Complete streets, traffic safety and long-awaited fixes to El Camino included in Mountain View’s upcoming capital projects

Those weary of dodging potholes on bumpy rides down El Camino Real finally have some hope in sight, as badly needed repaving — along with other improvements — are on the way, starting in the fall. It’s one of multiple hotly anticipated projects planned in Mountain View over the next year, many of which aim to improve traffic safety.

The projects, reviewed by the City Council earlier this month, are part of the Mountain View’s Capital Improvements Program (CIP), the city’s multiyear plan for building infrastructure over the next five years. While the CIP has hundreds of projects, many residents seized on ambitious plans to turn nearly the entire length of California Street into a safe bicycle and pedestrian corridor.

City officials have long considered turning California Street into an “active” pedestrian corridor that runs east-west through the center of the city, with an eye toward a road diet that reduces traffic lanes in favor of bike and pedestrian-friendly improvements, according to Dawn Cameron, the city’s public works director. The pilot was initially going to be a block long, but expanded in scope last year.

The city earmarked more than $1.7 million in total funding for the project last year, with plans to narrow the street from four traffic lanes to three; separate bike lanes with parking; add high-visibility crosswalks and protected intersections; and other upgrades like midblock, bulb-out crossings and better lighting.

Resident April Webster, speaking on behalf of several people in attendance, urged council members at the April 3 meeting to make a push for “green” streets, advocating not only for large separation between cars, bikes and pedestrians, but also for more green space to line the corridor. She said planters, trees and gardens in roadway medians are preferable to paint and delineators, and that it would encourage alternate modes of travel.

“This is key to unlocking a real modality shift, this would be transformative for our community,” Webster said.

When asked about this green approach, Assistant Public Works Director Ed Arango said the city will consider green street infrastructure as part of California Street’s pilot, considering what parts can make it into the final, permanent design. With any additions, he said the city would need to be mindful of how long the corridor is, and must evaluate safety for all modes of travel.

Prior to the advocacy at the council meeting, Mountain View was already slated to pour millions of dollars into 27 projects in the CIP that aim to make it easier to get around on foot or by bike, parsed out in a separate list published by the city. Cameron said the support for complete and green streets at the meeting is largely consistent with the plans already laid out by city officials, but it did reaffirm that these upgrades are a high priority for residents.

“We want to transform our transportation system to really promote active transportation and transit use, alternatives to the automobile,” she said. “This is what’s going to help us achieve our sustainability goals, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve mobility in our community. It takes a long time to transform a major form of infrastructure throughout our city.”

Though not a city-led project, Caltrans’ highly anticipated roadway improvements on El Camino Real are finally slated to begin construction in the fall. Spearheaded by the state agency, the project includes resurfaced pavement across the full length of the road in the city and repairing “localized failed concrete pavement,” according to the Caltrans website. Mountain View has partnered with Caltrans — pitching in $6.7 million through a combination of city and grant funds — to ensure the work includes major safety priorities along the corridor as well.

What that means for residents is to expect 6 miles of bike lanes — a mix of Class II and Class IV protected lanes, the latter between Sylvan and Rengstorff avenues — and more high-visibility crosswalks at major intersections. So-called Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon crossings, which have timed, flashing signals when people are in the crosswalk, will also be built at Crestview Drive and Bonita and Pettis avenues. Outside of Mountain View, Caltrans plans to extend roadway repairs on El Camino all the way up to Sand Hill Road as part of the project, which is expected to take until winter 2024 to complete.

Caltrans’ work carries out the city’s El Camino Real Streetscape Plan, which proposes a suite of changes for the road, including eliminating on-street parking in favor of bike lanes, geared toward traffic safety. Many traffic injuries in the city are reported on El Camino, including a fatal collision at the Highway 237 intersection last year.

Capital Improvement Program takes shape

The Capital Improvement program, still in the works as part of the city’s budget process, lays out plans for major projects scheduled to take place over the next five years. While many are nondiscretionary and routine, new initiatives like a Castro Street redesign are proposed to make the list this year.

City staff are proposing to design and construct permanent improvements for a Castro Pedestrian Mall, leaving open the option to work with Caltrain and VTA to integrate that work into planned upgrades to the Mountain View Transit Center and Centennial Plaza. This follows a feasibility study for the project that was previously budgeted for $628,000, according to last year’s CIP.

While the city had already committed to work on a complete streets project for Middlefield Road, recently awarded federal grant money is pushing the city to make additional complete street improvements on Moffett Boulevard and where El Camino intersects with El Monte and Escuela avenues, expedited in order to meet the grant timelines.

Some high profile projects are coming back to the City Council for consideration because cost estimates have changed. City officials plan this fall to draft designs for extending Stevens Creek Trail farther south, from the Dale Avenue trailhead to Remington Drive in Sunnyvale near Mountain View High School. The project is already earmarked to receive $4.8 million in funding from VTA’s Measure B sales tax as well as $600,000 from the city of Sunnyvale for the design phase, but the total costs — expected to exceed $30 million — may require the city to pitch in more money to get matching grant funds.

The city is also expected to increase its cost estimates for its grade separation projects at Rengstorff Avenue and the downtown transit center, the former expected to require “substantially more city investment,” according to a staff report.

Unlike previous CIP cycles, where projects rolling over from prior years get a cost bump of 2% to adjust for inflation, the costs of labor and materials are skyrocketing and ending with bids way over what was expected. City officials are recommending every project get a 10% increase for the 2023-24 fiscal year which, while high, is actually a midpoint estimate based on local building industry data.

City staff are also keeping a close watch on capital budget revenues in a post-pandemic world, which has mostly led to either flat or declining cash coming in to the city. Construction and Conveyance Tax revenue is down, gas tax revenue is down — the result of fewer people on the road commuting — and water use is down. Money flowing from developer fees and charges into the capital budget is also down, though tax revenue from the Shoreline Regional Park Community remains steady even after COVID-19.

Another City Council study session on the CIP is scheduled for next month, followed by adoption in June.

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