Walking & Biking
News & Ideas
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Happy Summer!
Summer vacation is almost over, but that just means the weather is getting nicer for outdoor activities. Check out our review of the Union Pacific trail, learn about the next phase of bike lane construction coming on McClellan and the new Linda Vista trail, City News and how to advocate for more bike parking.
Read on below for news that affects you!
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Jennifer Shearin wins
SVBC 2020 Person of the Year Award
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We are giddy with excitement to announce that our very own WBC board member Jennifer Shearin has received the Silicon Valley Bike Coalition 2020 Person of the Year Award for her work to further
the Regnart Creek Trail despite intense opposition from many neighbors adjacent to the proposed trail and a skeptical city council
.
It’s also a well-deserved recognition for all our members who have advocated tirelessly for this trail over the past two years. Take a bow!
Read more about the award winners
here
.
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Phase 2 of McClellan protected bike lanes break ground August 3
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The first phase of the McClellan protected lanes were completed last year between Stelling and Imperial. The protected bike lanes have made travel safer and easier along McClellan, a major school commute and cross-city connector. Cupertino Public Works is now moving forward with Phase 2, constructing similar lanes on McClellan from Stelling to De Anza and continuing along Pacifica Drive between De Anza and Torre. This second phase will connect with the Regnart Trail (if the construction vote on the trail is successful in September 2020) near the Cupertino Library.
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At the last City Council meeting, the
Phase 2 construction contract and street parking removal was approved.
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Frequently asked Questions
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Will speed limits change?
There will be a traffic survey after all the portions of the project are done to see if speed limits need to be adjusted. It appears from Phase 1 that vehicle speeds are less than they were prior to the project.
How visible will the concrete separations be?
Public Works had increased the visibility of the dividers after public feedback in Phase 1. Phase 2 will include all of the increased visibility changes of the updated Phase 1, including painting the "noses" of the dividers, putting reflective posts on the dividers, and painting a white edge line on the dividers and putting reflector on the white edge line.
What about the loss of parking?
The staff did three parking studies
at different times of the day to determine the level of parking demand on McClellan and Pacifica in these areas and
read more...
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Questions were raised by Councilmembers and residents to City Staff about garbage pickup, deliveries,
read more...
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A recent Cupertino poll on Nextdoor shows that there are many more people walking in their neighborhoods than before the pandemic.
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Get to know the future Linda Vista Trail
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In Summer 2019, Richard and Ellen Lowenthal donated an old quarry haul road to the city of Cupertino to turn into a walking and biking trail. It’s a wide dirt path, lined with trees and bushes on one side with a steep drop down to the Deef Cliff golf course and adjacent to backyards of homes on the other. The trail stretches about a mile long from Linda Vista Park to McClellan Ranch Preserve and has been lying unused and locked away behind gates for years. In Oct 2020, Cupertino Public Works will start work on the Linda Vista trail so it is ready for resident use.
Read more...
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“In general, we wholly support the development of this potentially great asset to our immediate community, as it will encourage a healthy lifestyle, get people out of their cars and make our neighborhood even safer....[We] trust that design and implementation will maintain or improve our [security and privacy] with the new trail...
Thank you for having the vision and foresight to invest in our community and neighborhoods.
”
-- from a neighbor adjacent to the Linda Vista Trail, in a letter to the City Council
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On July 20,
Cupertino extended the 6-month trial of the dog off-leash area (DOLA) at Jollyman Park
until at least two months of youth sports have run concurrently there (to assess how well they can both coexist), but not past June 2021.The city also approved changing the hours to one hour before sunset to one hour after. Neighborhood resident feedback on the DOLA has been overwhelmingly positive.
Read more...
All local schools have decided to begin the school year in full distance learning mode
and plan to return slowly to in-class instruction as the situation permits. Students will be missing walking or biking to school, proven to improve concentration for schoolwork, so it's important to encourage them to walk, bike or exercise daily to keep their concentration at peak levels.
At the July 12 Cupertino City Council meeting, after a large number of speakers spoke in support, the
City Council made a future Council agenda item to discuss adding a painted Rainbow crosswalk
across Stevens Creek at Finch/Main Street. The crosswalk would be in the same location as the current crosswalk and be a symbol of support for LGBTQ+ residents.
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Tell your State Senator to support the Bike Parking Bill
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Make a difference not just in Cupertino, but state-wide! The California Senate could hold its first hearing on the Bike Parking Bill (AB 3153) as early as August 1. The bill, which has passed in the State House already, provides an incentive to build long-term bike parking and car-sharing spaces in new buildings. It's a great way to encourage more active transportation in our communities. We've made it easy to email your Senator to let him know that you support this bill.
More...
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I
n California, housing developers are required to include lots of car parking but no bike parking.
That’s bad for the residents who want to live more sustainably or use their bike for transportation.
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Can't remember who your Bay Area state senator is? Simply click
here
and you can find out!
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Trail review - Union Pacific Trail
By Revathy Narasimhan, WBC Board Member
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Do you like trails better than the roads because of having exclusive access for walkers and bikers without having to stop or watch for cars? Some trails are hidden in plain sight, right in the middle of our beautiful city of Cupertino!
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Welcome to the unpaved, walk/bike-friendly Union Pacific Trail
that runs by the railroad tracks between Stelling Road and Bubb Road. You can start at Stevens Creek or Bubb Road and walk South towards Saratoga.
Enjoy the beautiful majestic oaks on your way!
Read more...
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Know a great walk, hike, run, or ride?
This trail review is one of a series of narratives written by our members
.
If you know a great walk, hike, bike ride, or run, Walk-Bike Cupertino would love to spotlight it in our newsletter and on our website! Reviews should be 500 words or less, and must include some pictures. All submissions are subject to approval, editing, and can be used by Walk-Bike Cupertino in future publications. Contact us
here
.
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If you enjoyed this newsletter, please encourage your friends or family to sign up too!
Walk-Bike Cupertino never shares or sells any personal information
.
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Happy Walking and Biking,
Your friends at Walk-Bike Cupertino
Find much more, including maps, safety data, and information on all the city projects at:
walkbikecupertino.org
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