Santa Clara staff outline constraints, tree impacts for Saratoga Creek trail segment

City of Santa Clara project staff and the consultant team on Tuesday described feasibility limits and environmental trade-offs for the Saratoga Creek segment of the Creek Trail Network master plan, saying some upstream reaches could support a paved, off-street trail but large stretches will require on-street connections and that construction funding has not been secured.

"This meeting will be recorded and posted online on the project web page," said Ralph Garcia, senior civil engineer and project manager for the City of Santa Clara Public Works Department, opening the presentation. Consultant Jana Sokal summarized mapping, hydraulics and habitat constraints that shape where a trail could be built along the creek.

The consultants said the most feasible continuous creekside trail would run roughly from Forbes to Benton streets, with two potential underpasses at Homestead Road and Kiley Boulevard, one pedestrian bridge near Stevenson and five possible at‑grade crossings. "At Homestead and Kiley the concrete lining could be removed and laid back to create space for a 10‑foot wide trail at the bottom of the channel," Sokal said, but added those underpasses would flood during winter storm events.

Why it matters: Saratoga Creek connects several city parks and…