HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 03-03-2026 Item No. 3 Active Transportation Plan_Written CommunicationsCC 3-3-2026
Active Transportation
Plan
Written Communications
From: Venkat Ranaanathan
To: Public Comments; City Council; Tina Kapoor
Subject: ATP Purple Bike Lane Projects
Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026 8:56:50 AM
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Dear Mayor, Vice Mayor, and City Council,
Thank you for your ongoing work and dedication to improving transportation and safety in Cupertino. I appreciate
your commitment to fostering a vibrant, accessible community, and I recognize the complexities involved in
balancing innovative transportation solutions with neighborhood needs. I hope my perspective contributes
constructively to your decision -making process.
In summary, I respectfully request the removal of the purple -marked bike lane projects listed in Attachment D of the
Active Transportation Plan, specifically due to concerns regarding neighborhood parking, emergency access, and
school safety.
Projects requested for removal:
- Homestead Road (buffered/separated bike lanes)
- Stevens Creek Boulevard (separated bike lanes)
- Stelling Road (buffered/separated bike lanes)
- Blaney Avenue (buffered bike lanes)
- Bollinger Road (buffered bike lanes)
- Foothill Boulevard / Wolfe Road (separated bike lanes)
- Bonny Avenue / Pepper Tree Lane
- Mary Avenue / McClellan Road school routes
Key concerns:
- **Loss of curb parking:** The removal of on -street parking, particularly on residential streets such as Stelling Road
and Blaney Avenue, would significantly affect seniors, visitors, caregivers, and delivery services. Alternatives for
parking in these areas are limited, making the impact substantial for residents and guests.
- **Emergency vehicle access:** The installation of concrete barriers for separated bike lanes, as proposed for
corridors like Stevens Creek Boulevard and Foothill Boulevard, may restrict access for fire trucks and ambulances.
This is especially concerning near the new Westport senior housing development and the De Anza medical clinic,
where timely emergency response is critical.
- **School safety and operations:** Modifications on Bonny Avenue and Pepper Tree Lane would disrupt drop-off
and pick-up operations for more than 600 students attending Faria Elementary School, potentially impacting both
safety and efficiency.
It is my understanding that the City's own scoring criteria penalize projects that remove parking, yet these bike lane
proposals appear to rely heavily on this approach. As such, they do not seem to meet the established evaluation
standards.
Suggested alternatives:
Prioritize improvements in technology and commercial corridors.
Enhance crosswalks and targeted school safety measures to improve mobility without compromising neighborhood
access or emergency response.
Engage the community in identifying solutions that address safety and accessibility collaboratively.
I understand that finding the right balance between transportation enhancements and neighborhood needs can be
challenging. I am happy to provide further input or participate in community forums to help shape solutions that
serve all residents.
Thank you again for your consideration and for your service to Cupertino. I look forward to your thoughtful review
of these concerns and am available to discuss them further at your convenience.
Sincerely,
VenkatRanganathan
From: Devayani Kukade
To: Public Comments; City Council; Tina Kapoor
Subject: Request to Remove All Purple Bike Lane Projects from ATP
Date: Friday, February 20, 2026 1:26:50 PM
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Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, and City Council,
I am writing to formally express my opposition to the bike lane projects marked in purple
within Attachment D of the Active Transportation Plan (ATP). These projects negatively
impact parking, safety, and school access, and I respectfully request their removal.
Specifically, I am asking for the removal of the following projects:
• Homestead Rd (buffered/separated lanes)
• Stevens Creek Blvd (separated lanes)
• Stelling Rd (buffered/separated)
• Blaney Ave (buffered)
• Bollinger Rd (buffered)
• Foothill/Wolfe (separated)
• Bonny/Pepper Tree lanes
• Mary/McClellan school routes
My primary concerns include:
• Loss of Residential Parking: The removal of curb parking will significantly impact elderly
residents, guests, and deliveries on residential streets.
• Emergency Vehicle Access: Concrete barriers may obstruct emergency vehicles, which is
particularly concerning given the new Westport senior housing and De Anza clinic.
• School Infrastructure: The proposed changes on Bonny and Pepper Tree would disrupt the
drop-off process for over 600 students at Faria Elementary.
The current scoring system acknowledges the negative impact of parking removal; I believe
these projects fail to meet the necessary standards for approval.
I encourage the Council to instead consider alternative safety improvements, such as
technology corridors, enhanced crosswalks, and targeted school safety measures.
Thank you for your time and for prioritizing the safety of our families and community.
Sincerely,
Devayani Kukade
From: Mohsen Jamali
To: Public Comments; City Council
Subject: Opposition to proposed bike lanes that remove street parking
Date: Friday, February 20, 2026 12:59:06 PM
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Good evening Mayor and Councilmembers.
I live in the Crescent Court / Crescent Road neighborhood. I'm here to oppose any proposed
bike lanes that remove on -street parking.
Street parking in our neighborhood is not excess capacity — it is essential infrastructure.
Families, seniors, caregivers, and visitors rely on it daily. Removing parking will directly
impact residents who already struggle during peak hours.
If bike lanes can be added without eliminating parking, that's one discussion. But taking away
parking from established neighborhoods is not the right solution.
I also ask that you remove the stretch near Varian Park from this proposal. We do not want
incremental steps that create pressure for future expansions.
Please reject any project that eliminates residential street parking.
Thank you.
Mohsen Jamali
From: Kalyan Tummala
To: Public Comments; City Council; Tina Kagoor
Subject: Urgent Concerns Regarding Proposed Bike Lane Projects Impacting School Access and Neighborhood Parking
Date: Friday, February 20, 2026 11:38:25 AM
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Dear City Clerk,
Please include my email in written communications for the upcoming city council meeting.
Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, and Members of the Cupertino City Council,
I am writing as a Cupertino resident and parent to respectfully express serious concerns about
the proposed bike lane projects, particularly those affecting neighborhood streets such as
Pepper Tree Lane, Bonny Drive, Shelly Drive, Rodrigues Avenue, and surrounding areas near
Faria Elementary.
I strongly support safe transportation and thoughtful infrastructure planning. However, the
current proposals risk creating unintended and significant consequences for families, students,
and neighborhood safety.
Key Concerns:
1. Loss of Critical School Parking
Many parents rely on street parking on Bonny, Pepper Tree, Shelly, and Rodrigues to safely
park and walk their children to school. Removing this parking will eliminate the most practical
and safe options currently used by families. Not all children can independently navigate drop-
off lanes. Walking children to campus is especially important for younger grades and
promotes safety, supervision, and community engagement.
2. Increased Traffic Congestion and Safety Risks
If street parking is removed, parents will be forced into the existing drop-off line. For a school
serving hundreds of students, this could mean 600+ vehicles funneling into a single queue
during peak times.
