Circulation Community Housing and Safety Design

Land Use / Health Community and Safety Design Land Use / Health Circulation Community Housing and Safety Design

Environmental Environmental Resources/ Housing Circulation Resources/ Sustainability Sustainability

Environmental Housing Resources/ Sustainability Environmental Health Housing Circulation and Safety Resources/ Sustainability 4-1

Land Use / SectionLand 4 Use / Health Community Circulation Community and Safety Design CirculationDesign

INTRODUCTION The Circulation Element supports the Circulation Plan’s guiding principles of building commu- Environmental Land Use / nity, mobility, and providing connectivity Resources/ Community Sustainability Design between neighborhoods. The intent of this element is to balance the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists with the requirements of Health Housing drivers. The emphasis of this Plan on non- and Safety automotive transportation is a change from previous General Plans. In the past, the City set standards for performance of the highway CONTENTS system with less concern for pedestrians and 4-1 Introduction bicycles. The policies of this Plan may, in some cases, lead to a reduced service level for 4-2 Regional Transportation Planning auto traffic in order to accommodate pedes- 4-5 Encouraging Alternatives to the trians and bicyclists. Automobile The transportation system for Cupertino 4-6 Pedestrians and Bicycles integrates walkways, bicycle routes, transit 4-9 Public Transit service, local streets and freeways into a single 4-10 Roadways system that supports Cupertino lifestyles. At the local level, this includes providing facili- 4-16 Neighborhood Protection ties that connect neighborhoods with pedes- 4-17 Traffic Projections trian, bicycle and automobile routes. Longer distance connections are also needed to provide the links to major arterial routes and the regional freeway system.

The Circulation Element briefly describes the existing transportation system and local travel characteristics. Non- motorized transportation modes are studied and described in terms of alternatives to the automobile. Projections of future traffic volumes based on the build out of the land uses described in the Land Use Element are studied to ensure that traffic congestion will not increase significantly.

City of Cupertino General Plan 4-2 Circulation

Policies and implementation programs nity including seniors, children, the in this chapter provide a guide for decisions disabled, persons with low-income, regarding the circulation system improve- and persons who depend on public ments needed to accommodate Cupertino’s transportation. City streets should be anticipated growth. In addition, this chapter available to all to drive, park, bicycle takes into account the traffic impact of antici- and walk, where safe and in accord pated regional development and the roadway with traffic regulations. improvements adopted by regional agencies such as the Santa Clara Valley Transportation • The provision of efficient routes for Agency (VTA) and Metropolitan transit service, emergency and other Transportation Commission (MTC). service vehicles continues to be a high priority for the City. The Circulation Element is based on several underlying themes and findings sum- • The design of the transportation system marized below: should incorporate aesthetic values that complement the surrounding land uses. • Single-passenger automobiles have • Future improvements to the circula- strained the inter-city transportation tion system must be consistent with system. The State Route (SR) 85 and and support the other goals and poli- Interstate Route 280 (I-280) freeways cies of the General Plan. are at or near to capacity during commute hours. This situation will only • Traffic is both a local and a regional worsen unless more people use transpor- issue. Effective improvements to the tation alternatives, such as bus and rail circulation system depend on the transit, bicycling, ridesharing, walking multi-jurisdictional cooperative effort and telecommuting. It is essential when of multiple agencies such as the State of approving new development to ensure California (Caltrans), the Metropolitan that future growth does not overwhelm Transportation Com-mission (MTC), the transportation system. Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), adjacent cities and • Land use and transportation are inextri- counties, and other public transit dis- cably connected. Future development tricts. and circulation must be coordinated so that they will be in balance. The land use and transportation policies in this REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION Plan reflect this relationship. PLANNING • The need to provide efficient roadways Cupertino’s transportation cannot be for automobiles will be balanced with planned without reference to the regional and the need to provide pedestrian and bicy- sub-regional planning that is conducted by cle friendly roadways and streetscapes. others such as the VTA, MTC and Caltrans.

• Transportation facilities should be The City participates with the VTA on accessible to all sectors of the commu- the State mandated countywide Congestion

