Cupertino, in collaboration with VTA and Caltrans, can move forward with the Interstate 280 and Wolfe Road interchange improvement project thanks to a roughly $4 million donation from Apple to bridge the remaining funding gap. The $124-million project was nearly canceled this month due to a funding shortfall. The city and transit agency had exhausted state and federal grant opportunities. But with Apple’s contribution, Cupertino can save the project and mitigate traffic gridlock as hundreds of homes come online.

The interchange lies between Apple’s headquarters and The Rise, a housing development designed for 2,669 apartments at the former Vallco Mall site.

The project is primarily funded by VTA’s Measure B, a 30-year, half-cent sales tax increase voters passed in 2016. Planned improvements to the interchange include a new structure that carries Wolfe Road over Interstate 280, on and off ramps, sound and retaining walls and upgraded bicycle lanes and pedestrian walkways at existing street intersections. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2026 and is slated to finish by 2029.

Kristina Raspe, Apple vice president of global real estate and facilities, said the company is happy to back the project’s plans for an interchange adjacent to its headquarters. Some of the Apple money was originally intended for other projects, including the McClellan Road protected bikeway improvements, but the tech titan reallocated it to fund the interchange after the city deemed the previous projects no longer feasible.

“We are proud to call Cupertino home, and to support projects that strengthen this community and make it a great place to live and work,” Raspe told San José Spotlight.

The project began nearly 10 years ago. The interchange is at the end of its useful life as a product of the 1960s, according to city reports. It’s often congested with significant delays. City officials expect it will worsen as more people move into Cupertino to live in housing developments like The Rise. Developer Sand Hill Property Company has supported the interchange project since it’s been in the works.

Councilmember Sheila Mohan has been stuck in the gridlock at the interchange many times. She said the interchange improvements will help anyone who travels Cupertino’s streets.

“It’s a really win-win, not just for Apple, but for the entire community,” Mohan told San José Spotlight. “It’s, in my opinion, the best example of public, private partnership.”

VTA was unavailable for comment.

The transit agency is also working on traffic improvements to other West Valley roadways including Highway 17 near Los Gatos.

Seema Lindskog, board chair of pedestrian and bicycle safety group Walk-Bike Cupertino, is looking forward to the project because of how dangerous the existing intersections are. She often advises high schoolers walking or biking to school to avoid Wolfe Road, but said she doesn’t want that to be the case.

“It’s been kind of on the shelf for a long time, so the fact that we’re now finally able to move forward with it is really great,” Lindskog told San José Spotlight.

Contact Annalise Freimarck at annalise@sanjosespotlight.com or follow @annalise_ellen on X.

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The California Transportation Commission awarded two grants to the BART expansion project on Thursday and Friday, totaling about $100 million. At the same time, the VTA board of directors has approved recommendations to look for a different contractor to bore the expansion’s 5-mile tunnel, hoping to save on the expensive contract.

While VTA representatives are excited about the funding, the public transit agency still needs to find millions in savings on the $12.75 billion project. Estimates show the funding gap to be between $700 million and $1 billion, even with a $5.1 billion federal funding commitment.

VTA Board Chair and Campbell Mayor Sergio Lopez said he’s glad the grants were fulfilled at the requested amounts, especially as agency officials discuss ways to cut costs.

“I know oftentimes at the city level, even getting partially funded for some of these grants is positive, so it speaks to the importance of this project for the region,” Lopez told San José Spotlight. “It’s definitely welcomed, but we’re going to continue having (discussions) where we take a big picture look at every level of cost savings, as we’ve been doing.”

Construction has already begun at the Newhall Maintenance Yard on the border of San Jose and Santa Clara, where Kiewit Shea Traylor is building the launch structure for the tunnel boring machine. The VTA board approved plans to keep Kiewit Shea Traylor on to finish the launch structure, but to look for another contractor to bore the tunnel.

VTA officials said they negotiated with Kiewit Shea Traylor for about 18 months, but their prices were nearly twice what VTA could afford. Tom Maguire, VTA chief megaprojects delivery officer, said the agency spoke with other possible contractors and heard multiple cost estimates well below Kiewit Shea Traylor’s offer.

Suds Jain, a VTA board member and Santa Clara councilmember, said he feels the decision to cut the contract should have been made earlier, when the public transit agency’s negotiations team knew Kiewit Shea Traylor wouldn’t come down.

