By ANNE GELHAUS | agelhaus@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News GroupPUBLISHED: June 14, 2020 at 7:20 a.m. | UPDATED: June 15, 2020 at 3:54 a.m.
VTA funds Homestead ‘Safe Routes’
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) board of directors recently approved funding for the Homestead Safe Routes to School project. The funding will advance planned pedestrian and bicycle improvements on Homestead Road in Cupertino, Sunnyvale and Los Altos.
The VTA approved funding totaling $1.17 million for environmental clearance and design. Once this work is complete, the project will be “shovel ready” and grant funding for construction can be pursued.
Homestead Road between Foothill Expressway and Hollenbeck Avenue serves West Valley Elementary, Cupertino Middle, and Homestead High schools and typically sees heavy traffic during commute hours. Eight bicyclists and pedestrians have been hit along the stretch in the last five years.
The proposed project is intended to improve pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and make it easier and safer for students to travel to and from the schools along the corridor. It includes separated bike lanes, sidewalk gap closure, widened sidewalks, high-visibility crosswalks, curb ramps, and pedestrian and bicycle detection upgrades.