VTA Wants to Know What's Important to Bicyclists

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) seeks public comment for the 2012 update of its bicycle plan. 

The bicycle component of Santa Clara County’s Long Range Transportation Plan, VTA's Bicycle Technical Guidelines, complements the countywide Bicycle Plan and VTA’s Bicycle Expenditure Program (BEP), which is the funding mechanism for countywide bicycle projects. It has approximately $165 million to fund 80 bicycle projects for the projected 2010-2035 time period.

"VTA works with cities to provide a guideline for their planning efforts when they are doing any kind of public project so that there's connectivity and consistency," Childress said. "VTA is an integral part in helping these projects get funded." 

For Mountain View, VTA had included in the Bicycle Expenditure Plan over the next 20-plus years funding for these improvements to both the Stevens Creek and Permanente Creek Trails:

• Stevens Creek Trail from Sleeper Avenue on the west side of SR 85, over SR 85 to Dale Ave./Heatherstone Way ($7M has been allocated for the $10m project). .
• Stevens Creek Trail from Dale Ave./Heatherstone Way to Mountain View High School by crossing SR 85 – this completes the trail ($10M has been allocated for the $12m project).
• Permanente Creek Trail overcrossing of US 101 and a grade separated crossing of Old Middlefield Way ($2.1m has been allocated for the $9.5m project). .

Other projects include the Adobe Creek Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge Replacement in Los Altos. This is the Hetch Hetchy pathway between Los Altos Avenue and Arastradero Road, 80 percent of which is VTA's share.

"We want to hear from the users," said VTA Spokeswoman Brandi Childress. "We want to hear from the people in the community using bikes every day to better provide connectivity and safer pathways throughout the county."

Along with the project in Los Altos, VTA helps pay for several other projects, including the Mary Bridge Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing in Cupertino, the Uvas Creek Trail feasibility study in Gilroy and projects in Los Gatos.

The comment deadline is Sept. 15.

Residents can email their comments on the plan here or send it via snail-mail to: 3331 N. First Street, San Jose, CA, 95134-1906, Attn: CMA Planning, Building B-2.

For questions or more information, please call 408-321-2300.

Don't miss a thing in Mountain View!

Follow on Twitter |  Like us on Facebook  |  Get the daily newsletter | Post to our calendar | Share an announcement