Creating a “grand boulevard” depends greatly on the quality of the sidewalk and frontage environment. The following frontage treatment guidelines depict a range of potential frontage design approaches, reflecting concepts developed by local communities and agencies, and/or feasible given frontage property conditions, and consistent with the objectives of the Grand Boulevard Initiative. The improvements depicted are not intended to be mutually exclusive; instead, they can be mixed and matched according to local conditions and local community objectives.

Figure 5-23 depicts a typical mid-block node or link area; though a 6-lane roadway is depicted the frontage condition shown is also typical of many 4-lane areas. Frontage properties vary in depth, with frontage development ranging from storefront commercial buildings to larger scale shopping centers, offices, and public facilities. Sidewalks are narrow, generally 8 feet in width, and curbside parking is provided along the frontage.

Highway-type cobra head streetlights are typical, and sidewalks are generally too narrow for significant street trees and other amenities. Median islands are discontinuous, and contain evergreen trees and other plant materials that block views of street frontages. This frontage condition is typical of many locations along the corridor, including portions of Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood City, Palo Alto, and Santa Clara.