Over the last three months, hundreds of community members have made their voices heard to help VTA develop mobility solutions that work for everyone.  We thank you for contributing.

Last November, VTA put out a call for forward-thinking ideas for transportation in Santa Clara County as part of the Valley Transportation Plan 2050 (VTP2050) and Visionary Network efforts. As this phase of community outreach concludes, we want to thank everyone who contributed, whether it was by attending an online community meeting, stopping by a transit center pop-up or participating in a survey.

When completed, the Valley Transportation Plan 2050, will serve as a policy and planning framework for developing future transportation projects in Santa Clara County. This plan considers all modes of travel, including highways, local streets and roads, and expressways as well as transit, transportation systems, and active transportation.

Under the larger umbrella of the VTP 2050 sits the Visionary Network, a transit-specific plan that is meant to reflect aspirations to add more service in Santa Clara County over the next 30 years. The Visionary Network, which will be presented to VTA’s Board of Directors for adoption this spring, will act as a “North Star” for future transit service updates and will also provide guidance to the VTP’s vision for transit.

Capturing community feedback was a top priority in the development of these plans. Over the past three months, VTA held four community meetings, two online Ask VTA Q&A sessions, five transit center pop-ups, and two community-based organization roundtables, along with several additional stakeholder meetings with organizations and member agencies. Hundreds shared their transportation preferences, goals, and suggestions for improvement.

Here are just some of the things we’ve heard from you over the last few months:

• “We need regional transit that is fast, reliable, and safe. Nothing else will help with congestion/traffic.”
• “Protected and connected bike lanes, especially near schools.”
• “Prioritize pedestrian safety. Most folks have to walk, if even just a little to get to transit options.”
• “Routes should run until midnight.”
• “Have bikes go over or under expressways instead of having to cross.”
• “Prioritize mixed-use development as dense as possible near transit centers.”

Throughout the Spring, planning staff will continue their work on the VTP2050, including developing a process for selecting future transportation projects, as well as a slate of outreach events to gather feedback. Community members will later have a chance to view and comment on the plan’s draft project list. A final VTP2050 plan will be presented to the VTA Board for adoption next Winter.

To get engaged in future outreach efforts for the VTP2050, please sign up to receive project and event updates.