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BPAC recommends reappointing Commissioner Leah Melman as Sunnyvale's VTA BPAC representative; members discuss SB63, Foothill Expressway and OBAG funding
Summary
The commission voted to recommend Commissioner Leah Melman as Sunnyvale's representative to the VTA BPAC and received Melman's report on regional topics including the ABC plan, the Foothill Expressway feasibility study, SB63 funding language, and the OBAG grant cycle. The commission approved two procedural motions by roll call. (Recommendations to council; staff action.)
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission on March 19 unanimously recommended (by those present) that the Sunnyvale City Council appoint Commissioner Leah Melman as the city's representative to the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.
Commissioner Golakakota moved the nomination, Commissioner Drew seconded, and the roll call vote recorded six "yes" votes and one absence. The staff noted the council's appointment is tentatively scheduled for the June 2 council meeting.
"I'm happy to continue to attend VTA BPAC and provide monthly updates to the commission," Melman said after the vote.
VTA BPAC report: regional plans and funding
Commissioner Melman summarized recent VTA BPAC discussions. Key items she highlighted:
- ABC (barriers/connection) plan: VTA is studying cross-barrier connections within roughly a 1,000-foot buffer of major freeways to identify where freeways impede walking, biking and transit access; the plan prioritizes areas by density, trip origins/destinations, heat, air quality, noise and equity measures.
- Foothill Expressway multimodal feasibility study: BPAC members criticized that the presentation arrived as two near-final alternatives, limiting earlier BPAC input. Melman said some alternatives appeared to prioritize vehicle lanes while shifting bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure to adjacent streets, prompting calls for more community engagement and alternatives that preserve trees and neighborhood character.
- SB63 (regional funding proposal): Melman reported on a proposed half-cent measure being discussed at VTA to fund transit operations and infrastructure tied to transit corridors; the presentation included allocation examples (for instance a portion directed to Caltrain and other regional programs) and VTA outreach is scheduled through April with a board discussion in June.
- OBAG (One Bay Area Grant) fourth-cycle funding: Melman described scoring criteria and a timeline for applications; the county-level and regional programs will use safety, access, equity and project-readiness criteria in scoring.
Melman encouraged members to review the VTA materials and to participate in public surveys and workshops on these regional matters.
Votes at a glance
- Approval of BPAC minutes (Feb. 19, 2026): Motion by Commissioner Mel (mover), second by Commissioner Hickman; roll-call result: six yes, one absent; outcome: approved. (See transcript roll-call at SEG 1773-1785.)
- Recommendation of VTA BPAC representative: Motion to nominate Commissioner Leah Melman by Commissioner Golakakota, seconded by Commissioner Drew; roll-call result: six yes, one absent; outcome: recommendation to council. (See transcript roll-call at SEG 1953-1967.)
What's next
Staff said public outreach on SB63 and OBAG scoring will continue in April and May; the commission may receive future updates as public comment and VTA decisions progress. The council appointment for the Sunnyvale VTA BPAC representative is tentatively scheduled for June 2.
Source and verification
This article is based on the BPAC meeting record for March 19, 2026, and Commissioner Melman's verbal report to the commission. Vote motions and roll-call tallies were read into the record during the meeting.
