A slate of new clean air-focused transportation improvements in Santa Clara County may be coming soon. VTA’s Congestion Management Program and Planning Committee recommended Board approval of nine local projects to receive $2.7 million in funding from the Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA).

Projects eligible for TFCA funding focus on alternative fuels, arterial management, bicycle, and trip-reduction projects that reduce vehicle emissions. The regional fund is generated by a surcharge on vehicle registrations in the nine-county Bay Area. Each year, the VTA Board of Directors allocates 40% of these funds to projects, subject to review by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD).

With reduced greenhouse gas emissions as a goal for any project seeking TFCA funding, the projects recommended by VTA are all projected to have a positive climate impact. The proposed projects are as follows:

Los Gatos

• Los Gatos Shannon Road Bicycle Lanes
  The Town of Los Gatos will build Class II bicycle lanes on Shannon Road, a popular route to schools.

San José

• San José Arterial Management
  This project will improve signal timing on Coleman Avenue, Cottle Road, and Senter Road.
• San Fernando Street Two-Way Class IV Bikeway
  San José will upgrade bicycle lanes on San Fernando Street adjacent to San Jose State University from Class II to Class IV bikeways.
• San José Bikeways Upgrade
  This project will use TCFA funds to upgrade an additional seven bicycle lanes in the city from Class II to Class IV facilities.
• San José Bike Parking
  Bike racks and lockers will be installed at various locations around the city.

Santa Clara

• Mission College Blvd Class IV Bikeway
  The City of Santa Clara will upgrade 0.86 miles of a Class II bicycle facility on Mission College Blvd. to a Class IV protected bikeway (from the Marriott entrance to Montague Expressway).

Sunnyvale

• Moffett Park/Innovation Area Signal Retiming
  The City of Sunnyvale will install a traffic responsive signal system in the Moffett Park/Innovation Area. This route provides access to the City of Mountain View, US-101, and SR-237 as well as various businesses in the Moffett Park Specific Plan area.

VTA

• Rapid 500
  VTA will use TFCA funds to help support operations of the Rapid 500, which operates between San Jose’s Diridon Caltrain station and the Berryessa Transit Center via downtown San Jose.
• VTA Valley Medical Center Shuttle
  TFCA funds will also be used to help support operations of the VTA Valley Medical Center Shuttle. The shuttle service, which began operating last June, connects the San Jose Diridon Caltrain Station with the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

Following funding approval by the VTA Board and the BAAQMD, member agencies will then have two years to construct these projects.