What is the status quo and what have we heard from the community?
San José has one of the best trail networks in the Bay Area. But it is not always easy to follow the paths through Downtown as they intersect with city streets. A frequent complaint about some trails is that they can split into multiple paths or direct bicyclists onto on-street bikeways with insufficient warning. This can make them challenging to follow, particularly for those who are new to San José or new to bicycling.
As Downtown grows and gets denser, there will be many more people on the streets. This growth in traffic can cause more conflicts between people using different methods to get around. But we can reduce these issues through good design.
What is being contemplated as part of this big move?
The Plan’s desire to support bicycling and other car-free travel options is in direct response to Downtown’s expected growth. A potential strategy to reduce conflicts between people on bikes and people driving cars is to invest in dedicated car-free connections across downtown. In some cases, these could be elevated bike “superhighways” or other high-quality corridors. For example, the Union Pacific Rail corridor could have an elevated bike “high line” from the Diridon Station area to Japantown. Routes like this would provide quicker and safer access for people biking or scooting, regardless of age or ability.
Return to the Big Moves Survey.