This month, I move on from the subject of Foothill Expressway shared infrastructure to two impressive new bicycling infrastructure projects.
The first is the pedestrian/bike bridge over U.S. Highway 101, a project completed in November after at least eight years of planning and promise. It replaces a clunky underpass that was closed during the winter rains (remember those?) and provides access to both Baylands Nature Preserve and offices on the bay side of 101, including the main Google campus, from the Peninsula side where most of us live.
Prior to the completion of the project, brave commuters and recreational cyclists could use either the complicated non-Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant bridge adjacent to Oregon Expressway to the north and or take San Antonio Road to the south.
I recently took a trip to explore Baylands and was impressed by how easy it is to access bicycle-friendly East Meadow on the west side and a portion of the Baylands Loop Trail on the east side. The Baylands Loop Trail is functional; it is not an attractive cycling destination in itself where it runs parallel to East Bayshore Road, but it provides excellent access to a network of nature trails through the preserve.
Although the trails are gravel, I had no difficulty with my narrow-tire road bike. Check it out – it is perfect for a family weekend outing. While it’s not ideal for real novices or little kids, it is certainly suitable for middle schoolers with intermediate bike-handling skills. I think it should also serve cycling commuters who need to cross 101 during the week. Approximately 1,000 more projects like this and Silicon Valley will rival the Netherlands as a cycling utopia.
Cycling-friendly routes
I discovered the second project by accident, driving to a doctor’s appointment in Los Gatos. Turning onto Winchester Boulevard from State Route 85 in Campbell, I was confronted with a sea of green paint – a Class IV Protected Bike Lane for over a mile to Blossom Hill Road.
I have ridden this route many times before, and while it conveniently took me where I wanted to go, it is winding and presents many challenges to cyclists. I am sure there must have been lots of controversy as plans were developed, but I have now been there twice and the engineering care that went into it is impressive.
It does take away a traffic lane, and it is not shoehorned into a space that was originally planned without consideration of cyclists. Every intersection and even every driveway are unique and well marked.
I really like the green bollards, because they protect the cycling lane while not trapping the cyclist on the wrong side if, for example, a motorist pulls out from a driveway without warning. Also, a cyclist can enter or leave from the left at almost every point on the route. There are places where on-street parking is provided to the left of the bike route, and cyclists are well out of reach of opening car doors.
The Los Gatos project appears to be part of an expanded network of cycling-friendly routes to come; its Los Gatos terminus connects to a well-designed bike lane on Blossom Hill, providing access to schools and Vasona Lake County Park. This is another route that should prove capable of providing great access to commuters and schools during the week and providing a gateway to the Santa Cruz Mountains (State Route 9 or Lexington Reservoir) for ambitious recreational cyclists on weekends.
Two great projects completed – only about 999 to go.
Chris Hoeber is a local resident, avid cyclist and founder of a cycling club. Email questions and comments to [email protected].
