Reference for this project is # 08-37. Bids are expected to be opened in late July. Construction is planned to begin in early September. Completion is to be substantially completed by late May 2009.
The complete report to council can be viewed on the Mountain View city website by clicking here .
Written by Ross Heitkamp on 2008-6-25.
The city of Mountain View has an information page to tell you more about it - Click here to go to it There is a link to a map there, too.
Construction should be completed by Summer 2009 and the overpass opened up and in use, so focus on that benefit while you are being rerouted temorarily.
Written by Your webmaster, Ross on 2008-6-17.
Please don't forget that the grand opening ceremony for the new trail and tunnel under El Camino Real is happening Saturday, April 12th at 10:00 a.m. at the Yuba Drive Trail Head. After the dedication, the trail will open and all are invited to take a walk on the new trail up to El Camino Real and through the tunnel.
All are encouraged to bicycle or walk to the event, but if you need to drive, it is
strongly recommended that you drive to Landel's School, park there and walk up to Yuba drive.
Click Here to see a copy of the City of Mountain View invitation
If you come from farther to the north,
be sure to look at the south end of the Central Expressway overpass for the newly renovated
Friends of Stevens Creek Trail Reach-3 Dedication Plaque.
Written by Your Webmaster and Plaque repairman, Ross on 2008-4-11.
It was exactly a year ago that we reported upon the groundbreaking for construction of the tunnel under El Camino Real, so today seems a fitting time to announce the upcoming grand opening ceremony. The opening is scheduled for Saturday, April 12th 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at the Yuba Drive trail head. That is all the details I have at this point.
Related to this, if you haven't seen it, is the City of Mountain View's Project Status page. Sorry I didn't discover this sooner!
Finally, I took some pictures of the nearly completed trail a couple days ago. They are already dated a bit since work is proceeding quickly on landscaping. In fact, just today, all lanes of traffic were reopened! When you next drive by, be sure to check out the glass skylight in the center median. My picture is from before it was unveiled.
Written by Webmaster Ross on 2008-3-22.
Today is a milestone day! The new section of trail from Yuba Drive along the creek to El Camino Real, through the new tunnel under El Camino Real, and around the other side back to the sidewalk is now all paved. You can witness most of this just driving along El Camino Real southbound.
All looks on target for an opening of this valuable trail section this spring.
Written by Webmaster Ross on 2008-3-12.
After a long hiatus from posting anything, today I find much to share.
First off, there is a nice new video posted to YouTube about the 2007 Trailblazer Race. This comes was produced by KMVT-15, the Mountain View Television station that has been a longtime supporter of the Trailblazer Race.
Second, in response to numerous requests for distances between different things along the trail, I have put together a new "Distance Calculator". At this point, it is like those ones you used to find on road maps - you find your starting point as a row and then look to see where it intersects with your ending point column and read off the distance. Send feedback from that page if it doesn't quite meet your needs.
Third, we have an update to the Mountain View status page, as gathered from the 13th February 2008 Parks and Rec meeting. Status of other cities has also been updated, too.
Written by Your webmaster, Ross on 2008-2-26.
http://www.mv-voice.com/news/show_story.php?id=100
Written by Webmaster Ross on 2007-8-14.
The 2.5 mile gap in the Bay Trail between the Stevens Creek Trail at Shoreline Park in Mountain View and the Baylands Park in Sunnyvale is expected to be filled. The official opening is planned for Earthday in April 2008.
The initial connection will be made by opening the locked gates to the outer levee in Mountain View and Sunnyvale, bypassing the NASA land at Moffett Field. The outer levee has a soft surface, making it a seasonal trail and is possibly inappropriate for many street bikes. Long term, the trail alignment will shift to a new flood control levee as part of the South Bay Salt Ponds restoration project, and should get a "stabilized surface" providing year-round use.
For more information about the 500-mile Bay Trail, visit www.baytrail.org
To learn more about the Sourth Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project and to even participate in the Working Groups, visit www.southbayrestoration.org
Download the complete issue of the Spinning Crank Newletter (1.6MB PDF) and look for the full article on page 9.
Written by Webmaster Ross on 2007-8-7.
Written by Webmaster Ross on 2007-5-18.
This year it is being held on May 19th, 2007. Here is a link to the flyer - as a 1.8 MB PDF
Written by Your webmaster, Ross on 2007-5-11.
Here is a copy of the advertisement for the meeting that ran in the 9th May 2007 edition of the Town Crier newspaper:
I hope all of your Los Altos residents will try to make it to the meeting or send a letter with your ideas!
Written by Your Webmaster and Los Altos liason, Ross Heitkamp on 2007-5-10.
Construction has begun on the next reach of Stevns Creek Trail from Yuba Drive to the south side of El Camino Real. This trail extension includes the construction of a pedestrian/bicycle tunnel under El Camino Real near the intersection of El Camino Real and Highway 85, as well as an improved trailhead at Yuba Drive.
The Stevens Creek Trail is a bike and pedestrian path that runs along Stevens Creek in Mountain View and is part of a larger network of trails throughout the Bay Area. When finished, the trail in Mountain View will stretch from Mountain View High School to the Bay.