Jain said the agency needs to look at bigger cost savings, such as a smaller tunnel size, because of the large funding gap.

“We can’t apply to the feds until we have all the money. We have to prove we can build the project and in my opinion, I personally can’t see that we have the money,” Jain told San José Spotlight. “It’s good news, but I don’t think it’s enough for us to build the 54-foot tunnel.”

It’s unclear how large the project’s funding gap is now, as VTA has adjusted elements to bring the cost lower, such as changing parking lots and designs. Officials estimate those cuts could total about $400 million in savings.

They don’t have an estimate on how much can be saved by cutting the contract with Kiewit Shea Traylor, since it’ll depend on the cost of the new contract. Finding another contractor will delay groundbreaking on the tunnel by about 18 months, though officials said they’re looking for ways to save time during construction — aiming to maintain the expansion’s 2037 expected opening.
Monica Mallon, a transit activist and San José Spotlight columnist, said the state grant shows momentum and commitment from VTA officials and the state. She said the awarded money is especially important given concerns around federal funding cuts to other services and the administration’s hostility against California and transit projects.

“What gives me a lot of hope is that it’s very clear that our elected officials and everyone working on the project still really care about moving the project forward and getting funding,” Mallon told San José Spotlight. “(The grants) show the state is committed to the project and wants to see it move forward, and has confidence that VTA will be able to deliver it.”

Contact B. Sakura Cannestra at sakura@sanjosespotlight.com or @SakuCannestra on X.

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Contractors have been working in the yard 22 hours a day since June 9 pulling bentonite — a clay-like material — from more than 80 feet below ground and installing reinforced concrete to create a launch structure for the tunnel boring machine. The agency plans to use a single-bore tunnel for the 5-mile stretch beneath downtown San Jose.

VTA began preparations April 2024 on the 6-mile expansion, which includes a 5-mile underground tunnel and four new stations across San Jose and Santa Clara. The cost is tagged at $12.75 billion.

@sanjosespotlight

The whir and thunks of heavy equipment hauling clay and soil from underground could be heard throughout the Newhall Maintenance Yard on Monday, as VTA begins construction on the BART expansion through Silicon Valley. Contractors have been working in the yard 22 hours a day since June 9 pulling bentonite — a clay-like material — from more than 80 feet below ground and installing reinforced concrete to create a launch structure for the tunnel boring machine. The agency plans to use a single-bore tunnel for the 5-mile stretch beneath downtown San Jose. VTA began preparations April 2024 on the 6-mile expansion, which includes a 5-mile underground tunnel and four new stations across San Jose and Santa Clara. The cost is tagged at $12.75 billion. The initial work, including the launch station, is being done by Kiewit Shea Traylor. But the BART Silicon Valley Phase II Oversight Committee has approved recommendations to find another contractor for the tunnel boring, after the agency and Kiewit Shea Traylor couldn’t agree on a price. The VTA board of directors will consider the recommendation at its meeting Thursday. Read the full story at SanJoseSpotlight.com. #VTA #BART #transit #sanjose #siliconvalley

♬ original sound – San José Spotlight

The initial work, including the launch station, is being done by Kiewit Shea Traylor. But the BART Silicon Valley Phase II Oversight Committee has approved recommendations to find another contractor for the tunnel boring, after the agency and Kiewit Shea Traylor couldn’t agree on a price. The VTA board of directors will consider the recommendation at its meeting Friday.

Tom Maguire, VTA chief megaprojects delivery officer, said they don’t have a specific dollar amount on how much the agency could save, but VTA has spoken with 10 other potential contractors and heard multiple cost estimates well below Kiewit Shea Traylor’s offer.

“The prices we’ve seen from the current contractor are nearly double our budget, we just can’t work with those,” Maguire said at a news conference.

The public transit agency has been looking for more ways to save after being awarded a $5.1 billion federal grant in August 2024. While the grant will cover about 40% of the project’s costs, it still leaves VTA with a roughly $1 billion gap.

Maguire added the agency has already found about $400 million in savings through design cuts, such as modifying the four stations’ designs and converting expensive parking structures to surface lots.

Despite looking toward changing contractors, VTA Director of Construction Sarah Wilson confirmed the launch structure that’s being built will be used regardless of who takes on the project.