This will:
• Increase idling traffic and congestion in surrounding streets
• Create longer queues spilling into main roads
• Increase risk of vehicle -pedestrian conflicts
• Reduce emergency vehicle accessibility
What is currently a distributed, manageable system will become centralized congestion.
3. Discouraging Walkability
Ironically, eliminating neighborhood parking may reduce safe walking. Parents who currently
park nearby and walk their children will instead be forced into vehicle queues. This
undermines both walkability and community interaction.
4. Lack of School -Specific Planning
If these changes move forward, what is the city's concrete plan for managing school access?
• Has a school impact analysis been conducted during peak drop-off/pick-up times?
• Has coordination occurred with school administrators and parents?
• Is there a mitigation strategy to replace lost parking capacity?
Without a clear operational plan, these changes risk creating chaos rather than improving
safety.
5. Equity and Practical Use Considerations
Neighborhood bike lanes that remove high -demand school parking may benefit a small
number of cyclists during limited hours while disproportionately impacting hundreds of
families daily. Infrastructure decisions must balance sustainability goals with real -world usage
patterns and community needs.
I respectfully request that the City:
• Reevaluate bike lane placements on streets directly serving school parking needs
• Conduct a school -specific traffic and safety impact study before final approval
• Engage directly with affected school communities
• Explore alternative bike routing options that preserve essential parking
I support safe biking as a road biker myself. I support sustainability. But we also need
solutions that protect school access, neighborhood safety, and the daily functioning of
families.
Please do not move forward with changes that significantly impact school operations without a
clear, practical mitigation plan.
Thank you for your consideration and for serving our community.
Sincerely,
Kalyan Tummala
Resident and Parent
From: Jithin Georae
To: Tina Kapoor; Public Comments; City Council
Subject: Request to Remove All Purple Bike Lane Projects from ATP
Date: Friday, February 20, 2026 10:54:30 AM
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Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, and City Council,
I respectfully oppose the purple -marked bike lane projects in Attachment D. They harm
parking, safety, and school access. Please remove them all.
Projects to remove:
• Homestead Rd buffered/separated lanes
• Stevens Creek Blvd separated lanes
• Stelling Rd buffered/separated
• Blaney Ave buffered
• Bollinger Rd buffered
• Foothill/Wolfe separated
• Bonny/Pepper Tree lanes
• Mary/McClellan school routes
Key concerns:
• Curb parking lost for elders, guests, deliveries on residential streets.
• Emergency vehicles blocked by concrete barriers, especially with new Westport senior
housing and De Anza clinic.
• Faria Elementary drop-off disrupted for 600+ kids on Bonny/Pepper Tree.
Your scoring system penalizes parking removal. These projects fail that test.
Better options: Technology corridors, crosswalks, school safety measures.
Request: Please delete all purple bike lanes from the ATP.
Thank you for prioritizing families and safety.
Sincerely,
Jithin George,
Parent of Faria Kid (Cupertino resident on Homestead/Blaney)
From: Ravi Kiran Sinah Sapaharam
To: City Council; Public Comments
Cc: Tina Kapoor
Subject: Request to Reconsider Purple Bike Lane Projects in ATP
Date: Friday, February 20, 2026 10:34:52 AM
Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, and Members of the Cupertino City Council,
I am writing as a Cupertino resident to respectfully request reconsideration of the purple
bike lane projects
While I support roadway safety improvements, several of these proposals raise concerns
regarding residential parking loss, school drop-off logistics, traffic congestion, and emergency
vehicle access — particularly along Homestead, Stevens Creek, Stelling, Blaney, Bollinger,
Foothill, Wolfe, Bonny, Pepper Tree, and the Mary/McClellan school routes.
Many families rely on curbside parking near homes and schools, and maintaining reliable
emergency access along key corridors is critical. I encourage the Council to carefully weigh
these community impacts before advancing these projects.
I respectfully suggest prioritizing alternatives that enhance safety without reducing parking or
travel lanes — such as crosswalk upgrades, traffic calming measures, and school -area safety
improvements.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely, Ravi I Cupertino Resident
Ravi Kiran Singh Sapaharam
Public Safety Commissioner
0 RSapaharam@cupertino.gov
0- 9- 0- 0- 9- N. 0;
From: Nidhi Parekh
To: Public Comments; City Council; Tina Kapoor
Subject: Request to Remove All Purple Bike Lane Projects from ATP
Date: Friday, February 20, 2026 9:29:06 AM
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Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, and City Council,
I am writing to express my respectful opposition to the purple -marked bike lane projects listed
in Attachment D. I believe these projects will negatively impact parking, safety, and school
access, and I request their removal from the Active Transportation Plan (ATP).
Specifically, I am requesting the removal of the following projects:
- Homestead Rd: buffered/separated lanes
- Stevens Creek Blvd: separated lanes
- Stelling Rd: buffered/separated lanes
- Blaney Ave: buffered lanes
- Bollinger Rd: buffered lanes
- Foothill/Wolfe: separated lanes
- Bonny/Pepper Tree: lanes
- Mary/McClellan: school routes
My primary concerns include:
- Parking Loss: The removal of curb parking on residential streets will significantly affect
elderly residents, guests, and delivery services.
- Emergency Access: Concrete barriers may obstruct emergency vehicles, which is a
particular concern given the proximity of the new Westport senior housing and the De Anza
clinic.
- School Disruption: The proposed lanes on Bonny and Pepper Tree would disrupt the drop-
off process for over 600 students at Faria Elementary.
The current scoring system penalizes the removal of parking, and I believe these projects fail
to meet that standard. I encourage the Council to consider better alternatives, such as
technology corridors, enhanced crosswalks, and targeted school safety measures.
Please delete all purple bike lanes from the ATP. Thank you for your commitment to
prioritizing families and community safety.
Sincerely,
Nidhi Parekh
From: Pramod Neoi
To: Public Comments; City Council; Tina Ka000r
Subject: Request to Reconsider and Remove Purple Bike Lane Projects from ATP
Date: Friday, February 20, 2026 9:15:31 AM
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Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, and Honorable Members of the City Council,
I am writing as a concerned resident and parent to respectfully request the removal of all
purple -marked bike lane projects listed in Attachment D from the Active Transportation Plan
(ATP).
While I understand and support the broader goal of improving safety and mobility in our city,
I am deeply concerned that the proposed buffered and separated bike lanes in these locations
will negatively impact neighborhood parking availability, emergency access, and safe school
drop-off operations.
Projects I request be removed include:
• Stevens Creek Boulevard — separated lanes
• Stelling Road — buffered/separated lanes
• Blaney Avenue — buffered lanes
• Bollinger Road — buffered lanes
• Bonny/Pepper Tree — lanes
• Mary/McClellan — school routes
Key concerns:
• Loss of curb parking on residential streets, which directly affects seniors, visiting
family members, and essential deliveries.
• Potential obstruction for emergency vehicles due to concrete barriers and narrowed
lanes —especially concerning given the proximity to Westport senior housing and the
De Anza clinic.
