back to vtaridersunion.org
main page
| Santa Clara VTA | Riders Union |
-by David Fadness, Newsletter Editor, VEP Community Association of South San Jose
40,000 riders per day. That’s what overly-optimistic transportation planners forecast in 1981 for first-year Guadalupe light rail patronage. It was to be a stunning success, the basis for a new urban way of life in Silicon Valley, an economic and fiscal boon, a beginning to the end of traffic congestion and urban sprawl.
Transit planners designed accordingly, building the Guadalupe system and buying light rail vehicles to support that expected glut of users. Expensive park-and-ride lots were designed to accommodate hundreds who would hopefully leave their cars behind as they whisked, free of congestion to work and shopping destinations each day.
More miles have been built and cities have boosted zoning densities wherever possible to "support" our light rail investment. But after eighteen years since the grand opening of service, we’re still waiting for anything like the predicted ridership to materialize. Traffic congestion is unabated. Large, mostly empty parking lots sprout weeds and invite leased use for storage by auto dealerships and construction companies.
Reality has re-established itself: Californians do love their cars, and are perfectly willing to pay for public transit services they hope other people will use. Despite billions invested, as a percentage, growth in transit ridership hasn’t even kept pace with increases in our valley’s population.
VTA appears to be admitting this sad turn of events.
535 housing units were built at the Ohlone-Chynoweth Light Rail Station a few years ago. 195 of them replaced much of the park-and-ride lot there. Now, perennially cash-strapped VTA is proposing urban development on the south park-and-ride lot at the Capitol Light Rail Station.
Before Pat Dando left the San Jose City Council, she announced a proposal to build senior housing on the Capitol park-and-ride lot. In exchange for community support, the city would require that a small park be built on the north side of Bridget Drive, between Narvaez and Canoas Creek. Neighbors objected to high density. The idea went silent - or so we thought.
It’s now being reconsidered. VTA requested and now has two detailed proposals from developers. Both will use the entire park-and-ride lot south of Capitol Expressway and possibly the adjacent 2-acre county-owned parcel immediately south of it. This is what is being proposed for the 8.9-acre site:
Residential units would be a mix of rental apartments and owner-occupied condominiums. Buildings will be four stories tall. (As proposed, both projects would exceed the scope and density of the 355-unit, 14.9-acre Bella Villagio complex on Capitol Expressway at Vistapark Drive.)
All that will remain for those who drive to this transit station is the small lot on the north side of Capitol.
The VEP Community Association has long-standing, major concerns about the impacts on traffic congestion and safety of any development at or near that site. Here’s why. The ramp meter on the northbound Route 87 approach causes a traffic nightmare at Capitol Expressway and Narvaez every workday morning. Westbound traffic backs up on Capitol past Home Depot. Eastbound traffic often backs up across Capitol itself as commuters attempt to turn left onto Narvaez, which is gridlocked in both directions from the freeway approach. More than just inconvenient, the situation there is dangerous.
No one is proposing a solution; the city just keeps adding cars by approving more high-density ("smart-growth") development. In fact, by way of twisted logic, the city’s official stance is that the level of service at the ramp meter is "B" (much better than the minimum acceptable "D"). That assertion clears the way for more growth - without any requirement for traffic mitigation. VTA takes the city’s word for it. We suffer the consequences.
VEP is not opposed to growth. We are opposed to growth that makes conditions worse in our neighborhoods and city. To reflect that spirit, for several years VEP’s member-approved Goals & Objectives (G&O) have included these specific directives:
Our G&O have been distributed to elected city and county officials, so these concerns should be well-known to key decision-makers. We’ve also drawn from these points repeatedly in letters and public testimony regarding development proposals in our area. So far, our pleas have gone unanswered.
If VTA removes all but the north parking lot, virtually all options may be foreclosed for traffic relief at the ramp meter—unless they’re willing to give up the north lot, as well. All that could be done otherwise is to move the freeway approach farther north along Narvaez. However, doing that could run afoul of Caltrans’ requirement for one-mile separation between freeway approaches; Curtner is only 1.2-miles from the existing onramp.
What we’re saying is this: Go ahead with whatever you want to do at the Capitol Light Rail Station, VTA, but first show us a plan and secure funding for a solution to the northbound Route 87 freeway approach problem.
After all, improving transportation is what we pay VTA to do.
back to vtaridersunion.org
main page