“We want them to install this launch structure and we fully intend to use it,” Wilson said.

Wilson said it could take about two years to finish building the launch structure. Construction goes from 6 a.m. to 4 a.m., and she said the agency is looking for approval from San Jose and Santa Clara to extend work hours to a full 24-hour cycle.

The agency installed noise barriers and used water to keep dust down around the construction site. If neighboring residents or businesses have concerns with noise or other impacts from the construction, she encouraged them to reach out to VTA’s hotline. So far, Wilson said they’ve heard no complaints.
Maguire estimated VTA could bring on a new contractor before 2027. He said that would delay the tunneling, but the agency still aims to open the extension by 2037.

“Our challenge right now is to find a way to build the tunnel faster and to build the other aspects of the project — the four stations, the yard, all the construction above ground — in a way that compresses the schedule,” Maguire said. “We’re confident we’ll make that happen.”

Contact B. Sakura Cannestra at sakura@sanjosespotlight.com or @SakuCannestra on X.

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The VTA board of directors has allocated $11.3 million for the State Route 17 Corridor Congestion Relief Project as part of its budgets for fiscal year 2025-26 and 2026-27. The project aims to solve one of Los Gatos’ biggest challenges plaguing the town for decades — beach traffic jamming streets to escape the Highway 17 bottleneck between Lark Avenue and the Highway 9 interchange at Saratoga–Los Gatos Road.

The plan would add a third lane in both directions between Lark Avenue and the interchange, extend merging lanes, reconstruct on and off ramps and construct safer sidewalks and bike lanes along Saratoga-Los Gatos Road.

The project has nearly $14.7 million in total, with funding primarily from the town and a half-cent sales tax from Measure B. It’s expected to cost between $138 million and $166 million, with construction expected to be finished by 2030 in collaboration with Caltrans.

A VTA representative said the transit agency will apply for state and federal grants on top of using Measure B money to make up for the funding gap. Potential funding could come from Senate Bill 1, 2017 legislation that allocated $5.4 billion to support transit statewide.

Vice Mayor Rob Moore, who also serves as vice chair of VTA’s Capital Program Committee, has dealt with the wall-to-wall traffic in town and on Highway 17 ever since he got his license about 11 years ago. He advocated for the project to receive funding despite the transit agency’s $868,000 deficit for fiscal year 2025-26.

Moore said this project would be transformative for traffic in Los Gatos and residents’ trust in VTA. The transit agency found that during peak weekend commute hours, about 24% of cars driving on Highway 17 cut through the town, according to 2022 data.

The transit agency previously cut down weekend service on the few Los Gatos bus lines it operated because of traffic levels being so poor. VTA studies gave it a failing grade.

“I do think that this project would be a really good step in the right direction for improving the relationship (between residents and VTA),” Moore told San José Spotlight.

A VTA spokesperson said the project’s planned reduction of congestion and cut-through traffic on Los Gatos streets “could yield quality of life improvements for residents.”

VTA began working on the project in 2020 after Los Gatos’ unsuccessful attempts to solve the problem, including implementing one-way traffic on North Santa Cruz Avenue and asking navigation apps to stop rerouting drivers into town.

Los Gatos still plans to explore solutions it can implement alongside VTA’s project.

The Complete Streets and Transportation Commission unanimously recommended June 12 the Town Council review its beach traffic ad hoc committee report detailing potential solutions to the problem.

Solutions up for consideration include charging drivers using Highway 17 during peak weekend traffic hours, also known as congestion pricing; transforming University Boulevard into a corridor only for buses, cyclists and pedestrians; creating a permanent pedestrian mall on North Santa Cruz Avenue; working with VTA to create a Los Gatos light rail line; installing cameras to catch drivers blocking intersections due to gridlock; and promoting a bike sharing program. The town council will review the ideas at a later date.

Jeff Suzuki, speaking as a resident and not as the commission’s chair, said the best way to prevent cut-through traffic is to start congestion pricing. He worked on the report for about a year as part of the ad hoc committee and also wants public transportation improved in a town.

“It is also important to note there is a cost of inaction — time can work against Los Gatos if it does not pursue longer-term policies. As the population of the greater Bay Area grows with time, our current transportation infrastructure will need to accommodate larger volumes of people,” Suzuki told San José Spotlight.

