Questions Answered About Lower Alpine Trail

If San Mateo County and Stanford University do not agree on a plan for improving the Lower Alpine Trail by the end of this year, money for funding improvements on the trail will be redirected to Santa Clara County, according to http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us.

This would be the third and final time that an agreement about this trail could not be reached.

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors declined to accept $10.2 million from Stanford University to move and augment Lower Alpine Trail twice, once in 2008 and again in 2010.

So county staff to ask people what they wanted improved on the Lower Alpine Trail on Tuesday.

County staff was open to receiving information from the public tonight about things that need to be fixed, as well as more conceptual improvements.

Here's an excerpt of the Q & A session that was held at the meeting. 
The questions came from many different people; all the answers are from Dave Holland, San Mateo County Parks Director.

This project sounds like it is going to cost more than $10 million, who pays the cost overruns? 

The costs, including the design and enviornmental reports, can be worked out later with Stanford.

Will there be an EIR? 

Yes, and public input will be heard during the process.

Can the deadline of 2011 be extended?

Under the 2006 agreement, the deadline can be extended for two years to 2013.

If there is overwhelming resistance from residents near the trail, will the Board still approve it and move ahead? 

The board will not go against the will of the people.

How will the board evaluate this? 

It will collect input from the communities. It is a subjective process.  No doubt there will not be consensus.

Where along the trail is the Stanford offering to repair it?

From the Menlo Park border to the border of Portola Valley.

Will the trail contain a place for horses to use the trail?

Equestrain concerns will be addressed during the design process. A portion of the shoulders of the trail will be gravel and can be used by horseback riders.

Will the county fix the trail/sidewalk if the Stanford offer is rejected?

The county will look at Alpine Road and how the creek is eroding the area near the road. Fixing the road also means the trail/sidewalk will be fixed also.

How will the safety of the trail be guaranteed? 

The safety of the trail will be given consideration in the EIR study.

What conditions did Stanford place on the trail? 

Stanford has placed two conditions on the trail that it be uninterrupted along Alpine Road and that it go from Menlo Park to Portola Valley.

How many users are there on the trail?

I don't really know.