“Cupid Row” is located in an otherwise unassuming suburb of San Bruno.
San Bruno christened itself as the “City With a Heart” as a result of this heart-shaped housing tract in a neighborhood near Bayshore Freeway. Some might see it as romantic, and others might think it’s tacky, but there’s no denying that this heart hidden in plain sight is extremely unique!
The street is known as “Cupid Row,” and it’s situated in such a way that the cross streets pierce the heart-shaped island like an arrow. This below schematic shows 2 hearts, although only the top one actually has the definable heart shape. The bottom heart is more of a rounded triangle, but the overall effect is of 2 interlocking hearts.
You can see larger, rounded heart shapes emanating out from the main one, making for an inefficient design and a bizarre 5-way intersection. But truth be told, the design is so cute and kitschy that you can’t help admiring it!
A 2004 SFGATE article explains that the area was laid out in this format over a century ago. It wasn’t until more recently that the city of San Bruno capitalized on it as a rebranding opportunity. The “City With a Heart” and “Cupid Row” are admittedly more enticing than the city’s lesser-known moniker, “The International Airport City.”
Want to see it for yourself? You can find Cupid Row in the eastern flats near Bayshore Freeway. The two streets that make up the heart itself are Carlton Ave and Terrace Ave, and Cupid Row is a small street coming out from the top of the heart. The coordinates are N 37° 37.278, W 122° 24.506.
Featured image: @jam.bay via Instagram