• Disruption to Faria Elementary School drop-off and pick-up, impacting over 600
students and their families who rely on safe and efficient vehicle access along Bonny
and Pepper Tree.
Additionally, the City's own scoring criteria penalizes projects that remove parking. Based on
that standard, these proposals do not appear to meet the intended balance between safety,
access, and community impact.
I respectfully urge the Council to consider alternative safety improvements —such as enhanced
crosswalk visibility, traffic calming, school -zone protections, and targeted improvements
along commercial or technology corridors —rather than implementing residential parking
removal and concrete -separated lanes.
Please prioritize family access, senior mobility, and emergency response by removing all
purple bike lane projects from the ATP.
Thank you for your service to our community and for carefully considering the voices of
residents.
Sincerely,
Pramod Negi
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
P Hershey
Public Comments
Request to remove all purple bike lane projects from ATP
Friday, February 20, 2026 8:52:29 AM
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> Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, and City Council,
> I respectfully oppose the purple -marked bike lane projects in Attachment D. They harm parking, safety, and
school access. Please remove them all.
> Projects to remove:
> • Homestead Rd buffered/separated lanes
> • Stevens Creek Blvd separated lanes
> • Stelling Rd buffered/separated
> • Blaney Ave buffered
> • Bollinger Rd buffered
> • Foothill/Wolfe separated
> • Bonny/Pepper Tree lanes
> • Mary/McClellan school routes
> Key concerns:
> • Curb parking lost for elders, guests, deliveries on residential streets.
> • Emergency vehicles blocked by concrete barriers, especially with new Westport senior housing and De Anza
clinic.
> • Faria Elementary drop-off disrupted for 600+ kids on Bonny/Pepper Tree.
> Your scoring system penalizes parking removal. These projects fail that test.
> Better options: Technology corridors, crosswalks, school safety measures.
> Request: Please delete all purple bike lanes from the ATP.
> Thank you for prioritizing families and safety.
> Sincerely,
> Pamela Hershey
> Sent from my iPhone
From: Deepti Rokkam
To: Public Comments; City Council; Tina Kapoor
Subject: Request to reconsider bike lanes around Faria Elementary school
Date: Friday, February 20, 2026 8:13:17 AM
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Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, and members of the city council,
I recently found out about the proposal to eliminate parking to introduce bike lanes on
Rodriguez, Bonnie, and Pepper tree lanes. As a parent sending her child to Faria Elementary
school, this proposal caused me significant concern.
As one of —650 children attending the school, the 15 minute drop off and pick up periods are
only possible because of the availability of street parking. Loss of street parking will increase
chaos around the school, and will impact school safety. Please reconsider your proposal.
Respectfully,
Deepti
From: Anaan Das
To: Public Comments; City Council; Tina Kapoor
Subject: Please stop bike lane projects: Remove all purple lines from ATP
Date: Friday, February 20, 2026 7:42:30 AM
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Dear members of city council,
Now that we have bike lanes in all major thoroughfares like De Anza, Stevens Creek, McClellan, can we
please stop continuing them literally till every residence's gateway? It benefits 5 families, but puts 50
more at disadvantage.
Bike lanes favor neighborhoods with a rising younger generation. On the contract, Cupertino is a city
with rising empty nesters. And they need more off-street parking for visiting friends and family.
Moreover, schools also benefit from the same.
I understand there are dedicated funds for staff and resources towards bike lane programs. But I hope we
can find alternate ways to divert & utilize those funds towards more meaningful purposes.
- Angan Das
Former Cupertino Housing Commissioner
4o8-204-2486
CC 2-19-2026
Active Transportation
Plan
Written Communications
From: Tracy Kosolcharoen
To: City Council; Tina Ka Door; City Clerk
Cc: David Stillman; Matt Schroeder
Subject: Written comments -- Agenda Item 9, ATP
Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 7:46:59 AM
Attachments: 2026 Sheriff Memo Re SCC Concrete Lanes.odf
Dear City Council,
(writing on behalf of myself) — please do not make roadway changes that delay our
emergency response times. Some of the latest ATP project proposals do not fully account
for their impact on emergency vehicles.
Both our sheriff and fire departments confirmed that they travel slower on small
roads with concrete bike barriers like McClellan, in my direct conversations. Please see
the attached written statement from the sheriff's department, which notes that during peak
hours, the sheriff must take alternate routes to avoid congested, concrete -buffered roads like
McClellan. They cannot even turn on their sirens on these roads because it confuses drivers
who cannot pull aside. Constricting more high -traffic two-lane roads across Cupertino
cumulatively degrades response times across our city.
We can increase bike safety without delaying public safety response. Most of the
ATP proposes painted buffered bike lanes along our 2-lane roads, which I very much
support. Painted buffers are a proven option that still allows cars to pull aside for
emergency vehicles to pass. In fact, the last city memo on the De Anza bike lane changes
showed that the new painted buffer bike lanes significantly improved safety for bikers and
vehicles alike.
I ask City Council to consider painted buffer bike lanes in lieu of concrete
separation on three of the ATP proposals for Stelling (mostly two-way in the proposal),
Blaney (mostly two-way and curved in the proposal), and Finch (all two-way). Please do not
create additional strains on law enforcement that prevent them from turning left on the left side
of vehicles, or create gridlock that they must subsequently avoid during peak hours.
Note that I am not asking to change the Foothill, Homestead, or Stevens Creek concrete lane
ATP project listings, which are wider roads with space for turning.
Please consult our own city's law enforcement and emergency response first and
foremost, and consider their feedback before any outside research studies. During the last
planning commission meeting, some commissioners referenced studies from entirely different
states and with different scenarios (4- to 3-lane conversion). Please compare similar
scenarios involving 2-lane roads, not 3- or 4-lane roads.
Increased response times would put lives at risk due to longer transit times to
hospitals, and make our city a greater target for crime. Many residents choose to live in
Cupertino because it is safe and has rapid emergency response rates. Per the latest sheriff and
fire department reports, Cupertino experiences at least 6K sheriff and fire department
incidents per year. We enjoy exemplary sheriff response times compared to the rest of the
county. Moreover, as we add hundreds of new housing units, and our aging population
continues to grow, we can expect increased strain on our law enforcement and
emergency response.
Is council willing to slow down our emergency response?
For many of us, protecting emergency response times is non-negotiable.
We can make biking safer without physically preventing cars from yielding to
emergency vehicles. Please enable our sheriff to fight crime and save lives quickly
and effectively.
Thank you for your consideration,
Tracy
P.S. -- there is a minor correction on the memo from Sergeant Slaugh and the reference to the
raised island on Wolfe & SCB should read "prevents vehicles from moving left," not right. I'll
send through a corrected version when I have it.