Residents are uncertain VTA’s plans to mitigate what Los Gatos can’t on its own will work.

Carl Lumma, who’s lived in town for a decade, can’t leave or return to his home near the Highway 9 interchange on prime beach days because of traffic. He’s not sure VTA’s project will help, but agrees charging beach-goers using Highway 17 during peak weekend hours could prevent cut-through traffic.

“The real problem is there’s just too many people coming all at the same time on 17,” Lumma told San José Spotlight.

Moore said Highway 17 will always have traffic because it’s the main route from the valley to the coast. But he said the efforts could ease the bottleneck.

“This project really uniquely addresses the needs of Los Gatos, where we’re not trying to rid Highway 17 of traffic, which I think is a fool’s errand,” he said.

Contact Annalise Freimarck at annalise@sanjosespotlight.com or follow @annalise_ellen on X.

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The VTA board of directors on June 5 unanimously approved its $599 million budget for fiscal year 2025-26 and a $610 million budget for 2026-27. Deficits up to $14.9 million are expected by 2027. Plans include strategies to cut costs, such as monthly furloughs and upping the public transit agency’s vacancy rate, as well as strengthening some revenue sources, such as expanding its transit-oriented developments or joining a regional sales tax measure.

Board members questioned the agency’s money saving strategies, sharing concerns about the impending deficit. Pam Foley, a VTA board member and San Jose vice mayor, said there are multiple options to generate revenue.

“There’s two ways to balance a budget, one is to reduce expenses and one is to generate income,” Foley said at the meeting.

More than 80% of revenues come from sales taxes and are expected to decline as consumer spending slows amid federal economic uncertainty.

Greg Richardson, VTA assistant general manager and chief financial officer, said the agency is exploring revenue options, but nothing will be in place to help bolster next year’s budget. He said developments on VTA land could bring in about $30 million annually, once they’re built.

“A lot of this that you’re seeing here is not necessarily immediate,” Richardson said. “This is us trying to mitigate issues that are longer term, to identify other revenue sources, to utilize our own portfolio, so that we’re not so reliant on sales tax in the future.”

To balance the budget, VTA instituted a hiring freeze in April and wants to maintain a 20% vacancy rate. The transit agency’s vacancy rate was at 8% in April.

VTA Controller Jayden Sangha said the agency could pursue furloughs to save money, but he and Richardson reassured board members furloughs would not impact employees who work directly on the agency’s public transit service, such as bus drivers, light rail operators and maintenance teams. Richardson said VTA will have to decide case-by-case whether to keep certain roles vacant.

“The goal is to get to the 20%,” Richardson said. “Every position that becomes vacant we’re going to have discussions as to the critical nature of that position.”

He added the agency’s four unions will be in the loop during the furlough discussions. Board members also unanimously approved a new contract with Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265, which represents more than 1,500 frontline workers. The union was on strike for 17 days in March after its contract expired, fighting for higher wages and an improved conflict resolution process.

Board members also discussed Senate Bill 63, a regional tax measure spearheaded by state Sens. Scott Wiener and Jesse Arreguín. VTA has until Aug. 11 to opt into the measure, with the board scheduled to make its final decision Aug. 7. While details of the bill are still being worked out, VTA Senior Policy Analyst Aaron Quigley said VTA could gain more than $250 million through a half-cent tax.
The regional measure would allow the transit agency to pay off obligations to Caltrain, but board members’ biggest concern has been ensuring taxes collected in Santa Clara County return to VTA.

“Quite frankly, the concerns … remain — county control and decision making authority, as well as that return to source question,” Domingo Candelas, VTA board member and San Jose councilmember, said at the meeting. “I’m glad we’re standing firm on that line.”

Contact B. Sakura Cannestra at sakura@sanjosespotlight.com or @SakuCannestra on X. 

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VTA wants to look for a new contractor to bore the expansion’s five-mile tunnel, after being unable to reach an agreement with the current contractor, Kiewit Shea Traylor. The public transit agency is looking to cut up to $1.2 billion from the expansion’s total $12.75 billion cost, in order to receive a $5.1 billion grant from the Federal Transit Administration.

Tom Maguire, VTA chief megaprojects delivery officer, said looking for a new contractor would delay ground breaking on the tunnel by about 18 months, but could significantly help close the monetary gap.

