Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition

Coyote Creek Trail (Los Lagos Golf Course to Tully Road)

Bids were received in June 2008 and the City Council is expected to award a construction contract on September 9 for construction of a half mile extension to the trail system. The meandering trail will follow Stonegate Park, pass behind horse stables and alongside the Tully Road Ball Fields. At Tully Road, pedestrians and bicyclists well be welcomed to the trail by a stone gateway structure and seating wall. Construction will require about one year. Information about the Coyote Creek Trail system can be found at: http://www.sjparks.org/Trails/coyote/index.asp

Albertson Parkway

Bids were received in June 2008 and the City Council is expected to award a construction contract on September 9 for reconstruction and improvement of a 0.4 mile trail system. The short paved trail serves as a memorial to a community leader and leads trail users to the Santa Teresa County Park with its many trails and open space. Construction should take about 1 year and will include an improved trail, signage, striping, and extensive landscaping. Three interpretive signs will be installed along the route. Renderings of the project and information about the signs can be found at: http://www.sjparks.org/Trails/Albertson/AlbertsonParkway.asp

Trail Development Work

It is always exciting to report that a new trail has been constructed. But each new mile of trail requires master plans, permits, technical studies and hundreds of hours of hard work. Be sure to visit the Trail Program website at www.sjparks.org/trails for information on some major efforts currently underway to define new trails for future construction:

• Bay Trail 9B Pedestrian Bridge (Construction and environmental documents are being prepared)

• Lower Guadalupe River Trail – Gold St to I-880 (Construction and environmental documents are being prepared)

• Coyote Creek Trail – Hwy 237 to Story Road (Master Planning and environmental document to start in Winter 2008)

• Almaden Expressway Pedestrian Bridge – Guadalupe Creek Trail (Construction and environmental documents are being prepared.

The Annual Trail Program report provides an overview of all projects (large and small): http://www.sjparks.org/Trails/TrailsReports.asp

National Recreational Trail

In September, the City Council is expected to approve submission of an application for National Recreational Trail designation for the entire Trail Network. The designation is provided by the Federal Department of the Interior and would recognize that San Jose contributes to a national collection of trail systems. From a strategic perspective, such acknowledgment creates an opportunity for San Jose to pursue three new funding sources, secure national recognition and tap into technical resources available at the federal level. The City will also be distinguished among other agencies for its unique approach in developing an interconnected network of trail systems.

Trail Network Overview

Did you know that San Jose has 25 trail systems open to the public? Each trail system offers a unique experience, with some being quite short and within urban environments and others suitable for an afternoon journey through a beautiful river way landscape. Obtain and overview of the many systems by viewing the newly created document at: http://www.sjparks.org/Trails/documents/TrailNetworkOverview.pdf

Report submitted by Yves Zsutty.

SVBC has joined with the California Bicycle Coalition, CABO, and the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition to request that Caltrans declare a moratorium on the installation of centerline rumble strips until standards are developed that address the impacts on bicycling.

These rumble strips have been installed on Highway 84 in Santa Clara and Alameda counties. Because they narrow the traffic lanes, and discourage motorists from crossing the centerline, they can have the undesired effect of motorists passing dangerously close to a bicyclist.

The Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition will again be providing guarded bike parking at the upcoming Stanford home football games.

The first game will be on August 28th, a very unusual weekday evening game. Game time is at 6 pm; we start an hour ahead of that, a little before 5 pm. Since most of our members wouldn’t be available at that time, I do hope that those of you who are will volunteer to help out.

As usual, volunteers will get a deli sandwich of their choosing and a Stadium pass.

Please contact me if you can help.

Thanks much!
Ellen Fletcher (ef [at] ellenfletcher [dot] net)

In the wee hours of Saturday morning, the two pieces of the south tower of Cupertino's Mary Avenue Bicycle Footbridge over 280 were hoisted into place. A week earlier, the north tower was raised. The towers are standing very tall there on both sides of 280 just east of the 85 interchange. See the "action" in a series of time lapse photos on Cupertino's web site, http://www.cupertino.org. Click on "Mary Avenue Bicycle Footbridge Webcam" on the right.

Between the two towers a dramatic cable-stayed bicycle pedestrian bridge will be constructed in the coming months.

Applications are now being accepted for 3 positions on the Mountain View Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Applications will be accepted until a sufficient number have been received or no later than September 15, 2008 for Mountain View citizens wishing to serve. There may be incumbents who wish to be reappointed. This is a volunteer position that serves in an advisory capacity to the City Council.

Call the City Clerk's Office at 650-903-6304 for further information and applications. An application can be downloaded at http://www.mountainview.gov/citygov/pdf/community_services_application.p...