It seems like an amazing percentage, but the documented numbers show that since 2018, Cupertino has only paid less than 13% of the cost of all the new pedestrian and bike infrastructure built in the city, with grant funding and gifts paying the rest. This low percentage doesn’t even factor in the land donated for the Linda Vista Trail in 2019, which was worth at least $7M. If that land is included, the percentage would dip below 10%.
In total since 2018, we have received over $21 million dollars in grant and gift funding, plus the entire acreage the Linda Vista Trail was built upon, yet have only spent a total of $2.8 million.
The chart below, compiled from staff information provided to the City Council at their public meetings, shows the many projects funded since 2018 and where those funds came from.
Some of the many projects funded since 2018.
Why does this matter?
The data shows that up until recently, our city was slowly becoming more enjoyable and livable to walk and bike in and we were only spending a tiny fraction of our city budget for those improvements, with grants multiplying the impact of our funds tenfold.
Unfortunately, despite this documented data, some of our new city leadership are trying to mislead residents by stating that our city is spending too much on bike or pedestrian improvements. This anti-bike/ped focus seems to be having a chilling effect on the staff suggesting new bike/ped projects, or even studying a road with a high number of fatalities and accidents to see what could be done to save people’s lives. Zero new projects have been proposed by city staff in the last year, despite the large gaps in the long-planned network of pedestrian and cycling infrastructure in Cupertino. Some projects like finishing the McClellan lanes in front of Monta Vista HS and Lincoln MS and the Stevens Creek Blvd protected bike lanes near Highway 85 have been postponed, perhaps indefinitely.
One very worrying example of the anti bike/ped project bias is the Bollinger Road Corridor Study — a fully-grant funded safety study ready to begin — which our current Council killed, rejecting the $440,000 federal grant awarded to us to study solutions jointly with San Jose. This wasn’t a new infrastructure project, but merely studying potential solutions. Bollinger Road has seen multiple pedestrian fatalities and a significant number of severe injury accidents in the last few years. It is listed as a top concern in the Vision Zero plan. Killing this grant-funded study wastes significant “free” money and will surely result in more avoidable fatalities and severe injuries.
(Left) bike lanes used by students on McClellan that are left unprotected; (Right) Bollinger Road, a curvy road which has had multiple pedestrian fatalities and serious accidents.
Getting the most for our city tax dollars
We need to be data-driven in how we spend our city tax dollars. That includes determining how to get the most for our limited funds. It’s clear that bike/ped infrastructure is a winner on this scale. Not only are we “matching” with city funds a very small amount of the total project costs, but our city is also gaining improvements in safety, livability, traffic relief, and meeting our climate goals. Other myths have been debunked about bike lanes “slowing traffic”, and it’s time to put this myth to rest as well. It is possible to make good financial decisions. Last month, a close council vote moved forward the Stevens Creek bike lanes between Wolfe Road and DeAnza Boulevard, a positive step for safety for both pedestrians and cyclists. Cupertino only paid 25% of the construction cost to address the most unsafe corridor in the city.
Where are these grants and gifts coming from?
The grants come from federal, state, and county agencies. Criteria for the grants usually include making active (non-car) transportation safer and easier while addressing a current issue in a city. The gifts have come from Apple Corporation, and from Richard Lowenthal, former Mayor and resident of Cupertino. Our staff should be commended for applying for these grants and working with those that wish to help our city by donating funding and land.
It should be noted that this list is just the grants that the city has received since 2018. There are more grant opportunities out there for Cupertino to benefit from in creating a safer and more enjoyable city for all residents.
Moving forward, not stalled in place
Cupertino has the opportunity to begin moving forward again towards becoming a more livable city with increased safety for our residents. It wouldn’t be expensive, as we know that we can get a lot of grant funding to cover the costs. The data from past projects clearly shows us that bike lanes do not slow down car traffic, they make it safer for both car drivers and cyclists. If we do move forward again, it means that we have considered the data from past actions and are making sound decisions based on reasonable predictions. That’s the best way to get the best outcome for Cupertino.
This information was compiled from staff reports to the City Council as part of the agendas for public City Council meetings and published information on the city’s website.