Beginning on Jan. 8, sections of El Camino Real in Burlingame, Calif., were closed to passenger vehicles during the day; the closure ended on Jan. 16. During this time, crews removed multiple eucalyptus trees between Rosedale Ave. and Grove Ave.
This closure was the first part of Caltrain’s El Camino Real roadway rehabilitation project, an effort to restore sections of State Route 82 throughout Burlingame. The project is estimated to cost $173 million and includes other roadwork projects: restoration of the Howard Ralston Eucalyptus Rows, identification of underground utilities, repavement of the road and sidewalks, and flood reduction.
El Camino Real road closures have also occurred on Jan. 21 and between Jan. 22 and Feb. 3. Phase I of this construction will continue in waves through May 2026.
Sofia C. ’27, a Burlingame resident, criticized the potholes that flood during the rainy season, as well as the cracks in the pavement from eucalyptus tree roots—both of which make driving on State Route 82 through Burlingame difficult for her everyday commute to school.
“I rely on [El Camino Real] so much, but I think it’s terrible. I purposely drive in the left lane because the right lane is just so bumpy. It’s like I’m on a roller coaster,” Sofia said.
Jasmine, a Paper Source employee and Burlingame resident, has noticed that construction nearby has led to a decline in foot traffic on Burlingame Ave. “There’s been a lot of construction in the past years, and when that’s happening, usually [fewer] people are out,” Jasmine said.
Jasmine, Sofia, and others who drive on the El Camino corridor on a daily basis have experienced worsened traffic in an already crowded zone.
Sofia’s commute, during the peak of construction in her neighborhood, began leaving 20 minutes earlier to account for the traffic. Lucas R. ’27 spent extra time planning out his commute through the residential neighborhood in order to avoid congestion along El Camino.
However, Caltrans’ plan to remove and restore the historical eucalyptus trees is a point of contention for residents in the City of Trees.
During the fall semester, Efehan K. ’27 conducted a Contingent Valuation survey in his Environmental Economics course to determine the value of the eucalyptus trees. Despite the symbolic significance of the trees, results show that 60 percent of respondents were unwilling to pay an annual preservation fee, at any price.
“My optimistic opinion is that there is some way to fix the road while keeping the trees,” Efehan said. “I think there is some benefit to removing at least the most harmful ones.”
“I feel [they’re] a landmark of Burlingame,” Lucas said in reference to the Howard Ralston Eucalyptus Row.
Though construction has temporarily inconvenienced regular El Camino Real commuters, many Burlingame residents ultimately feel that construction will improve transit in the Burlingame–San Mateo area.
“I do think that [the construction] is inconvenient for me, but I just have to remind myself that, even though this will take a while, the city is listening to the people. We’ve always complained about the quality of El Camino Real,” Lucas said.
