Getting to Gunn

The Palo Alto Safe Routes to School Program coordinates bicycle and pedestrian safety education. The number of students who use active and shared transportation (walking, biking, carpooling, and transit) has risen over the years. Core compulsory education programs reach roughly half of PAUSD enrollment, however there is no formal high school education program. Please review the following resources to support safety along your bike commute.

• Bikes Access for Students/Families In Need
• Getting to High School Presentation for Rising  Frosh with Audio | Slides Only
• High School Top 10 Bike Safety Tips
• E-Bike Information
• Safe Riding on Shared Paths

How to make sure your helmet fits properly?

According to California law, anyone under age 18 must wear a bicycle helmet if using the following modes of transportation: bicycle, non-motorized scooter, skateboard, inline/roller skates or as a passenger. Not wearing a helmet can result in a traffic citation, plus traffic class attendance with a parent. Helmet use is strongly encouraged as a life-saving injury prevention tool among all age groups.

Rain/Winter Cycling Weather

Rainy weather drives some school commuters into cars, increasing traffic congestion at PAUSD schools. Help beat this problem:

• Waterproof your commute with bicycling rain gear, or walk with an umbrella and stylish rain boots. (Bright colors increase visibility.)

• Ride the bus

• Plan ahead. Create a carpool text group or phone tree, so when the clouds burst you’ll be ready to coordinate a carpool in a flash. 

Reducing car trips by only 1-5% makes a noticeable difference in congestion. Make rainy day school commutes safer and more efficient.

• Winter Sun Safety
• When Riding Within a Larger Group

Bicycle Registration

Bike Index is a national program used by the Palo Alto Police Department to help recover stolen and lost bikes. Register your bike with Bike Index today!

On-Campus Bicycle Repair & Pump Station

Ian Cramer (Gunn class of 2015) installed a do-it-yourself bicycle repair and pump station at Gunn for his Eagle Scout project. Bicyclists can find the Bike Fix station near the Village. In 2021, the PTSA donated a second station located in the bike parking area by Spangenberg Theater. The stations includes the most commonly used bike repair tools, including a tire pump. If you don't know what those tools are, no worries. The stations also includes a QR code you can scan with your smart phone to get videos and pictures with instructions on how to make minor repairs to your bicycle.

And There Are Prizes! When you bike to Gunn, please look for Pedal for Prizes volunteers offering treats and prizes from time to time at the bike cages.

Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Buses

VTA buses offer a convenient life skill in learning to use eco-friendly transit around town, especially during inclement weather when walking/biking may not be an option. Buses serve Gunn students with Routes 288, 288L and 288M. See 288bus.org for the schedule and route maps. Generally, the VTA 288, 288L and 288M bus schedules correspond to the Gunn bell schedule. Sign up for bus schedule updates.

• The VTA route 288 bus stop is directly in front of Gunn on Arastradero Road
• Lines 288, 288L & 288M begin service at Veteran’s Hospital and arrive 9, 11 and 13 minutes after dismissal at the Arastradero/Gunn main entrance.
• Reduced-price VTA monthly bus passes are available in the Gunn Student Activity Center (650-354-8288) and can be used for all VTA buses
• VTA can be reached at 800-894-9908 or check the VTA website.
• VTA one-trip fares are $1.25 (no change given) for students under 18, and $2.50 for students over 18 for the VTA 288 bus. They are higher for other VTA buses
• Students can sign up for a Youth Clipper Card. The card itself is free, and can be loaded with money that can be used to pay for trips on VTA buses (including the VTA 288 bus to Gunn), Caltrain, and other transit in the San Francisco Bay Area
• Clipper Card application form
• The Gunn Student Activity Center also has hard copy maps and schedules available

PAUSD Transportation

Contact PAUSD-based bus transportation to find out if bus service will be offered for Stanford West and Los Altos Hills (routes that serve Nixon Elementary, Ellen Fletcher Middle School, and Gunn High School) will be available. Call (650) 329-3982 or visit the PAUSD Transportation page for information.

Palo Alto is a green school community. To help reduce vehicle congestion, smog and Co2 emissions and to support student safety, please consider bicycling, walking or riding the bus when possible.

• Plan time for your school commute so you won’t feel rushed.

• Share the road safely by being alert and allowing space for people walking or biking around you.

• Drive attentively.

Palo Alto Link

If you must drive and transit options are unavailable consider scheduling a ride using the Palo Alto LINK (ridesharing service).

Carpooling

Carpooling helps to reduce congestion. New student drivers can carpool siblings if they have a note from their parents. RIDES for Bay Area Commuters has created an online School Pool Request to match PAUSD families who would like to form a carpool, walkpool, or bike pool.

Student Drop-Offs-Main Entrance

1. Drop-off areas are for active loading and unloading only. Please do NOT double park or park alongside any of the red curbs when picking up students.

2. If your student is not ready to go, then please park in the lot and turn off your engine while you wait.

Student Drop-Offs-Miranda Entrance

There is no student, parent, or visitor parking at the Miranda driveway location. If your student is not immediately ready to be picked up, park in the main Arastradero lot to wait. For everyone's safety and to reduce driver delays, please adhere to these rules:

1. Drop off passengers only from the lane closest to the sidewalk.

2. Passengers must exit from the right (sidewalk side) of vehicles.

3. When exiting this driveway, all drivers must turn right on Miranda Avenue. Left turns are not permitted from the driveway exit, and they can be ticketed.

