project has been planned for over ten years. The presence of the historically registered trees presented challenges that took many years of collaboration to overcome. Caltrans and the city of Burlingame established a task force to align the project goals with community needs. The environmental phase of the project required the highest level of environmental review due to the historic tree grove. The California Transpiration Commission (CTC) allocated the funds in October 2025 which allowed the project to move into construction.

The project encompasses new pavement as well as improvements to sidewalks and drainage. Sidewalks and curb ramps will comply with Americans with Disability Act guidelines.

Construction began in January 2026 and is expected to continue in phases through fall 2029. Caltrans has started repairing drainage on the southbound side of the corridor and removing trees on the northbound side. Caltrans is closing lanes temporarily to conduct “potholing” work during this time, which is the process of identifying underground utilities.

This $173.6 million project is funded by the State Highway Operation and Protection Program. This funding does not include the undergrounding of utilities, which is a Burlingame-led project.
Caltrans did not acquire additional right of way for this project. Caltrans staff has contacted property owners to discuss any right of way concerns.
No. Routine maintenance and long-term care for El Camino Real are funded through existing state and federal transportation programs. There will be no added costs to residents.

SCOPE

Caltrans has worked closely with the surrounding communities through city officials, a Community Task Force, and stakeholder groups to inform the project design. Many public meetings were held, including a dedicated workshop focused on the Howard-Ralston Eucalyptus Tree Rows.

Community input helped Caltrans to better understand the unique character of the corridor and the issues most important to residents and businesses.

Patching potholes is not sustainable because it addresses the surface symptoms but does not fix the underlying issues occurring several inches below the pavement surface. Without repairing the base conditions, potholes and rough pavement will continue to return.
Pedestrian crossing upgrades will include high visibility crosswalk pavement marking, yield signage, and high visibility yield pavement marking. Curb ramps will be upgraded where they do not currently meet ADA standards. Many locations will receive Accessible Pedestrian Signal and countdown pedestrian signal systems.
Caltrans carefully studied whether bike lanes and other Complete Streets features could be added as part of this project. Unfortunately, the corridor does not have enough space to safely accommodate these features and traffic volumes are too high to reduce the number of lanes without creating significant congestion.

Yes, the project includes drainage repairs along El Camino Real to address localized flooding. These repairs will be among the first activities completed when construction begins.

However, Caltrans is limited in its ability to address flooding on El Camino Real caused by excessive runoff from areas upstream of ECR. While the project will improve drainage within the corridor itself, it cannot fully resolve flooding originating outside the Caltrans Right of Way.

Yes, the City of Burlingame is working with PG&E to underground the overhead powerlines. Caltrans is coordinating closely with this project, which will be happening concurrently to the roadway renewal.

No. This is a roadway renewal project focused on repairing and preserving the existing pavement and infrastructure. It will not expand the road or add additional lanes.

TREES

Surveys conducted by Caltrans and independent arborists determined that approximately 400 trees along the 3-mile corridor will need to be removed to repair the roadway and address safety concerns from aging trees. The project also includes planting approximately 460 new trees to maintain the character of El Camino Real.

Tree removal work on the northbound side of the road began in January 2026, requiring full closures of the road where the removal is taking place. This phase of the project is expected to be completed by May 2026.

Only trees that are unsafe, unhealthy, or in direct conflict with construction will be removed, as determined by review by independent arborists. All trees have been marked with numbered tags. If you would like to know about a particular tree, please reach out to Caltrans for more information.

Tree removal on the southbound side will take place in later stages to allow for undergrounding of PG&E overhead lines (as part of a project by the city of Burlingame). By July 2027, the roadway project will be ready to start tree removals on the southbound side, assuming that undergrounding has already occurred.

