Category: Bike/Ped

Silicon Valley issues affecting pedestrians and bicycle use.

Help Advise VTA & San Jose On Public Transit

Several people are seated aboard a VTA bus moving within the City of San Jose. Seats have grey backs. Camera faces front of bus.
Several people are seated aboard a VTA bus moving within the City of San Jose.

Diane Solomon, host and producer at KKUP-FM in San Jose, informed us of an opportunity for you to help make public transit better in San Jose. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is still looking for someone who lives or works in San Jose to serve as a voice for public transit on its Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC).

As a BPAC member, you will have the ear of key decision-makers at VTA at staff level.

You would representing the City of San Jose as a public transit rider, as a member of VTA’s BPAC. The city committee’s next meeting to discuss this is this coming Monday at 6pm.  More details on what is required for you to be a representative on this committee, follow.

Help Plan VTA’s Future

Video courtesy VTA.

We’ve learned the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) seeks ideas from YOU on the future of transportation in Santa Clara County. Starting TONIGHT at 6pm online, is the first of several meetings VTA is holding to help plan public transit (as well as walking, biking, paratransit and highway projects) for Santa Clara County’s future.

Help Make a Bikeway a Better Way

Our group has just learned of a study the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is conducting. The “Central Bikeway” study VTA is now in its 3rd round of community input.  This after VTA has narrowed down the bikeway route for the Berryessa-Santa Clara corridor.

According to VTA:

The Central Bikeway Study will collaborate with community members, community-based organizations, VTA, the cities of Santa Clara and San José, Santa Clara County, and Caltrans to develop a route for an east-west bicycle “superhighway” between Santa Clara and North San José.

Here are some notes on VTA’s Central Bikeway study so far from Ian Kluft.

Our newest member, Scott Mace, had this to say on a public meeting VTA heard on Tuesday at noon on the study:

Short takeaway from today: city of Santa Clara hasn’t signed on to this yet, but VTA has clearly abandoned BRT on El Camino [Real].

VTA will have its last public meeting for this round Thursday evening at 6pm. Register for that meeting – and learn how else YOU can get involved – here.

Please discuss your feelings on this “Central Bikeway” study VTA is conducting in the comments. Also, if you’re interested, please plan on attending and speaking up at Thursday evening’s virtual meeting.

Eugene Bradley
Founder & CEO, Silicon Valley Transit Users

National Championship Transit Options

Levi’s Stadium, east of Great America light rail station.

College football’s national championship game comes to the Bay Area for the first time.  On January 7 at 5pm, college football’s National Championship game will take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.  The Clemson Tigers face the Alabama Crimson Tide for major college football’s national championship.

This post will help detail Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) public transit options to and from fan events in San Jose and Santa Clara on January 4-7.  These options help you beat expected traffic gridlock, parking woes, and potential road rage incidents at the events.  This post will also help detail a local guide for first-time public transit riders – especially those visiting San Jose and Santa Clara from out of town.  Read on below for more information…

Fight For Bike Lanes On El Camino Real In Palo Alto

Palo Alto Mayor Liz Kniss. Photo courtesy of City Of Palo Alto.

Live in Palo Alto?  Do shopping or other business in Palo Alto?  Ride a bicycle in Palo Alto?  Andrew Boone from East Palo Alto posted this message in a Facebook group.  As a public service, I am forwarding this message here.

Do YOU want BIKE LANES on El Camino Real in Palo Alto?

Call Palo Alto Mayor Liz Kniss at 650-888-8671 and respectfully request that the “El Camino Real Complete Streets” project to re-envision the Royal Road between Stanford Avenue and Lambert Avenue to “create a safe and healthy place for pedestrians and bicyclists” be placed on an upcoming Palo Alto City Council agenda. The city won a grant in 2016 to re-design El Camino Real and has begun the public input process, but the project hasn’t ever been discussed by the City Council.

It’s important for the Palo Alto City Council to hear from the public and then discuss this project even if they are not making any decisions about it soon. We need City Council support to have any hope of achieving the project’s goals.

What do YOU think about Palo Alto creating a safe and accessible El Camino Real for people of all ages using all modes of transportation in accordance with state Complete Streets law? Do YOU think Palo Alto should follow state law, or continuing ignoring state law?

Palo Alto Mayor Liz Kniss
telephone 650-888-8671
email: liz.kniss@cityofpaloalto.org

City of Palo Alto project page has more information on the proposal.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users