“We are very serious about cost control,” Maguire said at a Monday news conference. “This is the time to evaluate additional cost saving measures, bring them to our board of directors for consideration and get to the point where our project scope and budget and costs are in alignment.”

Staff published the recommendation in the agenda for a BART oversight meeting on Thursday. Committee members will then pass the decision to the board of directors at its June 27 meeting.

VTA Board Chair and Campbell Mayor Sergio Lopez said he looks forward to the conversation with other board members. He said the project’s budget is already better now than it was a year ago, as the agency has found other places to cut costs, such as thinning ongoing professional services.

“While these are not going to be easy discussions, we’ll do the responsible thing and take a hard look at everything,” Lopez told San José Spotlight. “At the end of the day, I think frankly we’re going to get a better project that delivers and is more affordable.”

Maguire said Kiewit Shea Traylor will continue handling early construction work, such as building the tunnel boring machine and preparing the Newhall Maintenance Facility in Santa Clara. He added the agency has been talking with 10 other potential contractors and there’s strong interest in this project. More details about the tunneling will come once a new contractor is selected, as this could mean pivoting away from the planned single-bore tunneling.

The six-mile extension bringing BART to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara has already seen multiple cost increases and hit other obstacles, including negotiating with business owners to relocate in light of the project.

VTA won a $5.1 billion federal grant in August 2024, which left the project with a roughly $700 million shortfall. VTA CEO and General Manager Carolyn Gonot said the agency has been working with Federal Transit Administration representatives, and these cost saving measures are necessary to secure the grant funding.
The public transit agency needs to submit another application for the full grant amount, and Gonot said VTA plans to apply by early 2027.

“The recommendation … is more than just a step forward,” Gonot said. “It’s a smart, strategic and determined approach to securing the resources needed to turn this vision into reality.”

Contact B. Sakura Cannestra at sakura@sanjosespotlight.com or @SakuCannestra on X.

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Members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265, which represents more than 1,500 frontline VTA workers, voted 70.5% to approve the proposed contract, with 978 votes cast. The proposal includes a 14.5% wage increase over four years, improved dental benefits and updated workplace policies. The VTA board of directors will vote on it Thursday, and the contract could start as soon as Monday if approved.

ATU Local 265 has been negotiating its contract with VTA since August 2024. Workers went on strike from March 10 to March 27, stopping bus and light rail services countywide. A county judge demanded striking union members return to work and approved the transit agency’s breach of contract lawsuit.

Raj Singh, president of ATU Local 265, said he isn’t surprised by the approval.

“The sense that we got was because of the amount of time it took to get to this point, some folks were just either frustrated or they were just tired and wanted to move on,” Singh told San José Spotlight.

He said he wants the public transit agency to address issues brought up during negotiations, pointing to the portion of union members who voted to turn down the contract. If the contract is approved by the board, he said the union will move on from negotiations and work on other concerns, such as improving operator safety and employee mental health.

VTA Assistant General Manager Greg Richardson said getting the contract approved will allow the transit agency to better manage its budget as sales tax revenues sink and it plans for future deficits.

“The structure of the contract allows VTA to manage labor costs predictably over the next four years, supporting our long term financial sustainability,” Richardson said at a news conference.

VTA Board Chair and Campbell Mayor Sergio Lopez said he believes the board will approve ATU Local 265’s contract, and he’s looking forward to finishing the process.
Lopez called the contract a “fair agreement,” with good wages and working conditions for ATU members. He said its approval will benefit riders and workers alike.

“What this process has shown is also the work that remains ahead for this agency and for workers,” Lopez said. “My commitment as board chair is that I will work every day to make sure that VTA is a great place to work, that we continue to improve, and that we’re always working toward our north star of serving our riders and the public and Santa Clara (County) residents with the service they deserve.”

Original story published June 4 at 11:42 a.m.

Contact B. Sakura Cannestra at sakura@sanjosespotlight.com or @SakuCannestra on X.

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Members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265, which represents more than 1,500 frontline VTA workers, will vote on a new contract offer Tuesday, ending the months-long labor dispute. The offer mirrors similar proposals approved earlier this year by VTA’s three other unions and includes a 14.5% raise over four years, improved dental benefits and updated workplace policies. The contract needs more than 50% approval to pass, and the union will announce results Wednesday.

