The Lafayette Transportation and Circulation Commission on Nov. 3 received a staff update on the Connecting Lafayette: Downtown Pathways and Schools Safety Project, a multi-segment sidewalk and streetscape program focused on School Street and Topper Lane that staff said is intended to improve safety and access to downtown and local schools.

Pat Buttroff, engineering services manager, said the city has assembled a package of funding "We have a total of $4,600,000 for this project, and currently, we're estimating the cost at about $4,300,000," and listed Measure J ($370,000), an OBAG 3 federal grant ($750,000), a federal earmark (stated in the presentation as $3,100,000,000), and $400,000 in local development fees as contributors to the budget.

The project scope includes a 10-foot-wide sidewalk on School Street with a 2-foot landscape strip fitted for bioretention and a multi-width pathway on Topper Lane varying between 6 feet where feasible and 4 feet in constrained locations to preserve large trees. Buttroff said the design team and a resident subcommittee worked to retain healthy trees where possible and that an arborist reviewed tree conditions; the arborist noted many trees were in poor health but residents asked the city to preserve those that can be saved.

Staff described a schedule that aims for 100% design by January, advertisement for bids in February, bid opening in March and a construction start in April, with PG&E pole relocation work also beginning in April. "When the school is in session, it'll be 9 to 02:30. When school's not in session, it'll be 8 to 04:30," Buttroff said, noting the reduced hours during the school day are intended to limit impacts to student drop-off and pick-up.

Design specifics discussed included widened curb ramps to match the 10-foot sidewalks, removable bollards at widened ramp ends to discourage vehicles on sidewalks, and a plan to repave one lane of School Street and to reinstall speed bumps on Topper Lane. Staff also said the Lafayette School District granted an easement near Moraga Road to allow a continuous 10-foot sidewalk connection to Moraga Road.

On Topper Lane the path will frequently abut the curb with no planting strip where necessary to preserve mature oaks; in a segment staff described as a 2–3 foot pavement shift, the goal is to preserve a prominent oak tree while still providing a 4–6-foot unobstructed walking surface. Staff said some sidewalk sections were narrowed explicitly to save mature trees after discussion with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which staff said accepted narrowing in constrained locations.

Landscape staff presented a planting palette developed with neighborhood input that favors low-water, low-maintenance species adapted to local conditions and that will provide seasonal color and some pollinator benefits. A commissioner raised concerns about attracting bees near school walking routes; landscape staff said the selected palette intentionally supports pollinators and is not expected to create an "unhealthy population" of stinging insects.

Staff also described stormwater work: School Street plantings will be constructed as bio-retention planters; in portions of Topper Lane a storm drain system will replace open ditches. Crews were conducting potholing for utility locations; staff said that confirmatory work was necessary so PG&E and other utilities can relocate poles and services that conflict with planned bioretention and sidewalk alignment.

Residents who live near the project, parents and a local advocacy group (Vibrant Lafayette) spoke in support during the meeting's public-comment segment, saying the sidewalks would improve safety for children, seniors and people with limited mobility and provide better access to the regional trail and downtown amenities. An online commenter noted the project gained momentum after the 2021 death of a volunteer crossing guard and urged continued emphasis on Vision Zero goals.

Commissioners asked several clarifying operational questions — including curb radius and delivery-vehicle turning on the Saint Mary's connection, trash-can pads within landscape strips, striping and parking expectations, and whether the project might preclude a future formal drop-off area at Saint Mary's Road. Staff said the city has design funds for a future drop-off feature but not construction funds and that the current project was not intended to foreclose a future drop-off design.

No commission action was requested or taken on the project during the hearing; staff concluded by noting periodic reports and a plan for Friday construction updates and an opt-in email blast for residents.

The commission closed the item and moved on to other business.