*Gina LaBlanc tells the story of her late son, Kyle, who was struck and killed by a truck on Curtner Ave eight years ago.*

San Jose is celebrating a $12.9 million federal grant to improve multiple dangerous intersections and vulnerable corridors, awarded by the US Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program.

Among these improvements are a bike lane and unpaved sidewalk just outside of San Jose’s Curtner VTA Light Rail Station where, in 2016, high school student Kyle LaBlanc was killed by a person driving a tow truck at a high speed in the bike lane.

At a press conference Wednesday morning, Mayor Matt Mahan announced the news about this grant. He was joined by Kyle’s Mother Gina LaBlanc, Councilmember Pam Foley, Councilmember Bien Doan, and San Jose Department of Transportation Director John Ristow. Ristow said “the grant is an amazing opportunity to make real, lasting, significant improvements to our most vulnerable intersections.”

*SVBC Executive Director Clarrissa Cabansagan celebrates the news of this grant.*

Gina LaBlanc provided the devastating insight that she is heading into her eighth Christmas without Kyle. She said the press conference, in the parking lot of Curtner VTA Station, was the first time she had returned to the intersection where Kyle’s life was taken. Nearly every speaker acknowledged that this grant will not restore the lives that have been lost to traffic violence - but it can help to prevent future tragic losses.

Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition advocates for street improvements for bike and pedestrian safety, and has supported Gina LaBlanc’s campaign for improvements to safety and the roadway where her son lost his life. SVBC Executive Director Clarrissa Cabansagan attended the press conference, and joined the City of San Jose staff in celebrating this step toward safer streets for bicyclists and pedestrians.

The city says that this grant will be used to build a protected intersection that keeps bicyclists separate from vehicular traffic, a new section of sidewalk that is currently missing, and a pair of traffic signal improvements. The four intersections that are currently under consideration for improvement, including Curtner Ave and Canoas Garden Ave, are all sites where deadly crashes have taken place. Others are along Monterey Road at Curtner Avenue and Tully Road, Capitol Expressway at Senter Road, and Santa Clara Street at 11th Street, with design to start in the fall and construction planned to start in late 2027.

You can watch the full press conference now on Facebook, and join the fight for safe streets by connecting with a Local Team and attending our upcoming December Biketivist Forum.