Construction work began with the relocation of a water line along El Camino Real. Work on the tunnel will follow next. The construction will require the removal of the El Camino median, the closure of two lanes and the re-routing of traffic around the work. The work will reduce El Camino Real to two lanes of through-traffic in each direction for approximately nine months. Contruction will take approximately one year to complete.
For more information, call the Public Works Department at (650) 903-6311.Written by The View (typed in by Ross) on 2007-5-8.
This is a $4,900,000 project that is nearly fully designed and funded. Last I heard, the hold up was a PG&E gas line that is rather close to a proposed footing of one of the piers. Something has to budge. Caltrans, PG&E, or the alignment. Anyhow, take a look at the proposed plan here .
Written by Webmaster Ross on 2007-4-18.
Just click here to go to the Mountain View city website where they have a nice map and explanation of what is going on, In Detail!
Written by Webmaster Ross on 2007-4-17.
Mind you, this is not just an event that you sign up for, but is one that you have to qualify for and then be allowed to participate. And, if you don't know, a marathon is just over 26 miles in length and takes over 3 hours for most to finish.
So, good luck to Tom!
Written by Webmaster Ross on 2007-4-11.
"Try Bicycling" will be airing on on Mountain View's own KMVT station, cable channel 15 in Mountain View, Los Altos and Cupertino. (check here for show time listings)
- and is also available at lower resolution on Google .
So, here we have a 90 second clip from "Try Bicycling", now available on YouTube, that shows the leisurely ride along Stevens Creek that an employee at someplace like Google might have. Check it out:
And be sure to put Bike to Work Day on YOUR calendar.
May 17th, 2007
Written by Webmaster Ross on 2007-4-9.
http://www.stevenscreektrail.org/Events/TD_2007/index.html
You can print and pre-fill the waiver form, but be sure to email or call Tom, our Executive Director, to let him know you are planning to attend. We want to be sure to have enough snacks and work for everyone.
Written by Ross (webmaster) Heitkamp on 2007-3-26.
If you drove down El Camino Real by Hwy 85 today, you surely would have noticed that there were only 2 lanes open in each direction, even though it doesn't seem to be causing much of any backup or slowdown. Here's an overview
The good news about this is that those lanes are closed for a GREAT reason - the construction of the bicycle and pedestrian tunnel under El Camino Real for the extension of the Stevens Creek Trail!
Workers today were busy with 2 separate projects. One team was pulling up the paving stones from the median strip and stacking them up for later re-use. Click for a peek Another team was working at the entrance of the parking lot for Homestead Studio Suites Hotel to widen the driveway and make room for the new tunnel on the north side of the El Camino. Take a look
Previously, a water hookup on the south side of El Camino Real was already moved a few feet to make room for the tunnel to come through. Later, on the south side, the entrance to Hwy 85 will also be redesigned such that P.G.&E. and SCVWD access to the meadow is preserved.
Written by Webmaster, Ross Heitkamp on 2007-3-22.
Not to worry. It is likely due to working out final details about the new configuration of the Hwy85 onramp that will be accompanying this trail underpass. Caltrans needs to accept the design for that, so you know there are bound to be some delays.
Meanwhile, the City continues to work on securing funding for the remaining portions of Reach 4, Segment 2, that will take it across Hwy 85 and eventually onward to Mountain View High School.
Written by Your webmaster, Ross on 2007-2-3.
Riding my bike to work this morning, as I approached the Stevens Creek Trail entrance at the end of Yuba Drive, I was most excited to see and hear heavy machinery grinding away past the end of the trail.
Sure enough, the City of Mountain View had begun work to demolish the buildings there on the property they recently acquired. It is a beautiful lush and shady area right along the creek that will become a site for some amenities along the next segment of the trail that will be crossing under El Camino Real on its way towards Mountain View's southern border at Mountain View High School.
I'll try to monitor this more closely and start taking some pictures, in case your travels don't take you to this part of the trail. I'll also post some of the planning documents that were recently presented to the City Council for this segment of construction.
Written by Your Friendly Creekside webmaster, Ross on 2006-8-15.
Written by Your humble webmaster and treasurer, Ross on 2006-4-25.
Written by Aaron Grossman, Executive Director (via the webmaster) on 2006-2-13.
Our own keen eyed board member, John, today spied on page 3D of the Mercury news that Cupertino has started advertising an RFP for
"REOUEST FOR PROPOSAL
PROGRAM & CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES AT STEVENS CREEK CORRIDOR PARK"
You can read about it yourself on their website - great 1.8MB topographical map of the area on the first page! CLICK HERE to go check it out
Written by Ross Heitkamp on 2006-2-4.
For those who use the Stevens Creek Trail to get to the bay, but still want to keep going, right now you are limited to turning left/west and heading towards Palo Alto through Shoreline Park. But some of us work east and would like to be able to turn RIGHT! This meeting is for us.
