CHAPTER 3 – CONCEPTUAL TRAIL ALIGNMENTS – HETCH HETCHY HETCH HETCHY existing bridges were also evaluated Clara. The Santa Clara Valley Water STUDY CORRIDOR OVERVIEW for integration into the conceptual trail District (SCVWD) owns the three alignment. These two bridges, an creeks in the study corridor. The The potential to develop a bicycle and auxiliary automobile bridge at the roadways are owned and operated by pedestrian trail was evaluated along Great America parking lot and the the City. The pedestrian bridge that approximately 1.75 miles of Hetch pedestrian bridge spanning Calabazas spans Calabazas Creek and connects to Hetchy corridor from Ulistac Natural Creek, were integrated into the the John W. Christian Greenbelt was Area, on the banks of the Guadalupe conceptual trail alignment. Multiple developed by Sunnyvale (See Map 7 – River, to Calabazas Creek. The Hetch bridges are proposed to serve the new Hetch Hetchy Corridor: Ulistac Natural Hetchy corridor is 80 feet wide Santa Clara Stadium. One of these Area to Calabazas Creek Conceptual Trail providing ample land to support the bridges must be available to trail users Alignments Map). development of a trail. Many to cross San Tomas Aquino Creek. communities have developed the The corridor encompasses the rail line Hetch Hetchy corridor to serve as Of the six roadways evaluated for that serves the Capital Corridor and public parks and trails. The San crossings, the most challenging was the Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) Francisco Public Utilities Commission adjacent right-of-ways of Lafayette trains and is owned by Union Pacific (SFPUC), operator of this utility Street and the UPRR corridor. The Railroad (UPRR). The Light Rail that corridor, strives to generate revenue Hetch Hetchy pipelines extend 140 feet runs along Tasman Drive, operated by from its land holdings. The City would across these two transportation the Santa Clara Valley Transportation need to enter into an agreement with corridors. A grade-separated crossing Authority (VTA), will become SFPUC for use of the lands. Such an was sought in this location (See Map 6 – accessible to more residents via the agreement may include a revenue Hetch Hetchy Land Availability and Hetch Hetchy Trail. mechanism, a possible bond Crossing Feasibility Map). requirement to ensure the City provides adequate maintenance of new The Hetch Hetchy study corridor is public trail facilities and language presented as a single study section. describing how recreation facilities Maps, cross-sections and drawings and would be addressed during SFPUC are provided to illustrate the pipeline related construction activities. conceptual trail alignments and engineering designs concepts. The design challenges with Hetch Hetchy come in the form of the LOCATION AND OWNERSHIP roadway, rail and stream crossings in Santa Clara. This study evaluated six The Hetch Hetchy corridor extends roadways, the Union Pacific Railroad from Ulistac Natural Area to Calabazas (UPRR) corridor and San Tomas Creek. SFPUC operates the The John W. Christian Greenbelt in Aquino Creek for the potential to approximately two-miles of utility Sunnyvale is built on the Hetch Hetchy develop a continuous trail. Two corridor that extends through Santa corridor. City of Santa Clara Creek Trail Network Expansion Feasibility Report Chapter 3 – Page 54 CHAPTER 3 – CONCEPTUAL TRAIL ALIGNMENTS – HETCH HETCHY Map 6 – Hetch Hetchy Land Availability and Crossing Feasibility Map City of Santa Clara Creek Trail Network Expansion Feasibility Report Chapter 3 – Page 55 CHAPTER 3 – CONCEPTUAL TRAIL ALIGNMENTS – HETCH HETCHY Map 7 – Hetch Hetchy Corridor – Ulistac Natural Area to Calabazas Creek Conceptual Trail Alignments Map City of Santa Clara Creek Trail Network Expansion Feasibility Report Chapter 3 – Page 56 CHAPTER 3 – CONCEPTUAL TRAIL ALIGNMENTS – HETCH HETCHY The lands surrounding Hetch Hetchy CORRIDOR CHARACTER, PLANT Street to the levee along San Tomas include high technology businesses COMMUNITIES AND WILDLIFE Aquino Creek. A ruderal grassland of and recreation venues including the primarily nonnative grasses and forbs AMC Mercado 20 Theatres, Santa The Hetch Hetchy corridor will grow in this location. The remainder of Clara Youth Soccer Park, Great connect to the Ulistac Natural Area the corridor from San Tomas Aquino America Theme Park and the Santa and represents the only protected Creek to Calabazas Creek is covered by Clara Stadium. Mission College is wildland open space in Santa Clara. roadways and parking lots. No located just to the south of the trail This 40-acre site supports a young oak vegetation is present in these areas. corridor and serves approximately savannah, live oak woodland and 28,000 students each year (Mission deciduous oak grassland. There are CONCEPTUAL