4. U-turns are illegal on Miranda Avenue and are subject to ticketing.

5. No student drop-offs on Miranda Avenue.

6. Respect the marked crosswalks where pedestrians and bikes access campus. 

Student Drop-Offs- Georgia Entrance

Dropping off students near the pedestrian cut-through on Georgia Avenue is not recommended due to the heavy bicycle and foot traffic. Instead, please use the Main or Miranda entrances as noted above for student drop-off as they are designed for vehicle loading and unloading.

If you must drive near the Georgia Avenue cut-through:

1. Watch for bicyclists coming out of the path on their way to Fletcher Middle School. The “teeth” markings on the street are indicators of the path’s location. 

2. Observe the law that no vehicle may make u-turns closer than 200 feet of approaching vehicles or intersections. Avoid U-turning by looping through the streets at a safe speed.

Visitor Parking and Permits

Parents and other visitors who park at the school during the day must stop in the front office to get a temporary parking permit for parking in visitor parking spaces. Without this permit, you may be ticketed.

Student Parking and Permits

Students using the Gunn parking lot during the regular school day must buy a parking permit. Carpools with a carpool parking sticker receive preferred parking. Parking at Gunn High School is enforced randomly by the Palo Alto Police Department. Anyone parking in the wrong lot or without a visible permit will be ticketed. Purchase parking permits in the Student Activities Center. Permits are available for purchase by 12th graders. Carpoolers have priority during the first week of school, followed by single drivers who live on the other side of El Camino. After that, remaining permits are sold. Upon payment and completion of parking registration, a student will receive a parking sticker which must be hung from the mirror of their car with the number facing out. A permit allows students to park in the regular lot and costs $125. If you forget to bring your permit to school, ask at the Main Office for a temporary day permit (limited to twice per school year).

Main Entrance

1. If you are dropping off only one student through the main driveway entrance, you must use the drop-off area back by the gym.
2. If you are driving two or more students to Gunn, you may drop off at the curb by the front office, which is reserved for buses and carpools.
3. Drop-off areas are for active loading and unloading only. Please do NOT double park or park alongside any of the red curbs when picking up students.
4. If your student is not ready to go, then please park in the lot. Please turn left just past the visitor parking to head toward the parking lot. Standing and waiting in the loading area is not permitted. Help minimize congestion and promote safety for everyone. Please turn off your engine while you wait.

Miranda Entrance

There is no student, parent, or visitor parking at the Miranda driveway location. Also, no parking or standing is permitted in the Miranda drop-off zone. If your student is not immediately ready to be picked up, please park in the main Arastradero lot to wait. For everyone's safety and to reduce driver delays, please adhere to these rules:

1. Drop off passengers only from the lane closest to the sidewalk.
2. Passengers must exit from the right (sidewalk side) of vehicles.
3. When exiting this driveway, all drivers must turn right on Miranda Avenue. Left turns are not permitted from the driveway exit, and they will be subject to ticketing.
4. U-turns are illegal on Miranda Avenue and are subject to ticketing.
5. No student drop-offs on Miranda.

Respect the marked crosswalks where pedestrians and bikes will access campus. Please watch for them.

Georgia Avenue Use

It is legal to drop off students near the pedestrian cut-through on Georgia Avenue by the tennis courts. Please respect the neighbors and the heavy bicycle and foot traffic in the area. If you must drive near the Georgia Avenue cut-through:

1. Watch for bicyclists coming out of the path on their way to Fletcher Middle School. The path empties somewhat abruptly onto the street, disgorging relatively inexperienced bicyclists.
2. Drive away from the path before making a U-turn, observing the law that no vehicle (and this includes bicycles) may be approaching closer than 200 feet. Better yet, avoid U-turning by looping through the streets at a safe speed.

Visitor Parking & Permits

Parents and other visitors who park at the school during the day must stop in the front office to get a temporary parking permit for parking in visitor parking spaces. Without this permit, you may be ticketed.

Student Parking & Permits

Students using the Gunn parking lot during the regular school day must buy a parking permit. Carpools with a carpool parking sticker receive preferred parking. Parking at Gunn High School is enforced randomly by the Palo Alto Police Department. Anyone parking in the wrong lot or without a visible permit will be issued an expensive ticket.

Purchase parking permits in the Student Activities Center. Permits are available for purchase by 12th graders. Carpoolers have priority during the first week of school, followed by single drivers who live on the other side of El Camino. After that, remaining permits will be sold. Upon payment and completion of parking registration, a student will receive a parking sticker which must be hung from the mirror of their car with the number facing out.

There are two types of permits:

1. Carpool permits require a total of two occupants inside the vehicle and proof of possession of a driver's license for at least one year. Carpoolers may park in the the carpool lot, which is designated by blue signs.
2. Regular permits allow students to park in the regular lot. Either permit costs $125.

If you forget to bring your permit to school, ask at the Main Office for a temporary day permit (limited to twice per school year).