Sunnyvale BPAC hears VTA report on STIP reallocations, Homestead and Bascom projects

The Sunnyvale Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission received an informational report Sept. 18 on funding changes from the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) related to the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).

The report said VTA is reallocating funds across projects in the 2026 STIP cycle and identified specific allocations: $1,983,000 for the Homestead Safe Routes to School design program; $34,900,000 for the Bascom Complete Streets project; and $30,700,000 for the Deuteron Station project design. The report also noted funding was removed from the Central Bikeway project, though its environmental review will continue.

Commissioners were told the Homestead and Bascom projects would incorporate safety and multimodal design elements. As summarized by staff, the Homestead checklist calls for adherence to NACTO’s All Ages and Abilities guidance (the second edition referenced in the VTA materials), upgrades from conventional lanes to class 4 separated bikeways (including a two‑way and one‑way configuration), widening a path to class 1 bikeway standards, widened sidewalks, reduced turning radii and reconstructed driveways to meet ADA standards. For Bascom, the checklist includes installation of class 4 separated bikeways, new signalized pedestrian crossings, ADA‑compliant sidewalks and boarding islands for transit, removal of uncontrolled slip lanes, curb extensions, and reductions in corner radii to slow turning vehicles.

“There's a lot of great new transit‑oriented development going in around the Lawrence Station,” public commenter William Garrett told the commission. “The bike infrastructure around Lawrence is awful,” Garrett said, urging more crossings of Central Expressway to improve connectivity to new development near Lawrence Station.

Commissioners asked staff to clarify where the VTA Homestead work connects with Sunnyvale’s planned Homestead bike lanes. Staff member Angela said the VTA project starts west of Sunnyvale’s boundary and extends to Bernardo Avenue, while Sunnyvale’s project runs from Bernardo east to the city limits; Angela later noted the VTA fact sheet indicated the VTA design footprint extends farther east — potentially as far as Hollenbeck/Stelling Road — increasing the overlap between the regional and city projects.

The commission discussed the tradeoffs of reallocated funding, noting VTA’s decision prioritized projects further along in design or construction so those projects could proceed. Staff emphasized VTA’s update included an administrative change to Measure B bike and pedestrian planning studies grant criteria (the 2026–27 call for projects), adjusting scoring rubrics and adding a public‑participation evaluation guide; available planning study funds for that cycle were reported as about $2,240,000.

No VTA action items were before the Sunnyvale commission; the report was informational and no formal Sunnyvale BPAC vote was taken on the VTA allocations. Commissioners urged city staff to press county and regional partners to pursue intersection improvements — including removal of slip lanes and improved pedestrian signals — where right‑of‑way permits.

The public hearing on the VTA report drew no speakers beyond the earlier public comment, and the commission moved on to other business.