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After decades of planning, Mountain View officials hope to reach a new milestone for the Stevens Creek Trail by connecting it to Mountain View High School.
Extending the trail to the high school emerged as city officials’ top priority last week during a study session to discuss the trail’s future. Currently, the Stevens Creek Trail stretches about 5 miles through Mountain View, running from the Bay wetlands to Heatherstone Avenue near Highway 85.
From there, the trail effectively ends for about 3 miles before picking up again in Cupertino at Blackberry Farm.
The four cities that share jurisdiction over the trail have agreed to work together to complete the route, and there was a consensus they would all help shoulder the cost. A study commissioned by the cities split the project into four segments.
For Mountain View officials, their main interest is in the study’s first segment, a stretch running south from the terminus at Heatherstone Avenue to Fremont Avenue in Los Altos. City staff said this area has the advantage of having about 22 acres of open space, but it could require constructing several bridges and other infrastructure to extend the trail along a narrow creek corridor. A sound wall built alongside the Heatherstone Apartments might need to be moved to make way for the trail. In any case, the segment would require a lengthy study and environmental review before any construction could begin.
To say the trail is a big deal for local residents would be an understatement, said Councilwoman Pat Showalter, who represented Mountain View in the discussions with other cities. Holding up a thick binder of correspondence, she pointed out that the project had received more than 900 comments.
“Everyone likes the existing trail — they view this as a fabulous regional amenity.” she said. “But people had some strong feelings about this that’s a nice way of saying it.”
Of those comments, safety was a major theme, particularly for students getting to school, she said. Local residents wanted the trail to stay as close to the creek, and away from city streets as much as possible.
Echoing that priority, city officials last week gave direction to focus on extending the trail to the high school. The city needs to find a way to prioritize this goal while also studying the entire segment, said Councilman Mike Kasperzak.
“Our goal has always been to get to the high school and I’d like to see that as an ultimate focus, but we have to do that in the context of this first segment and overall plan,” he said. “I’d hate to say we’re not going to get to Mountain View High School until we can figure out the whole thing.”
Where the project goes from here depends on the funding. Mountain View officials said that other cities should carry some of the costs. The price won’t be cheap — city staff estimates that getting the trail to the high school will run about $15 million. How this cost should be split will likely be a major topic in upcoming meetings.
Mountain View Public Works staff indicated the trail could be added to the city’s capital-improvement project list next year. Grant funding is also a possibility through agencies such as the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, California River Parkways or the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
We’ve been waiting decades for the Stevens Creek Trail to be extended through Sunnyvale. Will it be finished before our kids grow up?
The original vision was that the trail would go to the high school. Let’s find the funds and get it done!
Is the problem money or NIMBYs? The article talks about money, but my understanding is that was never the real problem.
The problem in MV is money since the trail will follow 85 on the Sunnyvale side where there are no houses. The problem in Sunnyvale and particularly Los Altos is NIMBYs.
I know Sunnyvale used to have a rule to not even study the idea of the trail, but they are slowly warming to the idea.
Los Altos, Sunnyvale and Cupertino are all Sc trail NIMBY hot spots, but only the people who’s property is adjacent to any proposed trail. They’ll bring up any/all excuses as to why it should not move fwd.
This area has been obstructed by nimbys in Los Altos for at least 40 years. I have a hard time understanding it. I live very near a trail in Los Altos Hills and see nothing to object to. We did have one youngster who had a motor bike and was stopped by a small barrier for a period of time…until he grew up. It is mainly used by the women taking morning walks, no problem.
this trail is a very needed recreational connection for non motorized travel from the Baylands to Stevens Creek county park and on up to skyline. With the traffic increasing on roads and expressways we need to have places for bikes and hikers off road. There have been just too many bicyclists killed on our roads recently.
This is not just a recreational trail. As the article states, kids want to use it as a safe route to school. This also reduces car traffic for kids who are too scared to bike on existing routes. Many adults also bicycle commute on the trail to various companies along the trail including Google. Investing in this bike trail will reduce car traffic in the area, which is good for everyone.
The only people who need convincing that the SC trail extension is a good idea are the few but vocal NIMBYs who crop up every time a route is proposed.
The idea is such a slam dunk positive that we need to start looking past the handful of selfish NIMBYs who would oppose it.
Let’s start talking common good and get this done. There is simply no RATIONAL reason not to.
In our house, whenever neighbors talk about bicycles on trails and not belonging on the streets with cars, we just start laughing….
Especially today, when there’s a sign up on the SCT announcing it will be closed the final week of the year for y’know, asphalt sealing. When its narrow breadth has been almost totally blocked 4 times in the past 3 weeks by work crews. When the city lets its employees traverse back and forth in an electric golf cart. Not to mention the normal, day-to-day run ins with all sorts of trail users moving at different speeds, some recreating and some moving with purpose. Some lit and others not.
Last year, the SCT was closed several times for rain, and for trimming of vegetation. There is no street alternate! Guess I’m not going to school/work/shopping….
