Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino is slated to get the highest class of protective bike lanes between North Wolfe Road and Mary Avenue. Photo by Annalise Freimarck. One of Cupertino’s most dangerous roads will soon become safer for cyclists.
The Cupertino City Council approved the extension of a protected bike lane project down Stevens Creek Boulevard in a 3-2 vote last month. Mayor Liang Chao and Councilmember R “Ray” Wang support protective bike lanes but voted no, citing concerns about the project’s design. Golden Bay Construction will install cement barriers between cyclists and cars along a roughly 2.5-mile stretch between North Wolfe Road and Mary Avenue — creating some of the most well-protected bike lanes citywide.
Chao said she’s advocated for options other than concrete barriers since 2019 because of the unintended dangers they may cause.
“Concrete barriers create hazards for both cars and bicyclists since they are low in the ground and hard to see at night,” she told San José Spotlight. “(If) a bicyclist hits it by accident, they will likely fall and get hurt badly.”
The project is expected to cost more than $2.2 million, supplemented by approximately $807,000 from a One Bay Area grant and and $693,000 in Senate Bill 1 funding. Both funding sources support transportation infrastructure throughout the region. Construction begins this month and is expected to be completed by September. The project will not reduce car lanes once complete.
Councilmember Sheila Mohan said she supports improving safety for cyclists and students walking or biking to nearby schools, […]
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