Yes, the Howard-Ralston Eucalyptus Tree Rows were listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 2012. Caltrans has worked with the Burlingame Historical Society for many years. Additionally, Caltrans is working on the following measures to mitigate the impact of the project:

  • At least 70% of the trees within the Tree Rows will contribute to the NRHP eligibility.
  • Replacement trees will not detract from NRHP eligibility.
  • The Tree Rows will be documented before, during, and after construction.
  • Trees will be tagged and GPS locations noted to track their health and number.
  • A self-guided history walk will be created with plaques, time capsule, and custom benches constructed from removed trees.
  • An El Camino Historic Resource Management Plan will be developed to assist the City of Burlingame in management of resources within the corridor.

Yes, Caltrans will be replacing more trees than the number removed throughout the project area. To retain the historic designation of the Howard-Ralston Tree Rows, a more suitable species of eucalyptus trees will be replanted.

Caltrans worked to minimize the time between removal and planting when developing the construction staging. In general, the project will plant new trees within 18 months of tree removal. Between June and December 2026, we anticipate planting approximately 100 trees, with 80 more in 2027, 200 in 2029, and 50 in 2030.

CONSTRUCTION

Construction began in January 2026 and will continue in phases until the planned completion in 2029.

All major project announcements, including construction schedules and detours, will be posted on elcaminorealproject.com. Residents can also stay informed by following Caltrans District 4 on social media searching #ECRRoadwayRenewal (X, Facebook, and Instagram), or by subscribing to Caltrans’ traffic advisory email list to receive updates directly.

If you notice a concern during construction, please contact the Caltrans Public Information Officer:

Jeneane Crawford
Jeneane.Crawford@dot.ca.gov
510-286-0319—El Camino Real Roadway Renewal phone line

For emergencies or matters affecting immediate safety, please call 911.

There will be full road closures on the northbound side of El Camino Real between January and June 2026 to allow for tree removals.

After this initial phase, lane closures will continue to occur periodically throughout the project, covering more than half a mile at a time.

Detour maps and construction updates will be posted on this website as they become available.

For most construction activities outside of the full closures for tree removal and intersection upgrades, one lane in each direction will remain open. The remaining lanes will be temporarily closed to create a safe work zone.

Updates on lane closures will be posted on this website as they become available.

Examples of Possible Lane Closures

Northbound lanes closed. Southbound lanes converted to two-way traffic.
Southbound lanes closed. Northbound lanes converted to two-way traffic.
Center lanes closed. Southbound and northbound traffic restricted to outer lanes.
Caltrans will be sending out regular traffic advisories to let people know where construction will occur. Our goal is to let residents and businesses know about construction occurring on their block approximately two weeks in advance. This schedule will be posted on the project website and shared through Caltrans’ communication channels.

Access to homes and businesses will be maintained at all times. Residents affected by a full closure should plan to spend a few extra minutes to access their property. If short-term access impacts are unavoidable during major operations, the contractor will coordinate directly with affected residents or businesses.

Some signalized intersections will also require full closures on weekends to reconstruct pavement. Detour plans will be provided ahead of time.

Access to businesses will be preserved.

Construction is scheduled to take place during daytime hours. However, portions of the roadway will be temporarily closed for construction and remain closed overnight for safety, as well as certain operations that will require nighttime closures. A minimum of 48 hours of advanced notice will be provided when work requires night-time closures.
Daytime demolition and roadway work will create noise impacts during regular construction hours.
Sidewalk closures will occur during construction, but safe pedestrian detours will always be provided.

SamTrans will maintain bus service throughout construction, however certain bus stops along El Camino Real may be temporarily relocated.

For the most up-to-date information, riders should check the SamTrans website or contact SamTrans Customer Service directly.

Emergency access will be maintained at all times. Caltrans and contractors coordinate with fire, police, and ambulance services to ensure detour routes allow for emergency response.

Once the construction is finalized, emergency services will receive advance notice of upcoming lane closures/detours. Caltrans will provide immediate updates if conditions or schedules change.

Caltrans complies with its requirements under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. More information can be found at this link: https://dot.ca.gov/programs/civil-rights/title-vi.