Sunnyvale council approves buffered Hollenbeck bike lanes; directs ATP coordination and follow-up analysis

After more than four hours of public testimony, the Sunnyvale City Council voted Dec. 2 to advance buffered bike lanes on Hollenbeck Avenue, directing staff to bundle pedestrian improvements identified in the Active Transportation Plan and to report back on the cost and schedule to amend the downtown specific plan concerning left-turn geometry at Remington.

Transportation staff had presented four alternatives for the Danforth-to-Alberta corridor and recommended a compromise (Option 2B) that would add Class 2 bike lanes while preserving parking on one side. The council deliberated extensively after more than 100 members of the public signed up to speak in person and online. Dozens of speakers — including many students, parents and bike advocates — urged the council to adopt Option 1, which would remove parking on both sides and provide buffered lanes that separate cyclists from parked cars and moving traffic. Other residents and some seniors urged preservation of on-street parking, increased traffic calming and further study of pedestrian safety and access for service vehicles.

Transportation manager Angela Obaso said the study included 700+ survey responses, collision analysis, parking-utilization counts and bicycle/vehicle counts; preliminary construction estimates for the build alternatives were roughly $5 million (largely due to work at key intersections such as pork-chop islands). Staff noted all build options become unfunded projects that would require grant funding or future appropriation. The presentation emphasized that narrower right-of-way and frequent driveways limit options for protected (Class 4) bike lanes and that the buffered design is the closest feasible approach to provide greater separation for riders.

Student and family speakers emphasized safety and mode shift. Arianne, a Hollenbeck resident and middle-school student who said she was hit by a car during school drop-off last year, asked the council to prioritize slower speeds and crossing upgrades: "What would actually help me ride my bike to soccer practice at Challenger School and play with my friends at Sarah Park is slowing down the traffic on Hollenbeck Avenue," she said. Several school and district representatives also supported stronger bicycle infrastructure to connect students to schools and community destinations.

Council members debated sequencing: many supported expedited traffic-calming petitions and an engineering speed survey to ensure posted limits are enforceable and to seek AB 43 exemptions where appropriate. Staff told the council that emergency vehicles are exempt from bike-lane parking restrictions and that construction or driveway work requiring temporary closures would be handled through encroachment permits and traffic-control plans.

The council ultimately approved Alternative 1 (buffered bike lanes) and added direction to: (1) include ATP-identified pedestrian/intersection upgrades in the Hollenbeck project package, (2) prioritize traffic-calming data collection and petition processes already underway, and (3) return with a staff report estimating time and cost to amend the downtown specific plan to examine left-turn lanes at Remington. The motion passed 6-1, with Councilmember Srinivasan voting no. Staff said the Hollenbeck project remains unfunded; implementation will be contingent on grant funding or future budget action and will include further community outreach during the design phase.