Tracy Kosolcharoen
Chair, Planning Commission
N TKosolcharoen@cupertino.gov
■❑ I ■❑ I 0 I ■❑ I ■❑ I ■❑ I■❑
County of Santa Clara
Office of the Sheriff
55 West Younger Avenue
San Jose, California 95110-1721
(408) 808-4400
MEMORANDUM
Robert Jonsen
Sheriff
TO Tracy Kosolcharoen
FROM Sergeant A. Slaugh #1922 / West Valley Traffic Sergeant
SUBJECT : Emergency Vehicle Response Re: solid bike lane barriers
DATE February 13, 2026
In response to whether the Emergency Response of the Sheriff's Office is impacted by a solid barrier
between the far most right lane, bike lane and shoulder of any roadway, I offer this statement as the
opinion of an emergency responder.
The California Vehicle Code, section 21806(a)(1), states that when an authorized emergency vehicle is
operating its forward -facing red lights and siren, "The driver of every other vehicle shall yield the
right-of-wayandshall immediately drive to the right-hand edge or curb of the highway, clear of any
intersection, and thereupon shall stop and remain stopped until the authorized emergency vehicle has
passed. " This law exists so that emergency responders can arrive swiftly to emergency calls for service.
Several locations within the City of Cupertino currently present conditions where, during peak commute
hours, traffic congestion prevents motorists from complying with this legal requirement. In these areas,
the installation of cement barriers or raised curbs designed to protect bicycle lanes leaves drivers with no
physical space to yield to the right, as required by law.
In some segments —such as Stevens Creek Boulevard east of Wolfe Road —there is a raised island that
prevents vehicles from moving right. In other areas, such as McClellan Road, there is no two-way
left -turn lane, making it impossible for an emergency vehicle to pass on the left. Department policy
requires emergency vehicles operating with lights and sirens to pass on the left whenever feasible. When
both sides are obstructed, an impasse is created, resulting in confusion for motorists and delayed response
times for emergency personnel.
In these situations, emergency responders often must bypass the main arterial altogether and divert
through residential neighborhoods to reach their destination. While veteran deputies familiar with the area
can navigate these alternate routes efficiently, newer deputies —who rely more heavily on GPS—may
experience additional delays, potentially impacting response times during critical incidents.
From:
Rhoda Fry
To:
Public Comments
Cc:
City Council
Subject:
February 19 2026 City Council Agenda Item #9
Date:
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 4:25:21 PM
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Dear City Council,
Regarding February 19 2026 City Council Agenda Item #9.
I am concerned about the continued erosion of public parking in favor of bike paths.
We need to find a way to satisfy both needs.
Since installation of the bike path near Lawson school, which resulted in an avoidable loss of
parking, neighboring streets have become very congested with on -street parking and there are
more people speeding through the neighborhoods because of the dearth of parking near the
school.
In order to protect public safety and quality of life, please retain on -street parking when
designing new bike paths.
Regards,
Rhoda Fry
From:
Peggy Griffin
To:
City Council
Cc:
City Clerk
Subject:
2026-02-19 City Council Meeting -ITEM 9 Study session ATP Update
Date:
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 8:22:58 PM
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PLEASE INCLUDE THIS EMAIL AS PART OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS FORTH E 2-19-2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AGENDA ITEM #9-ATP.
Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, Councilmembers and Staff,
I am very concerned at the resulting project rankings for the ATP due to the scoring of the
Project Prioritization Matrix. When I looked at the highest priority work it emphases routes that
I would consider some of the safer routes compared to those that were ignored. BOTH the
Planning Commission and the Bike/Pedestrian Commission along with those who spoke in
public comments are all in agreement — the scoring of the project rankings needs to be
adjusted to prioritize the more dangerous intersections in Cupertino, where there has been
death, injuries and collisions.
REQUESTS: Please reassess the scoring matrix to
1. INCREASE the emphasis/scoring for areas where there are injuries, deaths and
collisions.
a. The priority should be where people have been killed, injured or there have been
accidents!
b. EXAMPLE OF UNDESIRED POINT RESULTS ... the highest priority project is the
intersection of Lazaneo Dr (near the Donut Wheel) and De Anza Blvd
i. 90 points = Intersection of De Anza Blvd and Lazaneo
ii. 60 points = intersection of De Anza Blvd and Homestead Rd
1. This is by far a more dangerous intersection for everyone
(pedestrians, bikes and vehicles)! Vehicles running the red lights
don't just run the light, they increase their speeds to run the light. I
have seen as many as 5 cars run the light AFTER it turns red. If
pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles don't see them they risk
injury or death ... and yet it's #60 on this list!
1. REDUCE the priority on Safe Routes to School routes and give more priority to the
Vision Zero High Injury locations and areas.
a. In "Attachment A— Revised Prioritization Criteria"
i. Table 1, Safety gives the max of 20 points if it's ANYWHERE ALONG
the SR2S route. Please note that these routes are selected because the
ARE the safer routes already!
ii. Table 2, Safety gives the max of 20 points if it's ANYWHERE ALONG
the SR2S route.
iii. Table 3, Safety gives the max of 20 points if it's ANYWHERE ALONG
the S42S route.
1. NOTE in this Table 3 that parks, the library, senior center/facilities,
rec centers, shopping get a max of 5 points!
iv. Table 4, Safety, again gives the max of 20 points if it is along 75% of
the SR2S route
1. NOTE under Safety that Collision History can only get a max of 10
points!
2. INCREASE POINTS for parks, the library, senior center/facitilites, rec centers,
shopping centers.
3. INCREASE the emphasis on the use of technology
a. Our Sheriff's contract is increasing, we can't afford to add deputies but
technology can help increase safety. Please use it!
REQUEST:
1. LOSS OF PARKING -There are quite a few projects on this list that anyone driving down
the specified road would know the impact without having to spend 30% of the design
cost for a consultant to tell you. Once a project is started, even 30%, it is not stopped.
It's basically a done -deal.
a. With our city's growing density and the state's requirement to NO REQUIRE
parking for housing projects, the elimination of existing parking becomes more
significant.
b. ADD POINT DEDUCTIONS for loss of parking.
2. PUBLIC NOTICE —for potential projects, NOWHERE is there a mention that the
residents/businesses will be notified BEFORE a decision is made.
a. As the Planning Commissioner Rao pointed out, at the public events, no mention
of potential loss of parking was mentioned.
3. SEPARATED BIKE LANES —please use sparingly for high speed corridors (35-40 mph or
more) with multiple lanes, not 2-lane roads.
Sincerely,
Peggy Griffin
From: Deepa Mahendraker
To: Public Comments; City Council; Tina Ka000r
Subject: Please Reject All Bike Lane Projects in the ATP
Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026 9:07:23 PM
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Dear City Clerk,
Please include the below in written comments for the upcoming city council meeting.
Subject: Please Reject All Bike Lane Projects in the ATP
Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, and Cupertino City Council,
I am a Cupertino resident and auto user who supports safe walking and commutes. I strongly oppose
every bike lane project shown in purple in the Active Transportation Plan and respectfully ask that you
cancel all proposed bike lane projects.
