San José: Trails Update

This trails update was provided by Yves Zsutty of the City of San José Department of Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services

Trail Construction

Work on the Guadalupe River Trail extension from Woz Way to Virginia Street is finally nearing completion. We expect to have the trail open to the public by April 7 if not sooner. Over the past month, a lot of work has occurred, including installation of fencing, signage, seating, drainage improvements and river embankment reinforcement. Final work items include installation of bollards, interpretive signage and centerline striping.

The Milestone Marker Test Deployment project is occurring along the Los Alamitos and Calero Creek Trail systems. The markers provide a tool for precisely locating points along trails to speed emergency services response and recordkeeping. As part of the project, reflective centerline striping has already been installed – this video posted on the trail program web site shows the dramatic impact of the new striping in assisting with night time visibility. Markers and signage will be installed along the trails by the end of March. Watch for a future update when we will ask SVBC members and other trail users to provide us feedback on this project.

http://www.sjparks.org/Trails/AFTER.mov

A second deployment of markers and signage is now occurring along portions of the Guadalupe River, Los Gatos Creek and Coyote Creek Trail systems.

We are happy to report that the State of California has agreed to provide additional funding for this project. An additional $200,000 was secured last month and will support further deployment of markers, signage and striping along the city’s trails.

Grant Writing

Staff has been busy with a number of grant-writing efforts. This week, we’ve submitted a $450,000 grant to the Santa Clara Valley Water District seeking funds to repair and retrofit the old trestle structure over Los Gatos Creek as part of the future Three Creeks Trail. The grant also seeks funding for minor “interim” trail improvements like signage and fencing to encourage use of lands that are currently be acquired by the City along the former railway alignment.

A $941,000 grant request has also been submitted to the VTA seeking funds to pave the Coyote Creek Trail from Highway 237 Bikeway to Tasman Drive.

The SVBC has been supportive of the City’s grant writing efforts, and offered letters of support.