Strategic Blueprint

The Recommended Choice: Segmented Hybrid Strategy

An evidence-based, equitable multimodal design combining the safety of Concept 3 with the community feasibility and parking protections of Concept 2.

Survey Recommendation: Choose Alternative B Recommended Survey Vote: ALTERNATIVE B

When completing the City of Mountain View's online survey, we strongly recommend selecting Alternative B (Class IV Protected Bikeways & 4-to-3 Road Diet). Alternative B provides the ideal balance between Vision Zero safety, transit reliability, and housing equity.

Alternative A: Buffered Baseline
❌ DO NOT CHOOSE

Paint-only buffers fail Vision Zero goals; leaves cyclists exposed to door-zone collisions and high-speed traffic stress (LTS 3–4).

Alternative B: Class IV Road Diet
⭐ RECOMMENDED VOTE

Delivers 35–47% crash cuts, physical Class IV protection, floating bus islands, and preserves vital multifamily parking on one side.

Alternative C: Max Green Spine
⚠️ HIGH PARKING LOSS

Removes 75–95% of on-street parking, creating severe equity burdens for apartment renters in Segment 1 lacking private garages.

Segment-by-Segment Design Blueprint

Click on each segment below to view tailored engineering cross-sections, parking treatments, and operational features.

Segment 1: El Camino Real to Central Expressway (Multifamily & Commercial) Concept 2 Hybrid

Geometric Cross-Section

  • Vehicular Lanes: 1 travel lane in each direction (10.5 ft) + continuous center Two-Way Left-Turn Lane (TWLTL, 10 ft) and dedicated left-turn bays.
  • Bicycle Facilities: Directional Class IV protected bike lanes (6.5 ft) separated by concrete curb buffers and parked vehicles.
  • Curbside Parking: Preserved on one side of the street (8 ft) in high-demand residential blocks, maintaining ~55–65% of stalls.
  • Transit: Concrete floating bus boarding islands (8 ft wide) for VTA Route 40 stops at California, Stanford, and Latham.

Key Safety & Equity Interventions

  • AB 413 Daylighting: 20 ft red curb zones upstream of all crosswalks with painted/bioswale curb extensions.
  • Latham St Intersection: Seamless integration with the newly completed AI-detected protected left-turn signal.
  • Parking Mitigation: Establish Residential Permit Parking (RPP) on adjacent side streets and negotiate nighttime shared-parking agreements with commercial lots.
Segment 2: Central Expressway to Middlefield Road (Civic, Park & School Zone) Concept 3 (AAA Spine)

Geometric Cross-Section ("Park-Side Promenade")

  • Active Transportation: Widened 10–12 ft two-way separated sidepath/cycle track along the west (park/school) frontage.
  • Vehicular Lanes: 2 travel lanes (11 ft each) + landscaped medians and dedicated turn pockets into Rengstorff Park access gates and Montecito Way.
  • Green Infrastructure: Continuous 6–8 ft bioretention swales filtering runoff before entering Permanente Creek.
  • Urban Canopy: 60+ new shade trees planted along the park buffer, mitigating urban heat island effect.

Park & School Safety Features

  • School Routes (8-to-80 Standard): Direct, traffic-separated connection for Mariano Castro Elementary and Graham Middle School students.
  • Mid-Block Crossings: Raised crosswalks with Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacons (RRFB) and pedestrian refuge islands connecting Monta Loma residents to the Community Center & Pool.
  • Park Parking: Preserves 100% of dedicated off-street parking in Rengstorff Park lots.
Segment 3: Middlefield Road to Leghorn Street / US 101 (Highway Gateway & Commercial) Concept 2/3 Hybrid

Geometric Cross-Section

  • Vehicular Configuration: 4-to-3 road diet (1 lane each direction + continuous center turn lane / landscaped median).
  • Bikeway Class: Raised curb-protected Class IV bike lanes (7 ft) with concrete separation buffers (3 ft).
  • Speed Calming: Road diet calms 85th percentile operating speeds from current >38 mph down to 25–28 mph.
  • Freeway Gateway: Full alignment with VTA/Caltrans US 101 Charleston/Rengstorff interchange improvements.

Operational & Commercial Enhancements

  • Middlefield Rd Intersection: Dutch protected intersection geometry with protected signal phases.
  • Commercial Driveways: Center turn lane provides safe deceleration and queue storage for commercial vehicles without blocking through-traffic.
  • Freight & Delivery: Accommodates industrial and commercial delivery access with dedicated curb loading bays.
Parking Retention by Segment (%) Curbside Analysis

Comparison of curbside stall retention across the three uniform concepts vs. the Recommended Segmented Hybrid Strategy.

Phased Delivery Roadmap & Funding Plan

A multi-phase implementation schedule delivering quick-build safety wins ahead of long-term civil construction by Summer 2029.

Phase Target Timeline Scope of Work Estimated Capital Budget Primary Funding Sources
Phase 1: Quick-Build Safety & Daylighting Winter 2026 – Spring 2027 AB 413 red curb daylighting, LPI signal retiming, paint/bollard curb extensions, speed limit reductions (AB 43). $450,000 – $750,000 Local Transportation Funds (CIP) & Vision Zero Reserve
Phase 2: Segment 1 & Segment 3 Road Diet Fall 2027 – Summer 2028 4-to-3 road diet striping, precast concrete Class IV buffers, floating bus boarding islands, RPP permit parking setup. $3.5M – $5.0M VTA 2016 Measure B Bike/Ped Capital Grants & Caltrans STIP
Phase 3: Segment 2 Park Promenade & Green Street Winter 2028 – Summer 2029 12 ft two-way separated sidepath along Rengstorff Park, continuous bioswales, 60+ street trees, Dutch protected intersections. $5.5M – $8.5M State Active Transportation Program (ATP Cycle 7) & Urban Greening Grant
Total Combined Program Target Completion: Summer 2029 Full 1.7-Mile Multimodal & Green Transformation $9.45M – $14.25M Multi-Agency Grant Leveraged (70% External Grants)

Operational & Maintenance Commitments

Essential operational policies to ensure long-term durability and neighborhood harmony.

1. Dedicated Mini-Sweepers

City Public Works must procure compact 4–6 ft sweepers to ensure Class IV protected bike lanes remain clear of glass, leaves, and debris on weekly schedules.

2. Neighborhood Traffic Monitoring

Install pre- and post-construction automated speed/volume counters on Monta Loma side streets (Thompson, Laura, Mayfield) with rapid-response traffic calming if diversion occurs.

3. Caltrain Grade Separation Sync

Ensure interim Complete Streets infrastructure around Central Expressway utilizes modular components that directly tie into the long-term $395M rail underpass engineering envelope.

Support the Segmented Hybrid Complete Streets Strategy

Advocate for this balanced, evidence-based vision at the upcoming Mountain View Community Meeting on Monday, August 24, 2026 (5:30–7:00 PM at Mountain View Community Center).

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