Caltrans on Aug. 30 told Woodside residents it plans to convert the intersection of Highway 84 and Skyline/Highway 35 — locally known as “4 Corners” — to an all‑way stop, add turn restrictions and install a rapid‑flashing beacon at the north crosswalk as part of a design now about 50% complete and expected to move to construction next fall.

The proposal, presented by Caltrans Bay Area staff, lists a construction budget in the range of $500,000 and focuses on signage, pavement markings and sight‑line improvements rather than major geometric reconstruction. ‘‘Our No. 1 priority is improving safety for all road users,’’ said Anirpreet Singh, acting chief safety officer for Caltrans Bay Area, as Caltrans staff described the package to about 40 people in the room and dozens more online.

Caltrans said the intersection currently operates with stop control only on Route 84; the slip lane from southbound 35 to westbound 84 has no stop control and parking adjacent to the junction obstructs drivers’ views. To address those problems, the agency proposed: converting to four‑way stop control; installing new stop‑ahead, turn‑restriction and warning signs; repainting curb edges red to ‘‘daylight’’ sight lines; restriping crosswalks and roadway markings; pruning vegetation; removing a southern crosswalk that ‘‘leads to nowhere’’; and placing stop signs on parking‑lot exits that feed the highway.

Caltrans also proposed a rapid‑flashing beacon and yield markings at the northern crosswalk, and said adding a mid‑block crossing or other new crosswalks would trigger more extensive Americans with Disabilities Act work (curb ramps, landings and right‑of‑way work) and require additional funding and analysis.

Why it matters: Residents have pressed for action after a bicyclist was killed at the intersection on Aug. 29, and speakers at the meeting said traffic volume and speeds have increased markedly since earlier decades. Caltrans staff framed the plan as an achievable near‑term package given current funding, while several residents urged that the agency study longer‑term geometric fixes such as roundabouts or more substantial re‑engineering.

“People are coming through way, way too fast,” said Andrew Kerr, co‑owner of Alice’s Restaurant, who urged lower posted speeds and physical speed‑reduction measures such as rumble strips. Alice’s, the nearby restaurant many residents called a community hub, also prompted several commenters to ask that any parking changes preserve the restaurant’s spaces.

Support for the all‑way stop was voiced by other residents who described repeated near misses. ‘‘I support the addition of a stop sign so that it’s a four‑way stop,’’ said resident Matt Poppy, citing occasions when drivers on 84 ‘‘dart out’’ into the intersection. Cyclists and longtime local bicycling advocates urged both short‑term fixes and longer‑term geometric redesign to reduce high travel speeds enabled by the current roadway geometry.

Not all attendees favored immediate stop‑sign installation. Resident Tamara Gable said she feared backups would grow and drivers would divert to Old La Honda Road, producing unsafe behavior on neighboring streets. Several speakers asked Caltrans to phase measures, include physical speed‑calming (rumble strips), and coordinate enforcement with law‑enforcement partners.

Timeline and funding: Caltrans staff said the design is about 50% complete, with a goal of finishing the design package by spring and advertising the contract for construction in the months that follow; the agency estimated construction could begin next fall. Construction funding secured for this package is roughly $500,000, the presentation said.

Implementation limits: Caltrans emphasized constraints — funding, right‑of‑way and federal/state requirements such as ADA — that could limit additions such as new mid‑block crosswalks without further work. ‘‘Any time we touch a sidewalk or curb we have to comply with ADA requirements and provide proper landings,’’ a Caltrans presenter said, noting that adding crosswalks could expand the project’s scope and cost.

What’s next: Caltrans displayed two exhibits in the room — one showing the intersection enhancements and one showing Caltrans’ leased parking areas near the junction — and asked for community input on parking, sight‑line pruning and the proposed restrictions. Town leaders and Caltrans said they will continue outreach; Janine Crawford, a Caltrans staff member who shared contact information at the meeting, encouraged residents to follow up by email or phone.

Local voices: The meeting included multiple residents, cyclists and business owners who asked for additional measures — more crosswalks, bike accommodations such as marked bike lanes or sharrows, rumble strips, clearer sight lines and stepped‑up enforcement — and who pledged to remain engaged as the project moves from design to construction.

Ending: Caltrans presented the proposal as a near‑term, fundable safety package and acknowledged that additional, more expensive geometric changes would require a separate process and funding. Town officials said they will share further updates through Caltrans and local channels as the design advances.