My good people, put on your thinking caps. Trails are no substitute for a (much cheaper) network of on-street bike lanes. Trails are damned expensive for what you get. These projects take forever, and they siphon up all the public money that could pay for real infrastructure. Most of all, trail projects reinforce fear, reinforce the idea that bicycles don’t really belong on the streets that we pay tax dollars for. Where all the business destinations are. Where the schools are.
MV High could try a really cheap experiment: for a month, everyone has to bike to school – everyone. The parents and teachers would realize someone’s creating the traffic menace around that neighborhood: it’s them.
Ridiculous to think other cities should pay for a trail through our city.
Are we going to fund it through Cupertino…eh….noooooo.
That is just a Mike Kasperzak tactic to drag it out for his financial backers for his next political career move.
@pass the hat
<Tweeet> It was late, you might try re-reading the article, esp the part that says:
“The four cities that share jurisdiction over the trail have agreed to work together to complete the route, and there was a consensus they would all help shoulder the cost.”
Yes, through the sharing of expenses, MV will in part fund it through Cupertino. That’s already been decided.
OK, everyone back up to speed?
<Tweeet> Resume play!!
Funded by Shoreline district funds (general property tax revenue) diverted from the schools our children attend? Hum – what a great way for Cupertino to go! It is an entirely dumb idea for MV to use this general property tax revenue for any Sunnyvale (or especially Cupertino) public project. If Shoreline district was “sunsetted”, like all the other Redevelopment agencies in California, it would stop diverting property taxes from our schools and from our City general operating funds.
The SCT was extended to the other side of 85 (nice bridge!) by the use of Shoreline district diverted general tax revenues. I forget the exact year and millions of dollars.
The Los Altos NIMBY’s are amazing. These are the same nitwits that block any development within Los Altos and then lobby MV to build out the commercial areas they desire. Also the same wingnuts that scream up and down how dedicating a lane on El Camino to public transit will bring on the apocalypse.
Some good comments but a few disturbingly ignorant comments from folks who appear to live in MV. Hard to believe that there are actually areas that don’t revolve around you!
First of all, the land behind the Los Altos stretch (along with some of the Sunnyvale section) is largely built up to the freeway as Los Altos did not preserve this space, decades ago, when homes were built.
Second, I think its pretty obvious that homeowners who bought in the area have a right to keep things quiet and as they are. I’ve witnessed some pretty rude and entitled trail users however there are plenty more who are respectful. Basically a person’s home and neighborhood should not be turned into grand central station just because a few desire it.
The trail is a “safe route to school” and makes sense for students to use as a way to get to MVHS and other facilities. But beyond that usage….we have many existing safe, wide and friendly streets in MV, Los Altos and Sunnyvale to ride bikes in and walk, rendering some of the other possibilities more as a “nice to have” than a need.
Many cities putting in trail systems have far inferior street systems with higher speed limits creating much more need for this kind of thing.
Looking forward to some of the Stevens Creek Trail improvements and more access to the beautiful area…but my goodness some of the proponents need to get over themselves.
Speaking of ignorant, residential streets are not a substitute for a peaceful trail next to a creek. Treadmills are an option following that logic.
I’ve seen some really rude and entitled people on the roads as well. Why should they be allowed to drive through my neighborhood (hahah, yes, it sounded JUST that silly)
Some of those thinking the proponents need to get over themselves really need to get over themselves.
Also, NIMBY’s are the issue. The MASSES want the trail. The few entitled NIMBYs are blocking it, or trying to anyway. In fact in Los Altos, they proposed to put the route onto one of those nice streets you talk about.
Guess what happened…NIMBYs!!! The few trying to hold off something great for the masses of 4 cities. It’ll happen though, a full route all the way to the hills. It’ll be tremendous 🙂
As an avid cyclist & frequent user of the SCT, here is my 2c:
-The stretch of Stevens Creek (comprising the border between Sunnyvale & Los Altos, between Fremont and Homestead) is not conducive to constructing a paved trail. Some friends live on Bedford Ave bordering the creek, adding a trail segment along there will destroy a lot of natural riparian habitat, and require the acquisition of private property. The trail will probably need to detour onto the city streets in this area
-IMHO, the most important link in the SCT will be getting across 280, & connecting to the Cupertino segment of the trail. Planning efforts & funding should be focused in this area
Sunnyvale has NIMBYs? Bizarre, since Sunnyvale itself is a giant NIMBY for Mountain View…
Yes, they do have NIMPYs in SV, but only along the SC trail route it would seem. All my SV friends avidly support extending the trail. It’s just the few NIMBYs making things difficult for everyone else who would LOVE to share in the enjoyment of the trail.
I would support a trail if the four cities could come up with a plan along the creek, however, as long as they continue to talk about residential streets we might as well use them as they are. A residential street is not a trail and doesn’t provide the safety everyone has in mind. Cars represent a real hazard not seen on the completed Mountain View segments of the trail. Please don’t create a SCT with cars, driveways and parking.
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