REPORT TO BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Recommend to City Council to Remove On-Street Parking for the Northbound Direction on Willow Avenue between Reed Avenue and Aster Avenue and to Install Bicycle Lanes on Both Sides of the Street Per the Active Transportation Plan
Report
BACKGROUND
Willow Avenue is a posted 25 miles per hour north-south local collector street that connects Reed Avenue and the Lawrence Caltrain Station, providing direct pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular access to the train station. It is located within the Lawrence Station Area Plan area, and Willow Avenue terminates at the Lawrence Caltrain Station at the City of Sunnyvale/Santa Clara city limits, which then transitions into French Street within the City of Santa Clara. Willow Avenue has one travel lane in each direction and has on-street parking on both sides of the street for approximately 720 feet north of Reed Avenue; there is no on-street parking for the remainder of the street. There is currently no bicycle facility on Willow Avenue, bicyclists and vehicular traffic must share the travel lane.
Along the western side of Willow Avenue, there are multi-family residential units and a childcare facility; along the eastern side of Willow Avenue, there are several automobile repair shops, restaurants and a supermarket.
The City Council adopted the Lawrence Station Area Plan (LSAP) at its December 6, 2016 meeting (RTC No. 16-1108). In the adopted LSAP, Willow Avenue was identified as a key access route for pedestrians and bicyclists heading to and from the Lawrence Caltrain Station. The proposed improvements identified on Willow Avenue include filling in missing sidewalk gaps and installing a Class II Bicycle Lane on Willow Avenue between Reed Avenue and 350 feet north of Aster Avenue. Willow Avenue, with the improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities, will improve north-south connectivity through the LSAP area.
At the August 25, 2020 meeting, City Council ad...
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