City of Cupertino General Plan Regional Transportation Planning 4-3

Management Plan (CMP). Longer range some of these negative factors . planning is provided in the VTA’s Valley Transportation Plan 2020 (VTP 2020). The The Light Rail network for Santa Clara VTP 2020 includes the following projects or County was conceived as a traditional spoke- programs for Cupertino: and-wheel network with the spokes radiat- ing out from downtown San Jose and wheel • The Mary Avenue Bicycle-Pedestrian arcs ringing the Valley. Many portions of the Footbridge over I-280. spokes and wheel arcs have been completed or are in the planning stages. The West Valley • The De Anza Trail on the Union portion of the County is planned to be served Pacific Railroad right-of-way Phase III. by the Vasona Corridor leading to Campbell and eventually Los Gatos. There are no • The study of the Bus Rapid Transit immediate funding sources or definitive plans (BRT) on Stevens Creek Boulevard. for either light rail or express buses to serve Cupertino, Saratoga, Los Altos, west San Jose • The study of Light Rail Transit (LRT) and the southern portion of Sunnyvale. in the Sunnyvale/Cupertino Corridor. There are four possible routes for mass • The one major freeway improve- transit to serve this portion of the County ment in the plan for Cupertino is an including the Highway 85 median and the improved ramp to connect SR 85 and Union Pacific Rail Right of Way connecting I-280 with Foothill Boulevard. to the Vasona Corridor at Vasona Junction in Los Gatos; Stevens Creek Boulevard through The regional projects are shown on San Jose and connecting to De Anza College Figure 4-A. at Highway 85; and De Anza Boulevard connecting to the Stevens Creek line and extend- With the exception of the Mary ing into Downtown Sunnyvale. Cupertino Avenue bicycle-pedestrian footbridge, the must advocate policies that ensure that above projects are considered part of a ten- Cupertino residents, the major Cupertino year funding plan. The City should work corporations and De Anza, West Valley and with the VTA to secure funding for each of possibly Foothill Colleges are served by mass the regional projects. transit within the next 20 years. Regional land use decisions affect the operation of the freeway system in Cupertino. Regional transportation facilities such as SR Goal A 85 and I-280 currently operate with consid- A erable congestion in peak traffic hours. This is due in part to a number of factors: more Regional transportation planning deci- dependence on the automobile, suburban sions that support and complement the sprawl, few mass transportation alternatives, needs of Cupertino the regional imbalance of jobs and housing in Santa Clara County, etc. This Plan, as Policy 4-1: City Participation in well as planning by the county and regional Regional Transportation Planning agencies, advocates strategies to mitigate Participate actively in developing

City of Cupertino General Plan 4-4 Circulation VTA 2020 Projects

Los Altos Sunnyvale

HOMESTEAD ROAD

280

PRUNERIDG E AVE

85 Santa Clara De ANZA BLVD STELLING RD WOLFE RD

FOOTHILL BLVD FOOTHILL STEVENS CREEK BLVD

E V McCLELLAN A

ROAD U

AN BLANEY AVE

MILLER AVE

BUBB ROAD BOLLINGER

San Jose Legend De Anza/Union Pacific Trail RAINBOW DRIVE Proposed Rapid Transit Corridors Mary Avenue Bicycle-Pedestrian Footbridge Stevens Creek PROSPECT ROAD Reservoir SR 85/I-280 Improvement Saratoga City Boundary Urban Service Area Boundary Sphere of Influence Boundary Agreement Line Unincorporated Areas Figure 4-A. Valley Transportation Authority 0 0.5 1 Mile 0 1000 2000 3000 Feet

2020 Projects. 0 500 1000 Meters

regional approaches to meeting the Strategies transportation needs of the residents 1. Regional Transportation Planning. of the Santa Clara Valley. Work Participate in regional transportation closely with neighboring jurisdictions planning in order to minimize adverse and agencies responsible for roadways, impacts on Cupertino’s circulation sys- transit facilities and transit services in tem. Work with all regional transpor- Cupertino.

City of Cupertino General Plan Encouraging Alternatives to the Automobile 4-5

tation agencies to develop programs transit into the Stevens Creek and De consistent with the goals and policies of Anza Corridors to fulfill the “spoke and Cupertino’s General Plan. Work with wheel” transit system designed to serve neighboring cities to address regional all of Santa Clara County. Specific transportation and land use issues of actions to implement this strategy are: mutual interest. • Review all right-of-way improvement 2. Jobs–Housing Balance. Minimize projects for potential opportunities regional traffic impacts on Cupertino by and constraints to rapid transit devel- supporting regional planning programs opment. to manage the jobs-housing balance throughout Santa Clara County and • Encourage higher density and mixed- the Silicon Valley. use development in rapid transit corridors and ensure developments are 3. Interchange Improvements. Identify designed to enhance the use of transit. potential interchange improvements, such as I-280 with the Lawrence • Seek the cooperative support of resi- Expressway and Stevens Creek dents, property owners and businesses Boulevard, that would encourage the in planning rapid transit extensions. use of the freeway and reduce the use of local streets. • Actively seek to have Cupertino represent West Valley cities and ultimately 4. Congestion Management Plan (CMP). chair the VTA Board of Directors to Actively participate in the preparation promote the above policy. of the CMP and other regional efforts to control traffic congestion and limit air pollution. ENCOURAGING ALTERNATIVES TO THE AUTOMOBILE 5. Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA). Alternatives to the automobile con- Require TIA reports that meet the tribute to energy conservation, reduce air requirements of the VTA for all devel- and water pollution and the cost of building opments projected to generate more and maintaining additional highways and than 100 trips in the morning or after- roads. Ideally, sufficient alternative means noon peak hour. of transportation should exist so that use of the automobile is a choice, not a necessity. 6. Multi-modal Transportation. Ensure Alternatives include public transit, carpools, that connections are provided to enable flexible work hours, bicycling, walking and travelers to transition from one mode of telecommuting. These alternative forms of transportation to another, e.g., bicycle transportation must be coordinated with to bus. land use patterns that support them.

