Santa Clara County Transportation Digest

Learn how Mountain View is planning to drop parking requirements in parts of the city slated for new housing.

Experts don’t know how much gas prices may rise from the revised California climate program, which tightens standards and gives incentives for low-carbon fuels. The board ordered an annual review of the cost impacts.

Voters have approved a measure to extend Quarry Road to the Palo Alto Transit Center.

As part of a state authorized program, the City of San Jose is in the process of installing several speed cameras to test their effectiveness in improving traffic and pedestrian safety.

California motorists buy and consume a billion gallons of gasoline each month and are very sensitive about pump prices, which are markedly higher than those in other states. Naturally, they are a political football.

The state air board will vote on changes to its landmark clean fuel program that would cut more greenhouse gases but could raise the cost of gas and diesel.

Tens of thousands of California ride-hailing drivers, and possibly more, could eventually get back pay after a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that clears the way for the state and some cities to proceed with their lawsuits against Uber and Lyft.

The state Senate signs off on Gov. Newsom’s bill to stop spikes in California gas prices. A final vote is scheduled on Monday.

On Aug. 31, when Gov. Gavin Newsom called a special session on gas prices, California motorists were paying $4.61 per gallon on average, $1.27 more than the national average.
On October 7, when the state Senate finally convened, prices were $4.68 in California, or $1.51 above the national average.

The Assembly approves Gov. Newsom’s bill on oil refineries on a 44-17 vote. But the state Senate will have its say during the special session.

The City of Milpitas has placed a measure on the November ballot to extend an existing quarter-cent sales tax another eight years to fund emergency services, street repairs and city parks.

The governor wants new gas reserves to dampen seasonal price spikes. Refiners say the move would raise prices and require new storage tanks.

California is the seventh U.S. state to adopt mobile driver’s licenses for iPhones, part of a growing push by businesses and governments to make digital IDs commonplace.

The City of Milpitas is the recipient of a $2.9 million grant from the US Department of Transportation program to increase pedestrian and bike safety along school routes.

A plan by the City of Cupertino to reduce automobile lanes on De Anza Boulevard to increase bicycle safety is receiving pushback from residents.

Celebrating their new electric train service, CalTrain is offering free rides September 21 and 22.

Following the direction of the Federal Aviation Commission, the City of San Jose began clearing a homeless encampment from under a flight path serving San Jose Mineta International Airport.

California Highway Patrol officers received historically high raises in 2022 and 2023, but it continues to face a high vacancy rate of 16%.

A proposed market-rate housing project for Lick Avenue in San Jose has been updated to instead build 215 affordable homes as the first phase of a 565-unit project.

Estimates for the cost of the Diridon Station development range from $3 billion to $10 billion.

The EPA must grant a waiver before the diesel truck measure can be implemented. It’s one of California’s most controversial measures to clean up air pollution and greenhouse gases.

The Palo Alto City Council approved neighborhood parking permits for employees of some El Camino Real businesses.

The City of Palo Alto is working out how to shift parking to accommodate bike lanes on El Camino Real.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles granted approval for Mountain View-based self-driving car company Nuro to test a new model of autonomous vehicle on local streets.

Public chargers must be built at an unprecedented pace to meet the target in less than 7 years, and then doubled to 2 million in 2035. The high cost — $120,000 or more for one fast charger— is just one obstacle.

Approval of environmental documents for the last segment of the 463-mile high speed rail project means preparation of construction may commence.

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District board voted to move forward with a $38 project to provide a safe crossing of Highway 17 near the Lexington Resrvoir for both people and wildlife.

On June 11, the Santa Clara County Valley Transportation Agency released a state audit report noting a lack in transparency in financial records and election outcomes.

In its June 18 meeting, the Palo Alto City Council approved a plan for the addition of bike lanes on El Camino Real.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held June 14 celebrating the start of construction of the $13 billion 6-mile BART extension to Silicon Valley.

A ground-breaking on June 8 marks the beginning of construction for the Valley Transportation Agency Eastridge light-rail extension and connection to BART.

A Bay Area transit funding bill is delayed so supporters can seek consensus on how the money will be raised and distributed.