The possibility of a light rail-like bus system and new bike lanes on El Camino Real are still on the table for Mountain View after a recent VTA vote.
Board members, including Mountain View's Margaret Abe-Koga and Palo Alto's Gail Price, voted unanimously on Nov. 1 to include two options for the bus rapid transit project in an environmental impact report. It could place hybrid-powered, WiFi-equipped buses on dedicated lanes on the county's most popular bus corridor, El Camino Real. The buses would be unhindered by car traffic or long waits at stoplights, thanks to sensors on the buses that communicate with traffic signals.
The EIR will study both a "revised" project – dedicated lanes up the center of El Camino Real in the city of Santa Clara only – as well as the "optimal" project, which would mean dedicated bus lanes from Santa Clara to Showers Drive in Mountain View. Street changes for dedicated bus lanes would make room for bike lanes long desired by cyclists, who say there is likely no other hope for bike lanes on El Camino Real.
The move means that the Mountain View City Council, with two newly elected members, may vote on the project again next year. Despite majority support from residents and bike and transportation advocates who spoke, the current council voted 5-2 against dedicated lanes in Mountain View in January, citing concerns about increasing traffic on side streets. Members Margaret Abe-Koga and Mike Kasperzak voted in support.
Proponents of the system say that traffic on El Camino Real will only get worse without alternatives to car travel, while opponents say traffic will get worse from removing a lane in each direction to accommodate bike and BRT lanes.
Corinne Winter, director of the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, called it "a unique and unprecedented opportunity to have dedicated bike facilities paid for by the County's transit agency."
"It shocks me that local jurisdictions would not jump at this chance to revitalize their business districts along El Camino Real," Winter said. "Having dedicated bicycle facilities on this corridor will expose the businesses there to a large number of clients that are more likely than motorists to stop and shop."
VTA officials say the EIR will provide more information for decision makers in Mountain View and Sunnyvale, where the City Council voted 4-3 against dedicated lanes earlier this year.
VTA officials say Caltrans, which has jurisdiction over El Camino Real, won't allow the dedicated lanes in cities where it is opposed.
Comments
Waverly Park
on Nov 13, 2012 at 2:28 pm
on Nov 13, 2012 at 2:28 pm
If you live near El Camino Real, you are so screwed. All that traffic will overflow to the neighboring streets as motorists find streets to use avoiding ECR. Some on council just love to control every aspect of our lives.
Sylvan Park
on Nov 13, 2012 at 3:09 pm
on Nov 13, 2012 at 3:09 pm
This should be put to a vote by the residents. At least then the City Council will see that the majority of the voting public are against this plan.
Cuesta Park
on Nov 13, 2012 at 3:24 pm
on Nov 13, 2012 at 3:24 pm
"Despite majority support from residents and bike and transportation advocates who spoke, the current council voted 5-2 against dedicated lanes in Mountain View in January, citing concerns about increasing traffic on side streets."
You both fail at reading comprehension.
Registered user
Slater
on Nov 13, 2012 at 3:37 pm
Registered user
on Nov 13, 2012 at 3:37 pm
@sdv, do you comprehend "residents and bike and transportation advocates who spoke" to be synonymous with "the voting public"?
another community
on Nov 13, 2012 at 7:36 pm
on Nov 13, 2012 at 7:36 pm
Yes, we need to allow MV residents to ruin this plan for the whole county in order to protect their own short-term shallow-minded interests.
another community
on Nov 13, 2012 at 9:26 pm
on Nov 13, 2012 at 9:26 pm
I use El Camino to drive to work so I can put bread on the table. (Portion removed. No personal attacks please.)
another community
on Nov 13, 2012 at 10:04 pm
on Nov 13, 2012 at 10:04 pm
I take the bus to work because it saves me money and I don't like polluting other people's air. I would like a faster and more efficient line like the one in the special lane. I think it would help everyone, and if more people use the bus then traffic on El Camino will get better instead of worse.
Blossom Valley
on Nov 13, 2012 at 10:16 pm
on Nov 13, 2012 at 10:16 pm
I concur with the idea of adding bike lanes as well as a dedicated bus lane too because population will only grow. If we don't do this now it won't ever happen and we will still be stuck with miserable traffic.
Cuernavaca
on Nov 13, 2012 at 10:21 pm
on Nov 13, 2012 at 10:21 pm
How about just running the light rail underneath El Camino??? Sorta like a subway system.
On a separate side note, please don't share caltrain and HSR tracks together. It will create a huge mess and delays will be bound to happen. 4 track no matter what!!!
Registered user
Waverly Park
on Nov 14, 2012 at 9:28 am
Registered user
on Nov 14, 2012 at 9:28 am
I agree with Joshua, put a subway system underneath El Camino Real, and leave the existing lanes for cars. As for a bike lane, for decades, I have commuted by bike on side streets parallel to El Camino Real, and it works just fine, with better scenery, safety, and a lower noise level.
