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Santa Clara County officials and advocates are rejoicing as the federal government agrees to reassess the use of leaded aviation gasoline nationwide. During a news conference Wednesday, County Counsel James Williams announced the Environmental Protection Agency approved a petition from the county and several environmental organizations to evaluate whether leaded fuel used by airplanes is...
VTA approves pay bump, bonuses for Santa Clara County workers
Some VTA workers will see wage increases and a large bonus following approval of a new union contract with the public transit agency. VTA’s board of directors voted 11-1 in favor of an agreement that establishes a 10% pay raise over the next three years for members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265. The agreement...
San Jose airport sees big holiday crowds despite COVID
Large numbers of travelers braved Mineta San Jose International Airport over the holidays even as a new COVID-19 variant ripped through the Bay Area. An estimated 478,000 people traveled in and out of San Jose’s airport during peak holiday traffic in December. Airport spokesperson Keonnis Taylor said this data comes from the TSA, which recorded passenger traffic...
San Jose committee halts Charcot Avenue extension
Contentious plans for the Charcot Avenue Extension project in North San Jose are reaching the end of the road. San Jose’s Rules and Open Government Committee on Wednesday unanimously recommended the city halt plans to build an overpass that would cross over Interstate Highway 880 from Paragon Drive to Oakland Road and divert the remaining...
Spike in employee complaints at Santa Clara County transit agency
Amid a surge in civil rights complaints, VTA is taking applications from consultants to study how to transform the agency’s workplace culture. Data received by San José Spotlight shows 129 complaints have been filed with VTA’s Office of Civil Rights as of Dec. 9. That is significantly higher compared to last year, when employees filed 76...
San Jose’s VTA, union draft potential agreement for wage increases
VTA and its largest union don’t often see eye to eye, but they have cautiously agreed to wage increases and a bonus for roughly 1,500 bus and light rail operators, mechanics and other workers. Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 struck a tentative agreement with VTA on Dec. 22 to establish a 10% pay raise for ATU...
San Jose’s VTA light rail trains are increasingly empty and slow
The VTA light rail system is much like the famed song “Rock Island Line”: if you want to ride it, you gotta ride it like you find it. Light rail riders find the commute to be clean, comfortable, easy to use, handicap accessible and on schedule. It can also be time-consumingly slow, with a cross-town...
Here’s where San Jose lawmakers traveled during the pandemic
Three San Jose officials spent at least $8,000 in tax dollars on trips this past year—a fraction of what the city used to spend on business travel prior to the pandemic. Lawmakers traveled to Washington, D.C., Ohio and nearby cities like Sacramento for conferences and White House events—with taxpayers footing the bills, according to city documents. These...
San Jose traffic fatalities near record levels for 2021
As 2021 draws to a close, San Jose officials have concerns about traffic fatalities for the year climbing toward record levels despite ongoing investments in street improvements and educational outreach. At least 55 people have died in traffic accidents involving pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycles as of Nov. 30, making 2021 one of the deadliest years...
San Jose lawmakers establish design goals for BART extension
San Jose lawmakers and transit leaders are cautiously laying the groundwork for how to integrate new BART stations in San Jose. The City Council received an update Tuesday from VTA and BART officials on the latest stages of the BART Silicon Valley Phase II project. This major infrastructure development will extend BART service by six...