The Town has received extensive communication from community members in and near Portola Valley voicing concerns about vehicle speeds and behavior on Highways 35, 84, and 9. The emails request that representatives and agencies that oversee these highways designate them as a safety corridor, construct roadway improvements, and provide enforcement. State Assemblymembers Berman and Pellerin, Senator Becker, and County of San Mateo Supervisor Mueller sent a letter to Caltrans on July 30, 2026. The letter requested a comprehensive corridor safety review of State Routes 35, 84, and 9 in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties and forwarded a list of 16 recommended safety improvements developed by local officials, community organizations, and the South Coast Traffic Advisory Panel.

Caltrans informed the Town, Supervisor Mueller, and State representatives that it will conduct a Road Safety Audit of the three routes, a formal, independent multi-disciplinary safety assessment expected to take four to six months, and confirmed that a new state law (AB 1014, effective January 1, 2026) gives Caltrans discretionary authority to reduce speed limits on state highways beyond standard limits where a corridor qualifies for Safety Corridor designation.

The California Highway Patrol and the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office has increased its enforcement presence on Routes 35 and 84, including additional officers on weekend patrols. Based on the data from the UC Berkely TIMs data, the officers are focusing their efforts on the hot spot areas. (2025 data is still provisional.)

The Town continues to work with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office and other local and state agencies and representatives on this issue, and will share further updates as Caltrans's review and safety measures move forward.