The contract could take effect as soon as June 9, if ATU members pass it and the VTA board of directors approves it Thursday.

ATU Local 265 has been negotiating its contract with VTA since August 2024. Workers went on strike from March 10 to March 27, stopping bus and light rail services countywide. A county judge demanded striking union members return to work and approved the transit agency’s breach of contract lawsuit.

ATU Local 265 President Raj Singh said VTA representatives have agreed to drop the agency’s lawsuit against the union if the contract is approved and the union drops its appeal. Thursday’s board meeting is the last one scheduled until August, which Singh said would mark a full year of negotiations.

“Putting all that into consideration, the union leadership feels that it’s important to let our members have the ultimate say if they want to take this deal, because it’s significantly different,” Singh told San José Spotlight.

Singh said over the past three months, ATU has only met with VTA’s negotiations team six times — and two of those meetings lasted less than an hour. He said union members are frustrated by the public transit agency’s lack of urgency in resolving the dispute, pointing to how the agency negotiated three other union contracts while ATU Local 265 was on strike.

He expects members to be split on the vote.

“The agency is … saying that they’re attempting to change the culture and make sure workers feel valued at work,” Singh said. “The actions don’t match the words that are being said by the board or the executives.”
A statement from VTA said the proposal reflects a mutual understanding of the transit agency’s tight budget position. VTA is looking at a $868,000 budget deficit in 2026 that’s expected to balloon to $14.9 million in 2027. The deficit is mostly attributed to financial volatility, federal economic uncertainty and a slowdown in VTA’s sales tax revenues.

“VTA’s proposal to ATU also directly addresses the agency’s budgetary constraints, as its primary source of funding — sales tax revenue — is currently on the decline,” the statement reads. “VTA remains focused on protecting current service levels and readying the agency for future growth once sales tax levels return.”

Original story published June 2 at 5:12 p.m.

Contact B. Sakura Cannestra at sakura@sanjosespotlight.com or @SakuCannestra on X.

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Red light cameras will be installed at four major city intersections by late July and activated in early August as part of a one-year pilot program. Cameras will activate if a car enters the intersection after the light turns red, capturing video footage and still photos of the license plate and driver. Red light violations count as a point on a driver’s record. The fine for running a red light is $486, and making a rolling right turn on red is a $234 fine. The San Jose Police Department will review images before tickets are sent to vehicle owners.

District 3 Councilmember Carl Salas, who attended a recent community meeting on the issue, sees it as raising public safety awareness.

“We’ve had a lot of pedestrian deaths and bicycles get hit all the time,” he told San José Spotlight.

From 2019 to 2023, 64 individuals were killed and 409 severely injured in 7,671 car crashes due to speeding and running red lights, according to the San Jose Department of Transportation.

Colin Heyne, transportation department spokesperson, said camera placements were chosen based on the locations of severe crashes, drivers failing to yield to pedestrians or bicyclists and driving 10 mph or more over the speed limit.

Red light cameras will be located at the intersections of Leigh and Parkmoor avenues, Monterey Road and Branham Lane, South Third and Keyes streets, and Bascom and Camden avenues. Funding for the $733,000 program comes from the city budget. After a year, the City Council will review its effectiveness and decide to keep, expand or end the pilot.

Another traffic safety program planned for fall aims to stop speeding as part of Vision Zero San Jose, a citywide initiative to eliminate traffic deaths. The speed safety program will install 33 cameras at high-risk locations where speeding has led to serious injuries and fatalities. Cameras are triggered when vehicles go 11 mph above the speed limit. The cameras will photograph a vehicle’s rear license plate and a citation will be mailed to the vehicle’s registered owner.

The California Legislature authorized the pilot for up to five years, or until January 2032, in six cities: San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco, Long Beach, Los Angeles and Glendale. The program is estimated to cost between $15.4 million to $17.9 million over five years.

Heyne said speeding camera fines are low, but high enough to prevent people from speeding. Fines for driving over the speed limit range from $50 to $500: 11-15 mph over the speed limit is a $50 fine, 16-25 mph over the speed limit is $100 and 26 mph or more is $200. Driving 100 mph or more results in a $500 fee.

“I’m the person that’s gotta get on the news and talk about it every time we lose a life on our streets,” he told San José Spotlight. “People have accused us of trying to profiteer off these tickets. If we do not write a single ticket for either of these programs, it will be a success because that will mean people are stopping at red lights and they’re obeying the speed limit. We are not trying to be punitive with this program. We want to save lives.”

