Campbell awards design contract for Hamilton Ave / Hwy 17 southbound off‑ramp widening; seeks VTA funding to close gap

The Campbell City Council approved design and funding steps on June 16 for a Hamilton Avenue/Highway 17 southbound off‑ramp widening project intended to reduce queueing and improve traffic operations.

Director of Public Works Amy Olay told the council the recommended consultant agreement with BKF Engineers covers environmental clearance, design (plans, specifications and estimates), and permitting with Caltrans. The proposed contract amount is $640,000 plus a 10% contingency. Staff said developer contributions and prior VTA awards provide a majority of the project’s funding, and that a remaining design funding gap of about $256,000 would be filled by a VTA Measure B funding agreement; construction funds of roughly $2.1 million were stated to be retained for the eventual build phase.

Olay described the project scope as widening the off‑ramp and adding a third left‑turn lane to improve how traffic queues clear and to give the corridor flexibility for signal timing. Council members and residents raised operational concerns at the intersection — including conflicts between turn lanes, motorists entering the wrong lanes, and the need to consider signal timing and right‑turn protections — and asked staff to ensure the consultant examines lane configuration, striping and signal timing as part of design.

Staff expects to complete design and environmental work by December 2027 and return to council in early 2028 for PS&E and construction authorization. Council authorized the contract award and the VTA funding agreement at the meeting.