These include:
• Homestead Road buffered and separated bike lanes
• Stevens Creek Boulevard separated bike lanes
• Stelling Road buffered and separated bikeways
• Blaney Avenue buffered bikeways
• Bollinger Road buffered bikeways
• Foothill Boulevard separated bikeways
• Wolfe Road separated bikeways
• Bonny Avenue bike lanes
• Pepper Tree Lane bike lanes
• Related school -access segments on Mary Avenue and McClellan Road
Please reject all of these purple row identified bike lane projects.
On -street parking is essential for families. Many homes rely on curb space for elders, caregivers, visiting
relatives, and everyday guests. Removing parking on residential segments of Homestead, Blaney,
Bollinger, Stelling, Bonny, Pepper Tree, Mary, and McClellan will push cars into smaller side streets and
make daily life harder for residents.
Emergency response will suffer. Concrete -separated and tightly buffered lanes on Stevens Creek,
Stelling, Foothill, Wolfe, and Homestead leave no room for drivers to move over. With a hard curb on one
side and a center line on the other, cars cannot clear a path. Fire trucks and ambulances will be forced to
inch through traffic instead of getting a clear lane in seconds.
This is especially risky because we are adding more high -need destinations. Senior assisted -living and
memory -care units at Westport (Mary and Stevens Creek) and the proposed medical clinic at De Anza
College will increase emergency calls on Stevens Creek, Stelling, Pepper Tree, Mary, McClellan, and
nearby streets. At the same time, hard -separated bike lanes would make yielding to those emergency
vehicles more difficult.
School access will be damaged. At Faria Elementary, more than 600 families use Bonny Avenue and
Pepper Tree Lane twice every day. Parents park on these streets and walk their children in. If you remove
street parking on Bonny and Pepper Tree for bike lanes, the current drop-off system breaks. Queues will
back up onto arterials, and more children will be forced to cross busy streets from farther away.
Similar problems will appear near schools that depend on Stelling, Homestead, Blaney, Bollinger, Mary,
and McClellan for drop-off and pick-up.
The City's own framework emphasizes data, cost-effectiveness, and negative scoring when removing
many parking spaces or travel lanes. Yet the purple projects are exactly where those impacts will be
largest. Advancing them without clear block -by -block information on parking loss, congestion, and
emergency response would go against those principles.
I respectfully ask you to:
• Remove all purple -listed bike lane projects on Homestead Road, Stevens Creek Boulevard, Stelling
Road, Blaney Avenue, Bollinger Road, Foothill Boulevard, Wolfe Road, Bonny Avenue, Pepper Tree
Lane, Mary Avenue, McClellan Road, and other affected streets from the ATP; and
• Focus instead on technology -based measures that do not remove on -street parking or
emergency -vehicle maneuvering room.
We all want fewer crashes and safer streets. We should not achieve that by making it harder for families
to live, gather, and reach medical care, or for emergency responders to reach people in time.
Please do not approve the purple row or any other bike lane projects.
Thanks,
Deepa
From: Vidya Gurikar
To: Public Comments; City Council; Tina Kapoor
Subject: ATP projects
Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026 7:56:27 PM
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recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
I am a longtime Cupertino homeowner and daily driver. I value safe streets for everyone. But
the purple -marked bike lane projects in the Active Transportation Plan will make our city less
safe.
The number of motorists that use the streets far outnumber the small number of bicyclists.
The ATP projects take away precious street space from motorists and make the streets unsafe
for everyone.
I urge you to remove them all.
Here are the projects to reject:
• Homestead Road buffered/separated bike lanes
• Stevens Creek Blvd separated bike lanes
• Stelling Rd buffered/separated bikeways
• Blaney Ave buffered bikeways
• Bollinger Rd buffered bikeways
• Foothill Blvd separated bikeways
• Wolfe Rd separated bikeways
• Bonny Ave bike lanes
• Pepper Tree Ln bike lanes
• Mary Ave and McClellan Rd school segments
Three reasons why these projects should be rejected:
1. Emergency vehicles get blocked. Hard concrete bike lanes trap cars between barriers and
center lines. No room to pull right. Fire engines and ambulances crawl through traffic. This
hits hardest where we need fastest response: new Westport senior/memory care at Mary -
Stevens Creek, De Anza College medical clinic, plus all our schools and neighborhoods.
2. School drop-off chaos. Faria Elementary serves 600+ kids. Parents park on Bonny and
Pepper Tree, walk kids in safely. Strip that parking for bike buffers? Lines spill onto arterials.
Kids dart across roads from distant spots. Same story for schools near Stelling, Homestead,
Blaney, Bollinger.
3. Families lose parking. Curb space isn't optional. It's for grandparents, guests, service vans,
family events. Residential stretches of Homestead, Blaney, Bollinger, Stelling, Bonny, Pepper
Tree, Mary, McClellan — all lose it. Cars flood narrower streets. Congestion worsens
everywhere.
Pleasr reject them now, before they lock in harm.
Please consider the following to improve the safety for everyone:
Speed cameras. Smart signals.
Crosswalk beacons.
Neighborhood slow streets.
School guards.
All of the above deliver safety without sacrificing parking or blocking emergency vehicles.
Action requested:
• Delete every purple bike lane from the ATP.
• Prioritize tech, intersections, and school fixes instead.
Cupertino works because streets serve cars, bikes, peds, and emergencies equally. These
projects break that balance.
Please Vote no. Reject all new bike lanes.
Sincerely,
Shrividya Gurikar
From: Mahesh Gurikar
To: Public Comments; City Council; Tina Kapoor
Subject: Cancel all purple bike lane projects in ATP
Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026 7:38:51 PM
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recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, and Cupertino City Council,
I am a longtime Cupertino homeowner and daily driver. I value safe streets for everyone. But
the purple -marked bike lane projects in the Active Transportation Plan will make our city less
safe. I urge you to remove them all.
Here are the projects to reject:
• Homestead Road buffered/separated bike lanes
• Stevens Creek Blvd separated bike lanes
• Stelling Rd buffered/separated bikeways
• Blaney Ave buffered bikeways
• Bollinger Rd buffered bikeways
• Foothill Blvd separated bikeways
• Wolfe Rd separated bikeways
• Bonny Ave bike lanes
• Pepper Tree Ln bike lanes
• Mary Ave and McClellan Rd school segments
Three clear reasons why these projects should be rejected:
1. Emergency vehicles get blocked. Hard concrete bike lanes trap cars between barriers and
center lines. No room to pull right. Fire engines and ambulances crawl through traffic. This
hits hardest where we need fastest response: new Westport senior/memory care at Mary -
Stevens Creek, De Anza College medical clinic, plus all our schools and neighborhoods.