The San Jose Police Department is already using license plate reader cameras and the transportation department’s camera feed. Its cameras have previously been used to adjust traffic signal timing to alleviate backups.

Both programs will have a 60-day grace period. Drivers caught speeding or running a red light will first receive a warning. In addition, a driver’s first violation of 11 to 15 mph over the speed limit will result in a second warning. Fine reductions are in place for low-income residents.

Resident Rita Torres hopes the cameras will change people’s behavior.

“People run red lights all the time. I’ve seen up to three cars coming through at Third and Keyes,” Torres told San José Spotlight. “There are a lot of people who don’t seem to know what a red light is. People don’t stop when they see a red light and they’re going to make a right turn. They just take that turn and it terrifies me.”

Contact Lorraine Gabbert at lorrainegabbertsjspotlight@gmail.com.

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The Cupertino City Council voted 3-1 to defund the Bollinger Road corridor study last week, which would have gathered data to assess potential safety improvements. Councilmember Sheila Mohan voted no and Councilmember J.R. Fruen recused himself because he has financial interest in a property along the road. The decision was largely made over concerns about the cost and how recommendations could affect traffic, the fact the city had already conducted a similar feasibility study and a desire for a more comprehensive study of all of Cupertino’s major corridors. San Jose’s portion of the street will no longer be studied, as the 2-mile Bollinger Road spans both cities.

Cupertino planned to fund the study with a $425,600 federal grant and a $106,400 match from the city’s general fund. The federal funds still needed to be finalized and could only be used for Bollinger Road. That money could have helped Cupertino and San Jose narrow down options to protect cyclists and pedestrians on the road with two known fatalities in the past decade, according to the latest Cupertino data.

Councilmember R “Ray” Wang voted to defund the study because as a cyclist himself, he wants to prioritize safe routes in neighborhoods rather than bustling streets used by commuters. He said the study and its potential recommendations for the street would make more sense in a bigger city.

“If we were that dense, (I would) totally would agree with it,” Wang told San José Spotlight. “We’re suburban infrastructure with a declining population. The people here want to move from A to B.”

Colin Heyne, spokesperson for San Jose’s Department of Transportation, said Bollinger Road isn’t one of San Jose’s priority safety corridors.

“We are happy to work with Cupertino on this corridor if they pick it back up in the future,” Heyne told San José Spotlight.

Councilmembers also unanimously defunded a $350,000 project to provide chargers for Silicon Valley Hopper’s electric cars, and asked staff to look for alternatives. The micro-transit service offers affordable rides to local destinations for less than $5. The council chose not to defund a roughly $2.35 million project installing protected bike lanes along Stevens Creek Boulevard and left more than $4.4 million for solar panels on public buildings — both of which were on the chopping block.

Cupertino’s Vision Zero plan identified Bollinger Road as a priority corridor last year. The plan aims to reduce and eliminate all serious injuries and deaths caused by car crashes. The city also studied the street in 2021 and found more than 130 car collisions between 2015 and 2019. That study introduced the controversial idea of reducing the road from two lanes in both directions to one, but staff said the city needed more data to implement changes.
Hervé Marcy, a commissioner on the city’s Bicycle Pedestrian Commission and member of neighborhood safety group Walk-Bike Cupertino, said he’s disappointed by the decision because he saw it as a starting point for improving the road’s safety. He’s never felt safe biking along Bollinger Road, which he sees as a “disaster waiting to happen.” He liked that the project was multi-jurisdictional.

“We don’t live in a Cupertino vacuum. We share a lot of infrastructure,” Marcy told San José Spotlight.

Clarrissa Cabansagan, executive director of nonprofit Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, said it’s rare to see cities defund small but critical projects like this. She said it’s a loss for public safety and doesn’t want it to be abandoned.

“I’m hoping that the city understands when they don’t fund studies to get to the necessary improvements that the community can back, you’re continuing to risk the lives of your constituents on that road,” she told San José Spotlight.

Story updated May 27 at 1:35 p.m. Original story published May 27 at 8:30 a.m.

Contact Annalise Freimarck at annalise@sanjosespotlight.com or follow @annalise_ellen on X. 

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