TRAIL ALIGNMENTS College, 2011). plans to restore a seasonal wetland, sycamore woodland and riparian The proposed trail alignment would extend from Lick Mill Park to the SITE ANALYSIS SUMMARY forest along the edge of the adjacent Guadalupe River. This area provides Calabazas Creek Trail. An at-grade crossing of Lick Mill Boulevard is The Hetch Hetchy corridor provides refuge for many upland species. proposed to connect the trail to Ulistac ample right-of-way to support the Natural Area. The existing mid-block development of a trail. Five of the crosswalk on Lick Mill Boulevard roadways that cross the Hetch Hetchy could be located slightly to the north to corridor can accommodate at-grade align with the Hetch Hetchy corridor trail crossings with some modifications (See Figure 21 – Lick Mill Boulevard to the streets. The five roadways Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements at include Lick Mill Boulevard, Avenida Ulistac Natural Area). Alternately, the De Las Arboles, Great America existing crosswalk could remain and Parkway, Old Ironsides Drive and trail users directed to this crossing. Patrick Henry Drive (See Figure 20 – Either crossing would allow bicyclists Summary of Hetch Hetchy Corridor to connect to bicycle lanes and routes Feasibility Findings). proposed along Lick Mill Boulevard. Santa Clara has been investigating the The combined Lafayette Street and View of the Hetch Hetchy corridor looking potential to reduce the number of UPRR corridor has many constraints west from UPRR toward Great America. travel lanes on Lick Mill Boulevard to associated with providing a grade- provide enhanced bicycling separated trail crossing including The Hetch Hetchy corridor functions opportunities. This concept would be SFPUC and PG&E utilities. Three as part of Lick Mill Park. The similar to the “road diet” that is being crossing options were evaluated in this landscaped park hosts many piloted on Calabazas Boulevard. The area (See Map 7 – Hetch Hetchy Corridor: ornamental trees and is the only Hetch Hetchy Trail would link with Ulistac Natural Area to Calabazas Creek developed segment of the Hetch these facilities and provide a Conceptual Trail Alignments Map). Hetchy corridor in Santa Clara. The connection to Ulistac Natural Area. corridor is undeveloped from Lafayette City of Santa Clara Creek Trail Network Expansion Feasibility Report Chapter 3 – Page 57 CHAPTER 3 – CONCEPTUAL TRAIL ALIGNMENTS – HETCH HETCHY S UMMARY OF H ETCH H ETCHY C ORRIDOR F EASIBILITY F INDINGS Corridor Characteristics Habitat Quality Roadway and Stream Crossings Land Availability: Habitat Types: Rail Corridors: ♦ Landscaped Parks ♦ Capital Corridor Train Corridor = 80 feet wide ♦ Ruderal Grassland ♦ Altamont Commuter Express - ♦ Paved Parking Areas ACE Train The right of way is constrained in some areas by parking lots and Roadways: street crossings. Habitat Condition: ♦ Lick Mill Boulevard Modified and/or Disturbed by ♦ Avenida De Las Arboles ♦ Great America Parking Area Development. ♦ Lafayette Street ♦ R&D Sites along Old Glory Lane ♦ Great America Parkway ♦ R&D Sites off Patrick Henry Dr. ♦ Old Ironsides Drive Habitat Sensitivity: ♦ Patrick Henry Drive Ruderal Grassland and Landscaped Parks may offer habitat for breeding birds and Pedestrian Bridges: common mammals. ♦ Auxiliary Bridge over San Tomas Aquino Creek ♦ One over Calabazas Creek Figure 20 – Summary of Hetch Hetchy Corridor Feasibility Findings City of Santa Clara Creek Trail Network Expansion Feasibility Report Chapter 3 – Page 58 CHAPTER 3 – CONCEPTUAL TRAIL ALIGNMENTS – HETCH HETCHY Figure 21 – Lick Mill Boulevard Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements at Ulistac Natural Area City of Santa Clara Creek Trail Network Expansion Feasibility Report Chapter 3 – Page 59 CHAPTER 3 – CONCEPTUAL TRAIL ALIGNMENTS – HETCH HETCHY The Hetch Hetchy Trail would extend west through Lick Mill Park. The trail would be aligned to meet the intersection of Avenida De Las Arboles with Fairway Glen Drive. A painted crosswalk is proposed to extend the trail across Avenida De Las Arboles, a street with low traffic volume, to the turfed greenbelt that parallels Fairway Glen Drive to Lafayette Street. Three crossing alternatives were investigated to span Lafayette Street and the UPRR corridor. A U-shaped pedestrian overcrossing was considered along Lafayette Street but rejected due to the potential impact the height of such a structure could have on residences along Lafayette Street. Other pedestrian overcrossing designs may be considered in the future in association with the Altamont Corridor Rail Project, a proposal to enhance passenger rail service between Stockton and San Jose. This high-speed rail project would extend along the UPRR corridor and serve the Great America Train Station (High Speed