2. School drop-off chaos. Faria Elementary serves 600+ kids. Parents park on Bonny and
Pepper Tree, walk kids in safely. Strip that parking for bike buffers? Lines spill onto arterials.
Kids dart across roads from distant spots. Same story for schools near Stelling, Homestead,
Blaney, Bollinger.
3. Families lose parking. Curb space isn't optional. It's for grandparents, guests, service vans,
family events. Residential stretches of Homestead, Blaney, Bollinger, Stelling, Bonny, Pepper
Tree, Mary, McClellan — all lose it. Cars flood narrower streets. Congestion worsens
everywhere.
Pleasr reject them now, before they lock in harm.
Better fixes exist. Speed cameras. Smart signals. Crosswalk beacons. Neighborhood slow
streets. School guards. All deliver safety without killing parking or blocking fire trucks.
Action requested:
• Delete every purple bike lane from the ATP.
• Prioritize tech, intersections, and school fixes instead.
Cupertino works because streets serve cars, bikes, peds, and emergencies equally. These
projects break that balance.
Please Vote no. Reject all new bike lanes.
Sincerely,
Mahesh Gurikar
From: Chirali Bhandari
To: Public Comments; City Council; Tina Ka000r
Subject: Request to Remove All Purple Bike Lane Projects from ATP
Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026 6:20:27 PM
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recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, and City Council,
I respectfully oppose the purple -marked bike lane projects in Attachment D. They harm
parking, safety, and school access. Please remove them all.
Projects to remove:
• Homestead Rd buffered/separated lanes
• Stevens Creek Blvd separated lanes
• Stelling Rd buffered/separated
• Blaney Ave buffered
• Bollinger Rd buffered
• Foothill/Wolfe separated
• Bonny/Pepper Tree lanes
• Mary/McClellan school routes
Key concerns:
• Curb parking lost for elders, guests, deliveries on residential streets.
• Emergency vehicles blocked by concrete barriers, especially with new Westport senior
housing and De Anza clinic.
• Faria Elementary drop-off disrupted for 600+ kids on Bonny/Pepper Tree.
Your scoring system penalizes parking removal. These projects fail that test.
Better options: Technology corridors, crosswalks, school safety measures.
Request: Please delete all purple bike lanes from the ATP.
Thank you for prioritizing families and safety.
Sincerely,
Chirali Bhandari
From:
Seema Lindskoa
To:
City Council
Cc:
City Clerk; Cupertino City Manager"s Office; City Attorney"s Office
Subject:
Serious Ethics Concerns Regarding Planning Commission Chair Communications on the ATP agenda item
Date:
Thursday, February 19, 2026 6:09:26 PM
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recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Mayor, Council members, and City Attorney,
I am a commissioner with the Cupertino Planning Commission but I am writing today as a resident. City
Clerk, please include this email as public communication for the ATP agenda item at tonight's Council
meeting.
Tracy Kosolcharoen, Chair of the Planning Commission, sent an email to the City Council on Wednesday
Feb 18 2026 regarding emergency response times and protected bike lanes. The email— and how it came
to be — raises serious governance and ethics concerns.
The issue raised in the email was discussed during the Planning Commission meeting of February 10, at
which time Chair Kosolcharoen introduced adding a criteria to the ATP to consider emergency response
times and therefore deprioritize projects for protected bike lanes on some city streets as a potential
recommendation of the Planning Commission. That recommendation did not proceed, receiving two votes
in favor and three votes against. As a result. the Planning Commission explicitly decided not to
recommend the position expressed.
Yesterday, Chair Kosolcharoen sent an email to the City Council expressing opposition to protected bike
lanes due to her concern about emergency response times. The email was sent from her official
@cupertino.gov email address and included her official title as Chair of the Planning Commission.
Although the message states that she was "writing on behalf of myself," the context and manner of the
communication raise several significant concerns related to governance, ethics, and the appropriate role
of appointed officials. As a member of the Planning Commission myself, I am very mindful to ensure that
if I write to council or outside agencies on my own behalf on any matter within the jurisdiction of
Cupertino, to do so from my private, personal communication and to acknowledge that the
communication is personal and does not reflect the position of the Commission. Council has previously
and recently discussed this standard.
More concerningly, Chair Kosolcharoen also used her official email and title to reach out to a sergeant in
the Sheriff's Office. Nowhere in the email did she disclaim that she was acting in her official capacity. City
staff were not aware that Chair Kosolcharoen sent the email. Because the email came from her official
email and with her official letterhead and title, the sheriff's office mistakenly assumed it was an official
request from the City of Cupertino. In fact, the city staff knew nothing about it and it was not an official
staff request. This has resulted in quite a bit of confusion and public resources being used in support of a
personal question by Chair Kosolcharoen as a resident.
Specifically, these two communications appear to implicate the following principles:
1. Use of public resources for personal advocacy
Under California Government Code § 8314, public resources may not be used for personal or political
purposes. Chair Kosolcharoen's use of an official city email account and signature block associated with
a city -appointed role to advocate a personal policy position may constitute misuse of public resources,
regardless of disclaimers included in the message.
2. Improper invocation of official title following contrary commission action
Ethics guidance from the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) emphasizes that public officials may
not leverage the prestige or authority of their office to influence governmental decisions when acting in a
personal capacity. This concern is heightened where the official's communication follows a recorded vote
of the body rejecting the same position, creating a reasonable risk that the communication could be
interpreted as conveying an institutional or insider view that does not, in fact, exist.
3. Circumvention of the commission's collective, noticed process
The Planning Commission acts only through noticed meetings and majority votes. After the Commission
voted on Feb 10, 2026 not to advance the recommendation, a unilateral communication by Chair
Kosolcharoen to the City Council on the same issue — using her official email address and title —
undermines the integrity of the advisory process and the public's understanding of how recommendations
are formed.
4. Undue influence
Chair Kosolcharoen's clear use of her title and official city email address, and failure to disclaim to obtain
preferential responses from the Sheriff's Office created an undue influence on the Sheriff's Office (the
impression that the communication was an official request of the City of Cupertino) that induced the
Sheriff's Office to produce a prospectively favorable memo in response. It would be inappropriate for a
Councilmember to breach the Council -Manager relationship in this fashion. It cannot be acceptable for
Council's commission appointees to circumvent it either. It is for this reason that the Commissioner's
Handbook and the city's Ethics Policy admonish against misuse of official titles.
5. Inconsistency with local ethics and commission conduct standards
While I defer to the City Attorney on specific municipal code citations, most municipal ethics codes and
commission handbooks require appointed officials to:
• Clearly distinguish personal views from official positions
• Avoid use of city resources for private advocacy
• Refrain from representing themselves as speaking for the body absent formal authorization
This communication is clearly inconsistent with those standards.