Please join us at a public scoping meeting for the Feasibility Report for the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Study, to be held
Wednesday, January 25, 2006 from 5:30 - 8:30pmat the
More information including a map is available on the SBSP website.Milpitas Community Center, Rooms 7-8 457 East Calaveras Boulevard 408-586-3210
The Shoreline Study is closely related to the SBSP Restoration Project, and is undertaken by the US Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife Service (lead agencies under NEPA) and the California State Coastal Conservancy (lead agency under CEQA).
Written by Your faithful webmaster, and Moffet Park employee, Ross Heitkamp on 2006-1-21.As reported in the Winter 2005 edition of The View, in case you missed it:
Construction will begin in summer 2006 on a new overcrossing for the Permanente Creek Trail spanning Highway 101 just north of the Old Middlefield Way exit on Highway 101. When completed, the new pedestrian/bike bridge will allow trail users to travel between businesses and recreational facilities in the North Bayshore area and residential and business areas south and west of the freeway.
The existing Permanente Creek Trail begins in Shoreline at Mountain View Regional Park and runs along the east side of the creek for approximately one mile until it ends just north of Highway 101. The new overcrossing will bring the trail to the intersection of Old Middlefield Road and Spring Street. A traffic signal will be installed at the intersection to assist trail users and help accomodate local traffic.
Completion of the new overcrossing is scheduled for the Summer 2007. For more information, call the Mountain View Public Works Department at (650)903-6311.
Written by Ross Heitkamp, webmaster on 2005-12-21.
Now is the time to contact us to become a sponsor of the 2005 Trailblazer Race and Trailwalk. Many of the sponsorship opportunities have already been seized, but there are still a few great ones left.
Sponsoring the Trailblazer Race is a great way to support your community, if your business is located in Cupertino, Mountain View, Los Altos or Sunnyvale. Even if you are not located in one of those cities, your support will give you great exposure and visibility to bring in customers from those and surrounding communities where the thousand participants and family come from.
To review the opportunities available, check out the sponsorship page of the Trailblazer Race webpages. There you can find more information such as the contact people and a downloadable copy of the prospectus.
If you have been on the trail today and noticed some large pink lettering around the bridge over highway 237, you might have wondered what it is all about. Is it some random graffiti? Due to some fortunate timing, I have the answer for you.
Granite Rock Construction was out today to survey for repairs to a few locations. Both ends of the bridge have a sizable bump due to settling of the asphalt more than the concrete. These have been marked as "OVERLAY" meaning that they will overlay some additional asphalt in these locations to smooth out those bumps.
On the ramp up to the bridge on the north end (switchbacks), you will see "CUT" marked in two locations where the asphalt has sunken and broken. This means they will cut out thes locations, probably fill and compact them, then lay new asphalt. Simply adding more asphalt in such a case doesn't work well, so this is a better solution.
That's right, the Friends of Stevens Creek Trail will have a booth at the 2005 Sunnyvale Art & Wine Festival being held June 4th & 5th in downtown Sunnyvale - near South Murphy Street and the Town Center Mall.
You may have to search to find us as we are given space in the Free Speech Area, which isn't always the best location with the highest traffic. But look for other environmental groups or political groups and we'll be there with them (probably - sometimes they have 2 locations).
The exciting news to see this year will be what is shaping up in Sunnyvale. There is a resident who is excited to get something started on connecting Sunnyvale to the Stevens Creek Trail being built by the City of Mountain View. He has some great ideas and stunning photographs of possible areas for the trail. Come sign his petition requesting that Sunnyvale take a fresh look at what they can do to allow its citizens to enjoy this wonderful trail!
Subject: Thanks for the Big Turnout at the Creek Clean-up Date: 2005/4/18 Time: 01:42 PM -0700 GMT Hi everyone - Thanks for the Big Turnout at the Creek Clean-up on Saturday, 16 April 2005! My count of volunteers was 43 from Friends of Stevens Creek Trail, 32 from Synopsys, and 17 from Target Store in Mountain View. That totals 92, which is the biggest turn-out I'm aware of! I think everyone had a good time and appreciated all the support and organization from the Mountain View Parks and Rec staff. Jenny Yee was very effective at coordinating the Synopsys team and was wonderful to work with at the front table! I think this was the first participation from Target Stores, so special thanks to HR manager Dave Jones and Store manager Paul Bennie. Please let me know who made the initial contact with you so that I can thank them as well. I also want to credit Felix with doing a great job of organizing your team! Our next big event is the 11th Trailblazer Race and Walk on Sunday morning September 25th, starting at the Microsoft campus off Shoreline by highway 101. Please mark your calendar - we need about 200 volunteers for that event! Thanks again!
Aaron Grossman, Interim Executive Director Friends of Stevens Creek Trail
I won't make any promises about how often this will get updated or what content you can expect to see here, but, with luck and this easy to update method, there is a good chance you will see things sooner and more often than in the past.
I also hope that you might see things from other Friends of Stevens Creek and the Trail get posted here - if only because I cut and paste them, maybe.
Now, if this worked, then I will post the message from Executive Director, Aaron Grossman, about last weekend's widely attended Trail Work Day...
your friendly, neighborhood webmaster, Ross Heitkamp