Sunnyvale studies East Channel Trail alternatives to link schools, parks and transit

Esther Jung, a traffic engineer with the city's transportation and traffic group, presented an update on the East Channel Trail study at the Sunnyvale Sustainability Commission meeting on Sept. 15, outlining alternatives for a multiuse trail that would run roughly north–south along the East Channel and link parks, schools, transit and employment centers.

The study, which the city began in late 2024 with funding from the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Measure B and a donation from Google, is a planning exercise to evaluate feasibility, route alternatives, crossing treatments and an implementation strategy; the city has not identified design or construction funding. Staff said the study will inform subsequent design, permitting and funding decisions if the City Council decides to move forward.

The East Channel runs about five and a half miles along Sunnyvale’s eastern edge and includes a maintenance road 12 to 16 feet wide in some sections that staff said could accommodate a shared‑use path. Jung said the study is coordinating with multiple agencies and stakeholders, including Valley Water, VTA, Caltrans, Caltrain, Santa Clara County, PG&E, nearby cities and local school districts, to identify engineering, permitting and maintenance issues.

"The East Channel is major flood channel managed by Valley Water today," Jung said, noting the study team is using Valley Water hydraulic models and coordinating with…