I raise these concerns not to question intent, but to safeguard the integrity of the City's governance
processes and ensure clear boundaries for appointed officials, particularly where the Planning
Commission has already taken formal action on the issue. I respectfully request that the City Attorney
review this matter and provide guidance to Chair Kosolcharoen regarding appropriate communication
practices following commission votes, including the use of official email accounts, titles, and disclaimers
Thanks,
Seema Lindskog
"You must be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
This message is from my personal email account. I am only writing as myself, not as a
representative or spokesperson for any other organization.
From: David Yan
To: City Council; Public Comments; Tina Ka000r
Subject: Request to remove purpole bike lane projects from ATP
Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026 5:59:14 PM
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recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Councilmembers,
I am writing to oppose the purple marked bike lane projects. They harm parking, safety, and
school access.
Projects to remove:
• Homestead Rd buffered/separated lanes
• Stevens Creek Blvd separated lanes
• Stelling Rd buffered/separated
• Blaney Ave buffered
• Bollinger Rd buffered
• Foothill/Wolfe separated
• Bonny/Pepper Tree lanes
• Mary/McClellan school routes
Key concerns:
• Curb parking lost for elders, guests, deliveries on residential streets.
• Emergency vehicles blocked by concrete barriers, especially with new Westport senior
housing and De Anza clinic.
Better options: Technology corridors, crosswalks, school safety measures.
Please delete all purple bike lanes from the ATP.
From: Ram Sripathi
To: Public Comments; City Council; Tina Ka000r
Subject: Request to Remove All Purple Bike Lane Projects from ATP
Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026 5:55:02 PM
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Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, and City Council,
I am a Cupertino senior resident. I respectfully oppose the purple -marked bike lane projects in Attachment D. They
harm parking, safety, and school access. Please remove them all.
Projects to remove:
• Homestead Rd buffered/separated lanes
• Stevens Creek Blvd separated lanes
• Stelling Rd buffered/separated
• Blaney Ave buffered
• Bollinger Rd buffered
• Foothill/Wolfe separated
• Bonny/Pepper Tree lanes
• Mary/McClellan school routes
Key concerns:
• Curb parking lost for elders, guests, deliveries on residential streets.
• Emergency vehicles blocked by concrete barriers, especially with new Westport senior housing and De Anza
clinic.
• Faria Elementary drop-off disrupted for 600+ kids on Bonny/Pepper Tree.
Your scoring system penalizes parking removal. These projects fail that test.
Better options: Technology corridors, crosswalks, school safety measures.
Request: Please delete all purple bike lanes from the ATP.
Thank you for prioritizing families and safety.
Sincerely,
Ram Sripathi
Cupertino resident forever
Sent from my iPhone
From: Deepak Balasubramaniam
To: Public Comments; City Council; Tina Ka000r
Subject: Request to Remove All Purple Bike Lane Projects from ATP
Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026 5:46:44 PM
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recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, and City Council,
As a Cupertino resident who will be affected by the bike lane project proposal, I respectfully
oppose the purple -marked bike lane projects in Attachment D. They harm parking, safety, and
school access. Please remove them all.
The current bike lanes and safety blockades have created more distractions, dangerous
situations and overall frustration for residents. Instead of solving issues through education,
enforcement, upgrading pavements, and monitoring we are spending money unnecessarily on
these projects that don't help the majority of residents. We will continue spending money on
maintaining these projects in the future too which wastes taxpayer money.
Projects to remove:
• Homestead Rd buffered/separated lanes
• Stevens Creek Blvd separated lanes
• Stelling Rd buffered/separated
• Blaney Ave buffered
• Bollinger Rd buffered
• Foothill/Wolfe separated
• Bonny/Pepper Tree lanes
• Mary/McClellan school routes
Key concerns:
• Curb parking lost for elders, guests, deliveries on residential streets.
• Emergency vehicles blocked by concrete barriers, especially with new Westport senior
housing and De Anza clinic.
• Faria Elementary drop-off disrupted for 600+ kids on Bonny/Pepper Tree.
Your scoring system penalizes parking removal. These projects fail that test.
Better options: Technology corridors, crosswalks, school safety measures.
Request: Please delete all purple bike lanes from the ATP.
Thank you for prioritizing families and safety.
Sincerely,
Deepak
From: Santosh Rao
To: City Council; Public Comments; Tina Ka000r; City Attorney"s Office; Kirsten Squarcia; City Clerk
Subject: Opposition to Bike Lane projects in ATP
Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026 4:14:20 PM
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recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear City Clerk,
Please include the below in written communications for the upcoming city council meeting.
[Writing on behalf of myself only as a Cupertino resident]
Subject: Opposition to Purple -Lined Bike Lane Proposals in ATP
Dear Mayor Moore, Vice Mayor Chao, and Cupertino City Council,
I am writing on behalf of myself only as a Cupertino resident.
I oppose the bike lane projects shown in purple in Attachment D of the Active Transportation
Plan (ATP) agenda materials. While I support safer walking and biking, these particular
bike lane proposals would create serious, localized impacts on residents' ability to live and
function on affected streets, especially around on -street parking, school access, and emergency
response.
Because the purple projects are not simply paint on wide arterials but often require removal of
existing curbside parking and/or conversion to concrete -separated Class IV facilities, they
directly conflict with the ATP goal of "Multimodal Balance" and with the "Community
Impacts" language in the General Plan Mobility Element, which calls for minimizing adverse
impacts and avoiding simply moving problems from one street to another.
Below I outline overarching concerns, then request that you remove each purple -identified
bike lane project from the list, before adopting the ATP.
Overarching concerns
• Loss of on -street parking and guest parking: The revised prioritization criteria explicitly
recognize parking and lane removal as negative impacts, with point deductions when "five or
more regularly used parking spaces are removed" or when a travel lane is eliminated over
more than 10% of a project's length. The purple projects by definition are the ones most likely
to require these trade-offs, and yet the plan does not provide project -by -project parking loss
numbers that residents can evaluate today. Approving these facilities in concept, and deferring
the true parking analysis to a later 30% design phase, pushes a large, real impact onto
individual households without giving them clear information now.
• Emergency vehicle access and lane width: Many of the purple projects contemplate either
buffered or concrete -separated Class IV bikeways on constrained corridors. Once a hard
median or curb -separated bikeway is built adjacent to a narrower general-purpose lane, cars
can no longer pull right into a wide shoulder or curb lane to yield to fire trucks or ambulances.
This is especially problematic on corridors that will see more emergency responder trips in the
near future, such as Stevens Creek Boulevard and connecting streets serving medical and
senior facilities. The ATP is asking you to pre -approve these corridors before that impact is
fully analyzed.
• One -size -fits -all separated design: Some community members asked to "upgrade buffered
bike lanes to separated bikeways" on high-speed corridors. That preference on wide arterials
should not automatically drive the choice of concrete separation on constrained residential
segments, where loss of curb access, driveway conflicts, school drop-off operations, and
emergency operations are far more acute. The ATP should explicitly distinguish where full
separation is essential (e.g., high-speed, multi -lane arterials) versus where lower -speed
neighborhood streets can safely be served with shared or advisory treatments that preserve
parking and curb flexibility.