7. Regional Bus and Rapid Transit Service. Support the expansion of the VTA’s regional bus transit system and extension of bus and/or light rail rapid

City of Cupertino General Plan 4-6 Circulation

4. Design of New Developments. Encourage new commercial develop B ments to provide shared office facilities, cafeterias, day-care facilities, lunch- Increased use of public transit, rooms, showers, bicycle parking, home carpools, bicycling, walking and offices, shuttle buses to transit facilities telecommuting and other amenities that encourage the use of transit, bicycling, walking or tele- Measures to manage travel demand, commuting as commute modes to work. called Transportation Systems Management Provide pedestrian pathways and orient (TSM), are directed at reducing the number buildings to the street to encourage of single-occupant vehicles (SOVs) using the pedestrian activity. circulation system during peak hour commute periods. SOV trips represent about half of all 5. Street Space for Alternative Transpor- the daily trips generated in Cupertino. tation. Provide space on appropriate streets for bus turnouts, or safe and acces- Policy 4-2: Reduced Reliance on the sible bike lanes or pedestrian paths. Use of Single-Occupant Vehicles 6. Alternative Transportation Informa- Promote a general decrease in reliance tion. Use the Cupertino Scene and on private, mostly single-occupant other media to provide educational vehicles (SOV) by encouraging attrac- material on alternatives to the SOV. tive alternatives. 7. Citizen Participation. Continue to Strategies work with the City Bicycle/Pedestrian 1. Alternatives to the SOV. Encourage Advisory Committee, community the use of alternatives to the SOV groups and residents to eliminate haz- including increased car-pooling, use of ards and barriers to bicycle and pedes- public transit, bicycling and walking. trian transportation.

2. TSM Programs. Encourage TSM programs for employees in both the public PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLES and private sectors by including pre- ferred parking for carpools, providing Cupertino is an auto-oriented, subur- bus passes, encouraging compressed ban city developed during the 1950s and workweeks, and providing incentives 1960s. Local streets provide limited service and rewards for bicycling and walking. to other transportation modes. As would be expected in a City designed with the auto in 3. Telecommuting, Teleconferencing mind, walking and bicycle riding currently and Other Electronic Communication. represent just 7% of all trips generated in Encourage employers to use the internet Cupertino. to reduce commute travel. Encourage schools, particularly at the college and The land use policies of this Plan are high school levels, to make maximum intended to locate trip generators and attrac- use of the internet to limit the need to tors closer together and thus promote walk- travel to and from the campus. ing and bicycle use. In addition, the weather

City of Cupertino General Plan Pedestrians and Bicycles 4-7 and terrain make Cupertino an ideal location to develop pedestrian and bicycle modes of transportation.

GCoal

A comprehensive network of pedestrian and bicycle routes and facilities

Policy 4-3: Cupertino Pedestrian Transportation Guidelines and the Cupertino Bicycle Transportation Plan. Implement the programs and projects recommended in the Cupertino Pedestrian Transportation Guidelines and in the Cupertino Bicycle 2. Pedestrian Grid. Consider develop- Transportation Plan, as well as other ing a quarter-mile grid of safe, walk-able programs that promote this goal. sidewalks and paths to provide pedestrian access among residential, shopping, Strategies recreation and business locations. 1. The Pedestrian Guidelines. Implement the projects recommended in the 3. Safe Routes to School. Work with the Pedestrian Guidelines including: School Districts to promote the Safe Route to Schools program. • After engineering review, and where found to be feasible, improve safety 4. Pedestrian Time on Traffic Signals. at selected intersections by one With engineering review, provide or more of the following: prohibit additional time for pedestrians to cross right-turn-on-red, add time to the streets at appropriate intersections. pedestrian signal phase, construct a Added time would be most appropri- median and/or reduce corner radii. ate near shopping districts, schools and senior citizen developments. This strat- • Where feasible provide missing egy should be considered even if it could sidewalks on arterial and collector reduce the Level of Service (LOS) for streets and on neighborhood streets automobile traffic. as desired by residents. 5. Pedestrian Improvements. To enhance • Identify a citywide pedestrian circula- walking, consider various improve- tion grid including shortcuts, pathways ments to roadways to make them more and bridges, where needed, to close gaps pedestrian friendly and less auto-centric. in the pedestrian circulation system. Where a median is provided, it should

