News Update: the Cupertino City Council unanimously accepted Apple Computers proposal to contribute funds for selected bike projects, as detailed below in the posting.
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At the upcoming June 18th Cupertino City Council meeting, council will consider accepting a $9.8M contribution by Apple Computer for bike/ped infrastructure improvements. Please write your council at this address citycouncil@cupertino.org urging them to approve/accept this very significant contribution to our bike/ped safety and well-being. Walk-Bike Cupertino heartily endorses this contribution to make our city “Safer and easier to walk and bike!”
The contribution will support seven major projects – some of which are already funded by the city. This will free up funds for additional bike/ped projects! The designated projects are:
McClellan Road Bike/Ped Improvements:
- Separated Bikeway (Byrne to Imperial) $ 1,000,000
- Stelling To Torre $ 1,000,000
- DeAnza Blvd/McClellan Signal Modification $ 160,000
- McClellan Road Sidewalk improvement $ 2,275,000
Other major project to be funded:
- Junipero Serra Trail $1,800,000
- Bubb/Mary Class IV Project $1,980,555
- School Walk Audit Projects $1,221,863
Total $9,792,418
Per our sources, and alluded to at the April 2nd City Council meeting by Councilperson Jon Willey, (jwilley@cupertino.org) this traunch of funding is the first of potentially multiple releases of capital by Apple to aid in Cupertino’s 2016 Bike Plan and other bike/ped projects. If successful, Apple is prepared to make subsequent donations to make Cupertino bike and ped friendly for our citizens and Apple employees who need to move about the various Apple city sites.
At the April council meeting, Councilperson Liang Chao liangchao@cupertino.org questioned the importance of two of the projects identified – Bubb Road and Mary Avenue Class IV (separated lanes), as they were not ranked in the top priority tiers in the 2016 Master Bike Plan (which is a guide, but does not dictate absolute sequencing of project implementation). Chao suggested that the city reallocate the designated funds to other “high priority projects”, some but not all bike/ped related.
In particular, Chao questioned the validity/need and priority of the Bubb Road and Mary Ave protected bike-ways project. While it’s accurate that Bubb and Mary are not Tier I projects as the bike plan guides, they are important project segments for our citizens, the MVHS, CHS student communities as well as Apple employees who would be able to more safely connect to the various Apple sites in Cupertino. Bubb Road is a major feeder route for Kennedy Middle and Monta Vista High schools. There are nearly 700 MVHS students who live in the Garden Gate and Greenleaf neighborhoods that commute 2X/day to/from school. This primary school route is quite dangerous and has been the site of numerous auto/pedestrian/bicycle crashes in the recent past.
Please write your council at this address CityCouncil@Cupertino.org urging them to accept/approve this very significant contribution to our bike/ped safety and well-being. Also please cc: our new City Manager, Deborah Feng (Manager@cupertino.org). This is another splendid opportunity to make Cupertino “Safe and easy to walk and bike!”
You can find more information on the Apple proposal and city council documents at these links (from the June 18th council agenda):
Item 22. Subject: Donation for the funding of select projects identified in the 2016 Bicycle Transportation Plan, 2018 Pedestrian Plan, School Walk Audits and Mary Avenue Protected Bikeway Recommended
Action: 1. Authorize the City Manager to execute a multi-year grant donation agreement per the conditions specified in Attachment A in the amount of $9,792,418 for the funding of select projects identified in the 2016 Bicycle Transportation Plan, 2018 Pedestrian Plan, School Walk Audit and Mary Avenue Protected Bikeway; and
2. Authorize the Director of Public Works to apply excess donation funds from any one completed project to other projects identified in the donation as needed and per the conditions specified in Exhibit A of the Grant Agreement; and
3. Approve a Budget Appropriation for FY19/20 totaling $9,792,418; and 4. Authorize the hiring of a new two-year limited term Assistant Engineer level position at a cost not to exceed $175,000 per year
B – Letter from Apple dated July 30, 2018
C – Letter from Apple dated March 27, 2019
D – April 2, 2019 Staff Report
I do not drive and would appreciate any help from Apple that would improve the safety of those of us who walk and ride bikes. There is a great deal that needs to be done to encourage people to do what is right for our environment. I believe that public transportation, bikes and pedestrians need to come first. Cars are a terrible waste because they pollute the air and tie up traffic with cars mostly carrying only the driver. This is not a viable model for future transportation. Our population is growing. It’s obvious that change is needed. Let’s move the emphasis away from cars and into the future with safe pedestrian and bicycle friendly improvements. We need free and frequent public transit.