Cupertino has an amazing opportunity for an off-street biking and walking trail connecting its east and west sides: the Tamien Innu, aka the I-280 trail. The Tamien Innu completed its Feasibility Study in 2019, and soon afterward Apple donated the full cost of $1.8M toward the design of the three segments of the trail (east, central, west). It appeared then that the trail would be moving forward to construction at a good pace. Unfortunately, this has not happened, with the trail still not yet fully designed after six years.
Project Schedule Impacted by Negotiations and Reviews
Much of that time has been spent on city negotiations with Valley Water, which owns the trail land, and with Apple, which owns adjacent land. These negotiations have mainly been over trail width, protection for roots of nearby trees, surface runoff, and the design of retaining walls. The process has been described as “challenging.”
Based on WBC’s quarterly status updates, it appears that the response times from Valley Water have contributed to the project’s extended schedule. Because these responses typically take a minimum of eight weeks, progress has been much slower than anticipated. City staff continue to follow up regularly, often weekly, with Valley Water’s Community Projects Review Unit to help move the project forward.
Soonest Opening For The First Segment is Likely To Be 2028
If the latest design proposal submitted to Valley Water meets with their approval, the eastern segment of the Tamien Innu still will likely not begin construction until 2027 as staff need to finalize the design, obtain required permits from regulatory agencies, put the project through a competitive bidding process, and select a contractor to do the work. Start of construction on the central segment would be at least three years later, likely more, at the earliest (2031 or later), as it already has passed its environmental clearance but also trail parameters will need to be negotiated. The western segment would be still yet further out into the late 2030’s–with its major road crossing issues, there are no predictions as to how long it will take.
The city staff are fully completing each individual segment of the trail before they consider the next one. This method has been used for other big projects, and does allow some of the segments to be open and enjoyed while waiting for the others to be designed or finished, which is a positive benefit. However, it also means that projects can drag on for many years between each segment’s construction and with each segment or partial segment requiring separate approvals and budgets. The Stevens Creek Boulevard (SCB) Class IV bike lane project, for example, has waited more than seven years from the first (0.4 mi) segment to the next (1.0 mi) segment, planned for January 2026. With at least two, likely three more segments, that project will likely be completed in the 2040’s, if ever.
Key information
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Current design
A paved Class I off-street trail of 2.91 miles in total. Short 2 ½ foot retaining walls will be in many areas on either side of a 12 foot wide trail. The project has been broken into three segments—east (Vallco Pkwy to Wolfe Rd), central (Wolfe Rd to De Anza Blvd), and west (De Anza Blvd to Mary Ave).
Funding
The cost of design for the eastern and central segments is covered by an Apple grant and Measure B funding. Construction for the eastern segment is also fully funded with Measure B and VTA grants. Some Measure B funds will also be applied to construction of the central segment. The Measure B Funds require a 30% city funding match.
Approvals
The eastern and central segments will need to have their CEQA paperwork refiled, but are not expected to need further work. Regulatory permits will need to be filed before work begins.
No Commute Path for Kids in Educator Housing For At Least 5 Years
The Tamien Innu won’t just be a nice city amenity— it’s necessary to provide safe travel for our students. Instead of allowing residents of the new educator housing on Wolfe Road to have their children walk or bike to school through the low stress neighborhood, North Blaney residents instead have come out in force to keep the old wall between the educator housing and the neighborhood. They have cited the central segment of the Tamien Innu as their preferred route for these children, assuming that it will be built soon. If the eastern segment gets the go-ahead in the next month, this central segment of the trail is still likely five years away from construction, and six years away from opening. Meanwhile, these students will likely use the planned pathway along Perimeter Road adjacent to The Rise (when it’s built) then onto Stevens Creek Boulevard (35 mph) to Blaney (30 mph), to enter the N. Blaney neighborhood.
The Tamien Innu will be great for everyone in Cupertino, providing safe and enjoyable travel and recreation for pedestrians and cyclists of all ages. We hope that our city staff are able to resolve the design issues quickly so this project can get moving again!