City of Cupertino General Plan 4-8 Circulation Bikeways Sunnyvale

Los Altos HOMESTEAD ROAD De ANZA BLVD STELLING RD

Santa Clara FOOTHILL BLVD FOOTHILL STEVENS CREEK BLVD WOLFE RD E V

A McCLELLAN ROAD

T BLANEY AVE

MILLER AVE

BOLLINGER RD BUBB ROAD

San Jose Legend

Existing Bicycle Path RAINBOW DRIVE Proposed Bicycle Path Existing Bicycle Lane Proposed Bicycle Lane Stevens Creek PROSPECT ROAD Reservoir Existing Class 3a (shared roadway) Proposed Class 3a Saratoga Existing Class 3b (residential streets that are linked together to form a continuous route ) Proposed Class 3b Bicycle/Pedestrian Connection City Boundary Urban Service Area Boundary Sphere of Influence Boundary Agreement Line Unincorporated Areas

0 0.5 1 Mile

0 1000 2000 3000 Feet

0 500 1000 Meters Figure 4-B Bikeways=

be wide enough to safely accommodate improvements for pedestrians. Working pedestrians. Streets such as Homestead, with the neighborhood, consider reduc- Bollinger, Rainbow, Prospect or Stelling ing residential street widths to promote should be evaluated for potential slower traffic and less pervious surface.

City of Cupertino General Plan Public Transit 4-9

6. Crosswalk Marking, Medians, and ing in multi-family residential develop- “Chokers.” Following engineering ments and in commercial districts as review, mark crosswalks with pavement required under Section 19.100.040 of treatment scaled to the speed of traffic. the City code. Use medians and “chokers” to narrow the width of the street where feasible Policy 4-4: Regional Trail and appropriate. Development Continue to plan and provide for a 7. Pedestrian/Bicycle Impact Statement comprehensive system of trails and (PBIS). Encourage all public construc- pathways consistent with regional sys- tion and private development projects tems, including the Bay Trail, Stevens to submit a PBIS. For projects that Creek Corridor and Ridge Trail. The require a TIA, the PBIS may be incor- General Alignment of the Bay Trail, porated into the TIA. The impact of as shown in the Association of Bay the project on pedestrians and bicycles Area Governments’ Bay Trail plan- shall be reported in terms of safety, ning document, is incorporated in the route connectivity, loss of existing General Plan by reference. facilities, adequacy of proposed facilities, and potential adverse impact of proposed pedestrian/bicycle programs on automobile traffic and vice versa.

8. Implementation of the Bicycle Plan. Implement the Bikeway Network as recommended in the Bicycle Plan. The Network is shown in Figure 4-B.

9. Bicycle Facilities in New Develop- ments. Encourage the developers of major new or remodeled buildings to include secure interior and/or fully weather protected bicycle parking.

10. Traffic Calming on Bicycle Routes. Where feasible and appropriate, implement traffic calming on those bicycle PUBLIC TRANSIT routes where automobile traffic volumes are low. Bicycle traffic flows best where The City of Cupertino does not operate automobile traffic volume and speeds any public transit services. The VTA operates are low and where there are no stop nine regular and three express bus routes serv- signs or traffic signals to hinder through ing 128 bus stops in Cupertino. The Stevens traffic flow. Creek Corridor is served at 15-minute headways on weekdays and 30 minute headways in 11. Bicycle Parking. Provide bicycle park- the evening and weekends. Most other arteri-

City of Cupertino General Plan 4-10 Circulation

als are served at 20 to 30 minute headways provide attractive amenities such as seat- on weekdays. There is service on most routes ing, lighting and signage at all bus stops. into evening hours and on weekends, typically at 30-to 60-minute headways. 4. Vallco Park Transit Station. Work with the VTA to study and develop a There are two important transit trans- transit transfer station at Vallco Park. fer points in Cupertino–De Anza College Anticipate a multi-modal station that and Vallco Park. The VTA plans to build serves future light rail. a full-service transit station at the College. Transfers at Vallco are currently made on 5. Rapid Transit. Work with the VTA to the street and are, therefore, not as conve- plan for and develop bus and/or light nient or desirable. rail rapid transit services in the Stevens Creek and north De Anza Corridors Ridership on VTA buses in Cupertino to take advantage of the potential is about 3,500 patrons per weekday. Transit increase in mixed-use activities in ridership, including the use of the VTA and the De Anza College customer base. school buses, represents about 1.5% of total Consider increased frequency of service trips generated on a weekday in Cupertino. to encourage ridership.

