Transportation

Transportation

East San Jose to get long overdue light rail extension

South Bay transit leaders have approved a major contract to get construction underway on a long-planned light rail extension project in East San Jose. The VTA board of directors on Thursday unanimously approved awarding a $437 million construction contract to a joint venture of two companies to build the Eastridge to BART Regional Connector. The...

East San Jose light rail extension faces critical vote

A critical light rail extension project more than two decades in the making is set to begin major construction by April, if transit leaders give it a final OK. The Eastridge to BART Regional Connector, held up as a significant piece in addressing longstanding transit inequities in the area, is desperately needed, the transit agency...

San Jose preps plan to rework one of its most dangerous roads

One of San Jose’s most dangerous roads is gearing up for a major upgrade. King Road, a six-mile street bounded by Berryessa Road to the north and East Capitol Expressway to the south, is slated for improvements. The city’s transportation department is finalizing a plan that targets safety and traffic flow. From 2018 to 2023, eight people, including an infant,...

Los Gatos to build bike path over highway

Los Gatos is carving a new path along Blossom Hill Road in the name of public safety. The Highway 17 Bicycle & Pedestrian Overcrossing project, located between the east and west sections of Roberts Road, will be constructed next to the Blossom Hill Road bridge sitting over the highway. The roughly 20-foot-wide bridge will be...

San Jose sets fines for catalytic converter thefts

Reported thefts of catalytic converters are trending down in San Jose, and city officials are strengthening policies to ensure that thefts keep dropping. The San Jose City Council last week unanimously approved a policy that makes it a misdemeanor to possess a catalytic converter that is not attached to a vehicle without proper documentation, punishable...

Sunnyvale considers ride-share service for commuting students

Sunnyvale is looking to fill accessibility gaps in existing public transit options for residents to travel around the city, and one ride-share service is taking center stage. The Sunnyvale City Council is considering signing the city up with Silicon Valley Hopper (SV Hopper), a multi-city ride-share service that operates in Cupertino and Southern Santa Clara....

San Jose school districts skip electric bus grant

The federal government dished out $88 million in grants to California school districts for electric buses, but San Jose schools lost out. Due to timing, cost and a lack of infrastructure, three local school districts were unable to capitalize on funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. Alum Rock Union School...

San Jose taxpayers foot the bill for police collisions

Every year, San Jose receives hundreds of claims from residents because they tripped on a sidewalk or a sewage backup destroyed their property — but the most commonly settled claims are car accidents caused by police and other city employees. An analysis by San José Spotlight found that of the 1,122 claims filed by residents over...