• Data -first policy conflicts: The revised prioritization framework emphasizes objective
metrics, removal of "Fairness" as a subjective criterion, and additional negative scoring for
projects that impact arterials or remove parking and lanes. Yet the purple corridors are being
advanced as network "must -haves" without the same level of quantitative balancing for
neighborhood and school impacts, especially emergency response and daily school circulation.
New development and emergency response impacts
Several near -term projects will significantly increase emergency responder activity along
Stevens Creek Boulevard and adjacent streets:
• The planned Westport development at Mary Avenue and Stevens Creek Boulevard, which
includes more than 130 assisted -living units and 36 memory -care units, will generate frequent
ambulance and fire responses due to the frailty of its residents.
• The proposed 25,000-square-foot medical clinic facility at DeAnza College Parking Lot B
will add another high -intensity medical destination, increasing emergency calls and patient
transport along Stevens Creek, Stelling, Mary, Pepper Tree Lane, McClellan Road, and the
surrounding network.
These facilities will rely on rapid access along exactly the streets where concrete -separated
bike lanes are being proposed in purple. When general-purpose lanes are narrowed and a rigid
curb or median separates traffic from the bikeway, drivers can no longer swing into an
extra -wide curb lane or shoulder to create space for emergency vehicles. Instead, traffic often
becomes "trapped" between the separation and the centerline, forcing fire trucks and
ambulances to thread slowly through the middle of the lane, adding seconds or minutes to
response times when every second matters.
Designing these corridors with unforgiving concrete separation, at the same time we are
adding high -need medical and senior uses, is an avoidable conflict. The ATP should explicitly
recognize these planned uses and direct that on Stevens Creek Boulevard, Stelling Road, Mary
Avenue, Pepper Tree Lane, McClellan Road, and nearby connections, emergency access and
yield -space remain a hard constraint on bikeway design.
School access and Faria Elementary (Bonny Avenue and Pepper Tree Lane)
Two of the purple -proposed bike facilities are on Bonny Avenue and Pepper Tree Lane, which
directly serve Faria Elementary. Over 600 families drive on these roads twice a day for school
drop-off and pick-up.
Parents rely on exactly this curb space to:
• Queue vehicles safely in an organized fashion.
• Park on Bonny and Pepper Tree and then walk the last segment with their children into
campus.
Removing street parking on Bonny Avenue and Pepper Tree Lane to meet buffer or separation
width requirements would fundamentally disrupt this daily operation for roughly 600
students.
It would:
• Force parents into longer, more chaotic queues on already -congested arterials.
• Push parking and loading activity deeper into adjacent residential side streets that are not
designed for this intensity.
• Increase the number of children crossing uncontrolled or mid -block locations as families
hunt for replacement parking further away from school.
A plan that claims to prioritize Safe Routes to School cannot simultaneously remove the very
curb space parents use to stage and walk the "last stretch" to Faria. Any purple bikeway
concept on Bonny and Pepper Tree should be removed from the ATP and replaced with a
school -specific circulation and safety plan that preserves on -street parking and focuses on
speed management, crosswalk upgrades, and crossing -guard support rather than lane and
parking removal.
Other school drop-off and pick-up impacts
The same pattern of conflict appears along several other purple corridors:
• Homestead Road: Serves multiple school communities; parking and wide lanes along some
segments are used informally for staging and drop-off. Converting these segments to
concrete -separated bikeways will constrain both school circulation and emergency yield space.
• Stelling Road: Carries heavy school -hour traffic and walking/biking to nearby schools.
Removing curbside parking and hard -separating the bikeway would reduce safe, legal
short-term parking near schools and limit options for parents to pull over when children need
assistance.
• Blaney Avenue: Used by families accessing nearby schools and the Blaney/Stevens Creek
intersection. Wider buffered lanes at the expense of residential curb parking would make it
harder for parents to find safe, proximate parking and walk children to school.
• Bollinger Road, Mary Avenue, McClellan Road, and connecting residential streets: All
function as part of the practical school access network, even if not directly fronting school
property. Removing parking on these streets as part of purple bike lane projects will displace
school -hour parking and loading into other blocks and complicate traffic patterns around
schools.
The ATP already emphasizes the importance of Suggested Routes to School, Safe Routes to
School programming, and intersection -level safety measures. It would be far more consistent
with those goals to prioritize intersection improvements, traffic calming, and crossing safety,
rather than corridor -wide parking and lane removals on the very streets that families depend
on for daily school access.
Corridor -by -corridor opposition (summary)
For the reasons above, I oppose the purple -designated bike lane projects that would remove
parking or narrow emergency -critical lanes on:
• Homestead Road (buffered and separated bike lanes)
• Stevens Creek Boulevard (separated bike lanes, especially near Westport and De Anza
College)
• Stelling Road (buffered and separated bikeways)
• Blaney Avenue (buffered bikeways on residential segments)
• Bollinger Road (buffered bikeways)
• Foothill Boulevard and Wolfe Road (separated bikeways on constrained sections)
• Bonny Avenue and Pepper Tree Lane (bike lanes affecting Faria Elementary access)
On each of these corridors, I ask that Council explicitly remove the purple row identified bike
lane projects from the ATP.
Requests to Council
In light of the above, I respectfully request that the Cupertino City Council:
1. Direct staff to remove all purple -designated bike lane segments from the ATP including
but not limited to the segments of Stevens Creek Boulevard, Homestead Road, Stelling Road,
Blaney Avenue, Bollinger Road, Foothill Boulevard, Wolfe Road, Bonny Avenue, Pepper
Tree Lane, Mary Avenue, McClellan Road, and nearby school -access streets.
2. Explicitly account for the upcoming Westport senior assisted -living and memory -care
project and the planned De Anza College medical clinic in any design decisions for Stevens
Creek Boulevard and its feeder streets, treating emergency response and yield -space as
non-negotiable design constraints.
3. Protect school access by prohibiting ATP projects that remove curbside parking or
materially disrupt drop-off/pick-up operations around Faria Elementary and other schools,
unless and until a replacement circulation and parking plan is designed with parents, school
staff, and public safety and is approved in a separate, transparent process.
4. Where safety concerns are real, prioritize technology -based safety improvements only
rather than corridor -wide parking and lane removals.
This approach would allow Cupertino to pursue genuine safety improvements in line with its
Vision Zero and Climate Action Plan goals, while still honoring the daily realities of residents
who need curbside access for their families, caregivers, and guests and who depend on clear,
unobstructed paths for emergency response, particularly as the City adds new senior and
medical facilities that will increase the volume and urgency of emergency medical calls.
Thank you for considering this perspective as you refine the ATP.
Sincerely,
San Rao (writing on behalf of myself only as a Cupertino resident)