6. Shuttle Service. Study the possibility of providing shuttle service to key com- GDoal mercial, office and institutional locations in Cupertino. Increased use of existing public transit service and the development of new rapid transit service ROADWAYS Policy 4-5: Increased Use of Public Most trips in Cupertino, nearly 92% Transit of all trips, are made by private vehicle on Support and encourage the increased the public street and highway system. The use of public transit. Cupertino system of major streets is shown in Figure 4-C. Local and residential streets are Strategies not shown. The major street system includes: 1. Transit Facilities in New Develop- • State freeways SR 85 and I-280. ments. Ensure all new development projects include amenities to support • Arterials such as De Anza and Stevens public transit such as: bus stop shelters; Creek Boulevards and Homestead and space for transit vehicles to stop and Wolfe Roads. maneuver as needed; transit maps and schedules. Encourage commercial and • Major collectors such as Foothill institutional developments to support Boulevard and Stelling Road north bus passes for employees. of Stevens Creek Boulevard, Prospect Road east of De Anza, and Miller 3. Transit Stop Amenities. Work with the Avenue. VTA and adjacent property owners to

City of Cupertino General Plan Roadways 4-11 Circulation Los Altos Sunnyvale

HOMESTEAD ROAD

280

85 Santa Clara

STELLING RD De ANZA BLVD WOLFE RD FOOTHILL BLVD FOOTHILL STEVENS CREE K BLVD

E V McCLELLAN A

ROAD U

A BLANEY AVE

MILLER AVE

BUBB ROAD BOLLINGER

San Jose

Legend

RAINBOW DRIVE Freeways and Expressways Arterials Major Collectors

Stevens Creek PROSPECT ROAD Minor Collectors Reservoir

Saratoga City Boundary Urban Service Area Boundary Sphere of Influence Boundary Agreement Line Unincorporated Areas

00.5 1Mile

0 1000 2000 3000 Feet

0 500 1000 Meters Figure 4-C. Circulation Plan.â

• Minor collectors such as the remain- of handling. Level of service “A” represents der of Foothill and Stelling along with free flow conditions and level of service “F” Bubb, Blaney, Tantau, McClellan, represents jammed conditions with excessive Bollinger and Rainbow. delay for motorists. The definition of LOS is shown in Table 4-1. The quality of the operation of the street system is measured using a system It is the intent of this Plan that most known as Level of Service (LOS). Traffic streets should operate with no more than a tol- engineers and planners use level of service erable level of congestion, LOS D. Exceptions grades to evaluate the relative congestion of to this standard in the Crossroads and at other roads and highways. The LOS for roadways locations to ensure pedestrians are well served is a scale that measures the amount of traffic at intersections are discussed below. a roadway or an intersection may be capable

City of Cupertino General Plan 4-12 Circulation

Table 4-1. Level Of Service Definitions For Signalized Intersections.

Level of Vehicle Delay Description Service (Seconds) A 0 - 5.0 Free flow, no congestion (very little delay) B 5.1 - 15.0 Stable flow, limited congestion (slight delay) C 15.1 - 25.0 Stable flow, moderate congestion (acceptable delay) D 25.1 - 40.0 Approaching unstable flow, high congestion (tolerable delay) E 40.1 - 60.0 Unstable flow, near breakdown (typically unacceptable delay) F >60.0 Forced flow, breakdown (excessive delay)

The concept of maintaining no worse than a tolerable level of congestion is impor- E tant, not only to provide a reasonable LOS for motorists, but also to protect neighbor- Roadway design that accounts for the hoods from the impact of excessive through needs of motorists, pedestrians, bicycles traffic. To the extent that the arterial and and adjacent land use major collector street system is operating with limited congestion, there will be less Policy 4-6: Traffic Service and Land incentive for drivers to use local streets to Use Development bypass areas of congestion. Maintain a minimum LOS D for major intersections during the morning and Cupertino uses a computerized traffic afternoon peak traffic hours. Achieve signal interconnect system to increase the this standard by imposing reason- traffic carrying capacity of arterial streets. The able limits on land use to ensure that system controls the flow at intersections to principal thoroughfares are not unduly favor commute traffic. Green lights are longer impacted by locally generated traffic at on major streets to encourage shoppers, com- peak traffic hour. muters and workers to use those streets. In order to accommodate develop- These policies encourage drivers to use ment that furthers a unique gathering the arterial street system. Cupertino discour- place in the Crossroads area on Stevens ages motorists from other cities from using Creek Boulevard, set the LOS standard local streets, and, where appropriate, from for the intersections of Stevens Creek using collector streets, by means of stop Boulevard with De Anza Boulevard and signs, speed humps, raised medians, diverters with Stelling Road to LOS E+. (No and intensified enforcement of speed limits. more than an average 45 seconds of delay per vehicle). The standard for the Goal E intersection of De Anza Boulevard at Bollinger Road shall also be LOS E+.

