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The latest in San Jose trails

October 27, 2009 - 9:25am -- colin

Good news just in from Yves Zutty, the Program Manager for the City of San Jose's Trail Network. Several trails are being improved, several more are in the works, and Trail Count 2009 showed an increase in use. Details are after the jump.

From the City of San Jose:

  • Penitencia Creek (King Road to Mabury Avenue)
    Construction of a short 0.3 mile extension to this east San Jose trail system has moved very quickly. Work got underway in October and final touches are now being installed. The paved and partial gravel trail better serves pedestrian and bicyclists, while keeping public investment low in anticipation of future flood control work in the area. The Penitencia Creek Trail is part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail alignment and the project was partially funded through the Coastal Conservancy.
  • Lower Silver Creek (Silverstone Place)
    Construction is just getting underway along a PG&E Corridor near Capitol Expressway. The 0.3 mile trail from Foxdale Drive to Ocala Avenue will convert a neglect area into a landscaped corridor with a meandering trail. Similar to the recently completed Albertson Parkway project, the new trail is expected to encourage more walking and biking in the neighborhood as well as support bike commuting as additional reaches of the trail system are built. A rendering of the work getting underway is posted at: http://www.sjparks.org/Trails/SilverCrLower/documents/SilverstoneConcept...
    Information about Albertson Parkway’s impact on the surrounding neighborhood can be found at: http://www.sjparks.org/Trails/documents/CaseStudy-AlbertsonParkway_000.pdf
  • Construction Documents
    Development of trails require a number of steps that can often take years to complete. San Jose is proceeding with construction documents for three new trails. Funding for construction has not yet been secured for any of the projects, but completed documents make the trails more competitive for grant funding and local support:
  • Thompson Creek (Tully Road to Aborn Road: future 1.7 miles of paved trail that will follow the creek, include seating areas and architectural gateways at major points of entry.
  • Guadalupe Creek (Singletree Way to Masson Dam): future 0.1 mile of paved trail and architectural gateway to direct trail users through an open area to the creek side trail alignment.
  • Lower Guadalupe River Trail (880 to Gold Street): future 6.4 mile trail system with plans at the 95% stage. The final environmental study is being prepared and staff expects construction to proceed in May/June 2010.
  • Trail Count 2009
    On September 23, 2009, volunteers and representatives from the City, SVBC and Friends of the Guadalupe River Park & Gardens conducted the third annual count and survey of trail users. We saw a 9.6% increase in trail usages across 6 count stations. Along the Guadalupe River Trail, a 24% increase was documented at the Coleman Avenue station. Visit the Trail Count page for more information about this year’s findings:
    http://www.sjparks.org/Trails/TrailCount.asp
Tags: 
trails

Comments

mark_s's picture
Submitted by mark_s on

I have recently moved to the area and live car free. I have found the trail system very frustrating - there seems to be a lack of good maps that show the trail system as a part of the larger transportation network, the trails close at seemingly random times with no explanation, and there is very poor connectivity between the little bits and pieces of trails that exist. When actually on trails there is little or no sinage to indicate what roads you are crossing under or over etc.

yzsutty's picture
Submitted by yzsutty on

Mark,
Welcome to San Jose and the south bay.

The Trail Program web site includes maps for all existing trails and a Bikeways map that provides the comprehensive inventory of on-street bikeways and off-street trails. Visit the web site at www.sjparks.org/trails and click on Trails. and access the maps via the Trail Finding Toolkit.

Gaps and uncompleted trail systems exist in the trail network. It is definitely a work in progress with 53 miles now open to the public. San Jose's Mayor and City Council are fully on board with build out of both on-street and off-street facilities. Adoption of the Green Vision guides staff to work on a 500-mile network of facilities. The 100-mile trail component is to be complete by 2022 and as a result, you'll find inter-connected and longer trail systems.

We are completing a signage plan that includes new signs for Trail Names, Rules, Warnings, Guidance, Mileage/911 and Directional purposes. A test installation will occur in early 2010. You should be seeing more cross-street name signs posted within the next year.