Sylvan Park
on Nov 14, 2012 at 4:27 pm
on Nov 14, 2012 at 4:27 pm
Donald's comment, above, about 'allowing' Mtn View residents to 'ruin this plan for the whole country' is quite telling. It implies that the voting public is ignorant on important matters, and not to be trusted making appropriate choices. Instead, those choices need to be made for us, by those who know better what our real needs are. Exactly the attitude projected by Mtn View city governement.
As ignorant as the voting majority may be, I'll take my chances with them over those pretending to know, better than I, what my best interest is.
Old Mountain View
on Nov 15, 2012 at 4:04 pm
on Nov 15, 2012 at 4:04 pm
Steve, I think the point is that your self-interest may run counter to that of a much larger number of people. Every other city from San Jose to Palo Alto could approve this, but if Mt View blocks it then it wont happen.
another community
on Nov 15, 2012 at 7:56 pm
on Nov 15, 2012 at 7:56 pm
I do think it's a valid question to ask how this will affect all of the commuters who use El Camino to get to 85, in order to connect with other routes to get to work. I understand there are plenty of people who will benefit in terms of a faster route to work on the bus, if they are able to use the bus to get to work, and I applaud any effort to make El Camino more bike friendly. But you can't just close your eyes to the fact that there is a huge amount of commuter traffic on El Camino that is comprised of people who don't have that option because maybe they need to get to San Jose every morning, for example. It will indeed either create massive traffic snares on reduced El Camino lanes, or direct all that excess traffic onto side streets like California. I'm just stating a fact that needs to be addressed.
Cuesta Park
on Nov 16, 2012 at 1:46 pm
on Nov 16, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Being vocal does not mean a majority of residents. We've lived in MV for over 20 years and MV has done more than their share to support a diversity of residents, unlike some of our neighbors to the north and west. Closing a lane on El Camino would create nightmare traffic. Witness the current increased traffic on El Camino from motorists diverting from Central/Alma due to all the construction. If the earlier temporarily closed lane at El Camino and San Antonio from construction on that corner is an example of what traffic might be like, it was absolutely intolerable with savvy drivers routing through Los Altos neighborhoods to circumvent. Council needs to represent their constituents in MV, and vote NO.
Sylvan Park
on Nov 16, 2012 at 2:28 pm
on Nov 16, 2012 at 2:28 pm
Let's put the bus lanes on California street. Residents there will get their 'traffic calming' and bike lanes, VTA still gets to spend the money, and the majority of us will be free to go about our business unimpeded.
Old Mountain View
on Nov 16, 2012 at 2:37 pm
on Nov 16, 2012 at 2:37 pm
There needs to be a subway running under El Camino from San Jose to San Francisco.
Sylvan Park
on Nov 17, 2012 at 7:58 am
on Nov 17, 2012 at 7:58 am
Everybody who rides a bicycle knows that the S.F. peninsula is bicycle unfriendly,...where are all the bike racks?
There are even areas that favor cars and have no sidewalks!
The options for public transportation is severely limiting for those who do not work a standard M-F, 8-5 work schedule, and who has standard work hours anymore?
After spending time in Europe, I do know that buses are not the answer to public transportation.
another community
on Nov 17, 2012 at 12:16 pm
on Nov 17, 2012 at 12:16 pm
A subway down the ECR might work in the long distance now take in account the time to study, plan, design, seek funding and then build. Could we zone, plan and build high density to support such a system. Buses are flexible, we could add when needed, run electric buses and even have special shuttles buses.
Monta Loma
on Jan 15, 2014 at 1:40 pm
on Jan 15, 2014 at 1:40 pm
We have lived in the Monta Loma neighborhood for over 40 years.
In general, El Camino is a great way to travel by car.
But, just try to travel from Mountain View to San Jose on Hwy 101 at 6:00 P.M.It is gridlock. This leaves only El Camino Real and neighborhood streets.
Please do not destroy the only way back to San Jose by making Dedicated Bus Lanes on El Camino Real. Buses are good, but not necessarily practical in this spread out geographical area. El Camino is a vital link for our practical automobile transportation. Please do not apply this 'dedicated bus lanes idea'--a veritable 'perilous tourniquet'-- to a king's highway of transportation.
I love to ride a bike. There are many routes for bikes--not so--for bulky or slender fuel efficient cars. Leave El Camino alone!
Shoreline West
on Jan 15, 2014 at 3:05 pm
on Jan 15, 2014 at 3:05 pm
Every time I look at a bus on El Camino it is empty. Maybe one or two people. Who would want to ride a bike on El Camino?