City of Cupertino General Plan Roadways 4-13

LOS standards may also be adjusted as to this standard are set for the intersec- described in Policy 4-8. tions of Stevens Creek Boulevard with De Anza Boulevard and with Stelling Strategies Road and for the intersection of De 1. Street Width Limitation. To minimize Anza Boulevard at Bollinger Road. the barrier effect and the negative aesthetics of major streets, limit the mid- 5. Annual LOS Analysis. Conduct a block width of De Anza Boulevard to LOS analysis, consistent with the eight lanes reporting requirements of the VTA, to be completed at the time of the annual 2. Synchronization of Traffic Signals. General Plan review. Enhance the synchronization of traffic signals on major streets. 6. Intersection Capacity Improvements. Make capacity improvements as needed 3. Allocation of Non-residential Devel- to maintain Level of Service policies. opment. In order to maintain a desired (DeAnza Boulevard and Homestead level of transportation system capacity, Road and Stelling Road at McClellan the city’s remaining non-residential Road.) development potential shall be pooled and reallocated according to the city’s 7. Enhanced Level of Service. Strive to development priority tables as shown in enhance the intersection Levels of the Land Use Element of this Plan. Service where feasible.

4. Citywide Transportation Improvement Policy 4-7: Traffic Service and Plan. Carry out a citywide transporta- Pedestrians Needs tion improvement plan to accommodate Balance the needs of pedestrians with peak hour traffic flows on arterial streets desired traffic service. Where neces- and major collector streets at a minimum sary and appropriate, allow a lowered of LOS D. If feasible, the Plan should LOS standard to better accommodate maintain the LOS higher than level D. pedestrians on major streets and at spe- However, as described above, exceptions cific intersections.

City of Cupertino General Plan 4-14 Circulation

Strategy: 2. Rural Road Improvement Standards. Traffic Signal Walk Times. This strat- Identify candidate rural roads and devel- egy is described in Policy 4-3. Added op specific street improvement standards time on walk signs would be most appro- that preserve the rural character of these priate near shopping districts, schools streets. Rural roads would typically fea- and senior citizen developments. ture natural landscaping, no sidewalks and narrow unpaved shoulders. Policy 4-8: Roadway Plans that Complement the Needs of Adjacent 3. Semi-Rural Road Improvement Land Use Standards. Identify candidate semi-rural roads where curb and gutter improve- Design roadways based on efficient ments, and no sidewalks, are appropriate. alignments, appropriate number and widths of traffic lanes, inclusion of 4. Urban Road Improvement Standards. medians, parking and bicycle lanes Develop urban improvement standards and the suitable width and location for arterials such as Stevens Creek and of sidewalks as needed to support the De Anza Boulevards. In these areas, adjacent properties. standards may include wide sidewalks with appropriate street furniture. In addition, design the local streets to satisfy the aesthetic requirements of the 5. Suburban Road Improvement area served. In general, the aesthetics Standards. Develop suburban road of a street will be improved if it can be improvement standards for all streets narrower rather than wider, include not designated as rural, semi-rural nor significant landscaping with shade trees, in the Crossroads Area. and provide safe and convenient places for people to bicycle and walk. Details 6. Intersection Design. Survey intersec- of design, such as provision of vertical tions to ensure that the roadway align- curbs and minimum corner radii, are to ments are as efficient as possible. Where be considered desirable. Design details feasible and appropriate, redesign should be developed in the City’s road and rebuild those intersections where improvement standards. improvements would upgrade traffic flow and pedestrian and bicycle conve- Strategies nience and safety. 1. Road Improvement Standards. Develop the City’s road improvement standards Too many driveways may impede traf- to include consideration of service to fic flow on busy streets because drivers can traffic, bicycles and pedestrians, as well as indiscriminately enter the travel lanes at the embodiment of aesthetically pleasing multiple locations. Landscaping themes design features, like trees. Improvement along the street frontage maintain a stronger standards shall also consider the urban, visual continuity with fewer curb cuts while suburban and rural environments found also improving service for bicyclists and within the City. pedestrians.

City of Cupertino General Plan Roadways 4-15

ing is necessary for public safety. These Policy 4-9: Curb Cuts temporary openings may be closed and Minimize the number of driveway access to the driveway made available openings in each development. from other driveways when surrounding properties are developed or redeveloped. Strategies 1. Shared Driveway Access. Encourage Policy 4-10: Street Improvement property owners to use shared driveway Planning access and interconnected roads on spe- Plan street improvements such as curb cific properties where feasible. Require cuts, sidewalks, bus stop turnouts, bus driveway access closures, consolidations shelters, light poles, benches and trash or both when a non-residential site is containers as an integral part of a proj- remodeled. Ensure that the driveway ect to ensure an enhanced streetscape accommodates the traffic volume for all and the safe movement of people and affected properties, and that the mainte- vehicles with the least possible disrup- nance responsibilities are clearly defined. tion to the streetscape.

