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CHAPTER 1 | MOBILItY 19 Separated bike facilities on El Camino Real would take up space in the roadway that is currently used for other pur- poses, and this means that there will be tradeoffs in order to install them. To fit separated bike facilities within the existing right-of-way, on-street parking along El Camino Real would have to be removed. On-street parking on the Corridor is currently underutilized, and thus replacing it with a high quality bike facility would help achieve the goal of efficiently moving the largest number of people through the Corridor. However, many of the Corridor’s businesses rely on on-street parking to provide convenient access for their customers. As on-street parking is removed, it will be critical for the City to ensure that alternative parking is available either on nearby side streets or in off-street parking lots. For more on parking strategies, see Section 1.4, Driving and Section 2.2, Off- Street Parking. In addition, preserving access to the curb is important in many instances: for commercial loading, fire and police ve- hicles, refuse collection, and disabled access. Protected bike lanes must be designed to accommodate these needs. Separated bike facilities can be installed for relatively low cost and multiple designs iterated through pilot testing to find the right solution for the Corridor. Moreover, investing in a safe, well-designed bikeway is the best way to ensure that it is well utilized. Providing a safe, direct route for people on bicycles on El Camino Real will serve an identified need and increase the likelihood that more community members will give bicycling a try for some of their trips along the Corridor. It will also bolster regional efforts to develop a north/south bicycle con- nection through the Peninsula. Every trip made by bicycle to destinations along or near El Camino Real represents one fewer trip by vehicle, reducing congestion and need for parking. However, implementing them in a way that ensures safety for both cyclists and drivers, while mitigating parking loss and ensuring adequate curb access to local businesses and for public safety, will be a challenge. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sirgious/13995279899/Protected bike lanes allow for safe and efficient travel by bicycle along primary trans- portation routes.