Several sections of Junipero Serra Park closed Monday, Aug. 17, as a $1.19 million storm drain project and lingering damage from 2023 winter storms limit access to one of San Mateo County's popular parks through at least early November.

The Oak Cove Reservation Area is closed through Tuesday, Sept. 1, while the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission installs a culvert to repair erosion and divert stormwater away from the San Andreas Pipeline No. 2 and No. 3, according to a San Mateo County Parks advisory. The closure could be extended depending on weather.

The SFPUC awarded the contract in March 2025 to JDB & Sons Construction, Inc. for $1,192,500, according to commission records. The work is a joint effort between SFPUC, the City of San Bruno and San Mateo County Parks, according to an SFPUC construction notice. Reservations at the Oak Cove Picnic Area are prohibited for approximately eight weeks during the work.

Separately, the park's roadways and parking lots will close Tuesday, Sept. 15, through Friday, Nov. 6. The county did not specify the nature of that construction. The De Anza parking lot near the park entrance will remain open during that stretch, the county said.

Two other areas face longer shutdowns with no announced reopening dates. The Iris Point Sites are closed indefinitely while the county develops plans to renovate the area for a youth day camp. The Live Oak Nature Trail between markers 1 and 9 remains closed for visitor safety due to damage from winter 2023 storms.

Pine Trail is partially blocked by a small slide. The county advises caution.

What's still open

Visitors can still reach the park via the De Anza parking lot near the entrance. The county has not indicated closures affecting other trails or picnic areas beyond those listed.

Residents with questions about the SFPUC culvert project can contact Steve Kech, the project contact, at (888) 801-2661, ext. 3, or [email protected].