2. Direct Access from Secondary Streets. Strategies Encourage property with frontages on 1. Sidewalk Access to Parking or Buildings. major and secondary streets to provide Examine sidewalk to parking areas or direct access to driveways from the sec- building frontages at the time individ- ondary street. ual sites develop to regulate the entry to the site at a central point. Sidewalks 3. Temporary Curb Cuts On Non- in the Crossroads Area shall be wide Residential Sites. Permit temporary enough to accommodate increased curb cuts on a non-residential site sub- pedestrian activity. ject to the City finding that the open- 2. Bus Stop Turnouts in Street Frontages. Require bus stop turnouts, or partial turnouts, within the street frontage of a new or redeveloping site. This policy does not apply to the Crossroads Area. Bus stops should include benches, trash receptacles and other amenities as appropriate. Follow the VTA specifica- tions for improving bus stops.

Policy 4-11: Safe Parking Lots Require parking lots that are safe for pedestrians.

Strategy Safe Spaces for Pedestrians. Require parking lot design and construction to

City of Cupertino General Plan 4-16 Circulation

include clearly defined spaces for pedestrians so that foot traffic is separated from the hazards of car traffic and people are directed from their cars to building entries.

NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION Through traffic tends to take the route of least resistance, often resulting in a high through volume of traffic along residential streets located adjacent to busy traffic corridors. Through traffic on local streets should be discouraged to protect the quality of life Traffic calming measure and safety of residential neighborhoods.

Neighborhood traffic management Strategies is based on the concept that commute or 1. Traffic Calming Measures. After through traffic should be redirected from engineering study, implement appro- local residential and minor collector streets priate traffic calming measures and/or and onto major arterials, expressways or improvements on a case-by-case basis, freeways. Neighborhood traffic management based on approval of 66% of the resi- programs may include any of the traffic calm- dents on the street and involving public ing measures listed below. hearings, to slow or discourage through traffic in neighborhoods. Require new development to implement traffic calm- F ing measures if impacts are generated by G the development.

A transportation system that has 2. Design of Traffic Calming Measures. minimal adverse impact on residential Consider the importance of attractive neighborhoods designs for traffic calming installations. Policy 4-12: Good Traffic Service on Develop written design standards for Major Streets each type of measure. Encourage through traffic to use the 3. Neighborhood Traffic Management major arterial and collector streets by Plans. Develop traffic management maintaining the highest service pos- plans for local residential streets affect- sible on the arterial street system. ed by unacceptable levels of through traffic. Plans may include the traffic Policy 4-13: Traffic Calming on Local calming measures, including medians Streets and street trees, and also include edu- Install traffic calming measures where cation and enforcement measures that appropriate to reduce traffic impacts promote changes in driver behavior. and enhance walkability.

City of Cupertino General Plan Traffic Projections= 4-17

4. Use VTA Pedestrian Technical guide- Strategies lines in street design, traffic calming 1. Quarry Use Permit. Monitor the quar- and pedestrian crossings. ries’ use permit conditions imposed by the County of Santa Clara and oppose Policy 4-14: Limited Street Closures any expansion of quarry uses. Do not close streets unless there is a demonstrated safety or over-whelming 2. Quarry Truck Speed. Prioritize enforce- through traffic problem and there are ment of traffic speeds on Stevens no acceptable alternatives. Closures Canyon, Stevens Creek and Foothill may shift traffic to other local streets, Boulevards. Install radar speed monitors. thus moving the problem from one neighborhood to another. 3. Community Protection. Work to protect the community from the effects of See policies Policy 4-15: School Impacts on the transportation system. Discourage 6-55 to 6-57 in Neighborhoods dangerous and abusive driving by prior- Health and Safety for Minimize the impact of school drop-off, ity enforcement of speed laws, enforce- additional pick-up and parking on neighborhoods. ment of State muffler laws (see the truck traffic Noise element of this Plan) and review policiesT Strategy of traffic management strategies. Coordination with School Districts. Work with the School Districts to TRAFFIC PROJECTIONS develop plans and programs that encourage car/van-pooling, stagger The City uses the VTA maintained hours of adjacent schools, drop-off loca- CMP model to project traffic on the free- tions, encourage walking and bicycling way and on local streets. The CMP model to school. Assist Districts in the devel- has about 18,500 highway and transit links, opment of the “Safe Routes to School and 385 internal zones to represent Santa Program” to encourage more students Clara County. The land use projections for walking and bicycling and less use of Cupertino in 2020 have been developed by auto access. the city planning staff. The land use data for areas outside Cupertino are based on Policy 4-16: Transportation Noise, ABAG Projections. The model is calibrated Fumes and Hazards by comparing its estimate of traffic flow in In addition to limiting through traf- 2000 against traffic counts conducted on the fic volume on local streets, protect city street system. When the model closely the community from noise, fumes and replicates existing traffic, it is used to project hazards caused by the City’s trans- traffic volumes for the year 2020. portation system. The quarries on Future Year Traffic Conditions Stevens Canyon Road, Stevens Creek Boulevard and Foothill Boulevard are As shown in Table 4-2, the traffic volumes major sources of transportation noise. projected using the CMP model for the year 2020 would result in some increased levels of congestion. However, assuming roadway capac-

City of Cupertino General Plan 4-18 Circulation

ity improvements were provided at the intersec- LOS for major intersections would meet the tions of De Anza Boulevard at Homestead Road standards set in this Plan and the standards as and Stelling Road at McClellan Road, the 2020 required by the CMP.

Table 4-2. Level Of Service At Signalized Intersections.

Existing 2000 Projected 2020 Intersection Morning Afternoon Morning Afternoon Wolfe Road at Homestead Road C C – D D+ at I-280 Northbound Ramps A A B+ A at I-280 Southbound Ramps B A B A at Stevens Creek Boulevard C C C C Miller Avenue at Bollinger Road C D C D – De Anza Boulevard at Prospect Road C C – C– D+ at Rainbow Drive B B+ B – A at SR 85 Southbound Ramps C+ C D+ C at SR 85 Northbound Ramps C+ C+ C– B– at Bollinger Road C C+ D B – at McClellan Road C+ C – C D+ at Stevens Creek Boulevard C– D+ D+ D at I-280 Southbound Ramps C C C C at I-280 Northbound Ramps C C D C at Homestead Road D C D D Stelling Road at Rainbow Drive B B C B at McClellan Road C C– D D+ at Stevens Creek Boulevard C– C D+ D+ at Homestead Road D+ D+ D D Stevens Creek Blvd at SR 85 Northbound Ramps C B– C+ B– at SR 85 Southbound Ramps B– B– C C

City of Cupertino General Plan Traffic Projections 4-19 Intersection Levels of Service

Los Altos Sunnyvale HOMESTEAD ROAD D+D+ DC CC– D D DD DD+ CC 280 DC CC CC AA B+ A 85 BA BA Santa Clara

CB– STELLING RD De ANZA BLVD WOLFE R D

FOOTHILL BLVD FOOTHILL C+ B– C– C C– D+ STEVENS CREEK BLVD CC B– B– D+D+ D+ D CC CC

E McCLELLANRD CC– C+ C– V A

U CD+ CD+ A T

A BLANEY AVE

T CC+ MILLER AVE DB– CD RD

BUBB ROAD BOLLINGER CD– San Jose

C+ C+ Legend C– B– RAINBOW Level of Service at Selected BB DRIVE C+ C AB CB BB+ D+ C CD Signalized Intersections B– A (see table 4-2 for exact description of intersections)

PROSPECT Stevens Creek ROAD CC– Morning Afternoon Reservoir C– D+ Existing Existing Saratoga 2000 2000 AB

Projected CD Projected 2020 2020 Morning Afternoon

00.5 1Mile

0 1000 2000 3000Feet Source: VTA Computer Traffic Model 0 500 1000 Meters Robert L. Harrison Transportation Planning

Figure 4-D. Intersection Levels of Service.

City of Cupertino General Plan 4-20 Circulation Traffic Volumes

115000 Sunnyvale Los Altos 14000 15000 HOMESTEAD 16000 RD 23000 21000 22000 22000

123000 138000 280

7000 141000 13000

123000 85 166000

5000 48000 Santa Clara

15000

41000

16000 De ANZA BLVD STELLING RD STEVENS CREEK BLVD WOLFE R D FOOTHILL BLVD FOOTHILL 11000 30000

11000 29000 33000 31000 30000 25000

9000

37000 E 3000 16000 McCLELLAN RD V A

A 10000 13000

12000 T

6000

A BLANEY AVE

MILLER AVE T 3000 45000 8000 109000

15000 17000 RD BOLLINGER BUBB ROAD 19000 16000 21000

9000

14000

32000 San Jose

9000

RAINBOW Legend DRIVE 5000 5000 99000 5,000 Vehicles Per Day

5000 10,000

25000

Stevens Creek PROSPECT ROAD Reservoir 15,000 13000 Saratoga 20,000

Source: 25,000 Cupertino Department of Public Works, 00.5 1Mile 0 1000 2000 3000 Feet

Caltrans 2000 Traffic Volumes 0 500 1000 Meters on State Highways

Figure 4-E. Traffic Volumes.

City of Cupertino General Plan