mobility
5 1
Introduction
Cupertino’s transportation system is multi-faceted. It integrates walkways, sidewalks, bicycle routes, bus transit facilities, local streets, major roadways and freeways into a single, integrated system that supports the city’s high quality of life. At the local level, this includes facilities that connect neighborhoods with pedestrian, bicycle and automobile routes. Longer distance connections include links to major boulevards, expressways, commuter rail and the regional freeway system.
This Element includes goals, policies and strategies that the City will use in making decisions regarding transportation network improvements needed to accommodate Cupertino’s anticipated growth. The purpose for this Element is to implement strategies that make alternative modes of transportation attractive choices. This will help reduce strain on the automobile network and improve health and quality of life for Cupertino residents and businesses.
CONTENTS:
M-2 Introduction
M-3 Context
Regional Transportation
Planning
Link between Land Use and
Transportation
Complete Streets
Greenhouse Gases and
Transportation
Pedestrians and Bicyclists
Performance Measurement
Transportation Network
M-12 Looking Forward
M-13 Goals and Policies
Regional Coordination
Complete Streets
Walkability and Bikeability
Transit
Safe Routes to Schools
Vehicle Parking
Transportation Impact Analysis
Greenhouse Gas Emissions and
Air Quality
Roadway System Efficiency
Transportation Infrastructure
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CONTEXT
Cupertino’s circulation system was developed mostly in a suburban and auto- oriented pattern during the 1950s and 1960s. Over the years, the City has enhanced its roadway infrastructure with a system of bike lanes, trails, bridges, better sidewalks and publicly accessible connections in new development.
Cupertino is also served by many important regional transportation facilities such as Highway 85, Interstate 280, Lawrence Expressway, and bus transit service provided by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA).
The community anticipates reductions in auto traffic impacts, enhancements to the walking and biking environment, improvements to existing transit service, and connections to key transit nodes including Caltrain. As such, the goals in this Element respond to current conditions and present policies to adequately address future change.
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
Cupertino’s local transportation infrastructure is supplemented by regional facilities and services through agencies such as the VTA, the local congestion - management agency, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the Bay Area’s regional transportation authority, and Caltrans, the State Department of Transportation. Each agency has a long-term plan consisting of policies and projects which are connected to the operational success of Cupertino’s local transportation network. Key projects for these agencies include:
• Interchange Improvements at Interstate 280/Highway 85 (MTC–Plan Bay Area)
• Stevens Creek Bus Rapid Transit (MTC–Plan Bay Area)
Regional transit service primarily includes bus lines operated by VTA that run along the city’s major corridors, including Stevens Creek Boulevard, De Anza Boulevard and Wolfe Road, and portions of Homestead Road, Stelling Road and Tantau Avenue. Regional facilities include a bus transit station at De Anza
College and within the Vallco Shopping District. As new development projects are proposed, the City will continue to identify opportunities for improvements to bus stop facilities, such as the new Apple Campus 2 area at Wolfe Road, Homestead Road and Tantau Avenue and the Main Street project at Tantau Avenue and Stevens Creek Boulevard.
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A relatively new trend in regional commute transportation is the implementation of private bus and shuttle services to connect workers and major employers throughout the Bay Area. While currently this activity is not regulated or organized among these employers, it is beneficial in the regional effort to reduce the reliance on Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOVs).
The One Bay Area Grant Program is a new funding approach that better integrates the region’s federal transportation program with California’s landmark climate change law (Assembly Bill 32, 2006) and Sustainable Communities Strategy program (Senate Bill 375, 2008). Funding distribution to the counties considers progress toward achieving local land use and housing policies by:
• Supporting the Sustainable Communities Strategy for the Bay Area by promoting transportation investments in Priority Development Areas (PDAs); and
• Providing a higher proportion of funding to local agencies and additional investment flexibility to invest in bicycle and pedestrian improvements, local streets and roadway preservation and planning activities, while also providing specific funding opportunities for Safe Routes to School (SR2S) and Priority Conservation Areas.
The goals and policies included in this Element and the Land Use and Community Design Element seek to take advantage of regional planning and funding efforts. They implement strategies that encourage the location of future growth in Cupertino’s Priority Development Areas along Stevens Creek Boulevard and portions of De Anza Boulevard, and by advocating for improved service and improvements to regional infrastructure.
LINK BETWEEN LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION
In order to maintain and enhance the quality of life for Cupertino residents and businesses, it is important to ensure that future growth does not overwhelm the transportation network, identify ways to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and improve the health of our community. Land use and mobility policies included
in the General Plan seek to do so by working together to focus future growth along major mixed-use corridors and within PDAs. Mobility policies also seek to improve the walking/biking environment and enhance transit to ensure that the transportation network is accessible to people of all ages and abilities, including CHAPTER 5: MOBILITY ELEMENT | general plan (community vision 2015 - 2040) M-5
school children, the disabled and the elderly. These policies also promote connectivity between neighborhoods and services, and between key nodes in order to reduce reliance on the automobile as the sole mode of transportation.
COMPLETE STREETS
The California Complete Streets Act (2008) places the planning, designing and building of “Complete Streets” into the larger planning framework of the General Plan by requiring jurisdictions to plan for multi-modal transportation networks. Complete Streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users including pedestrians, bicyclists, the disabled, motorists, seniors, users of public transportation and movers of commercial goods. These networks allow people to effectively travel to key destinations within their community and the larger region. In addition, all transportation projects should be evaluated as to their ability to improve safety, access and mobility for all travelers and recognize pedestrian, bicycle and transit modes as integral elements of their transportation system.
Cupertino has already begun the work of reviewing the existing street network and looking for new opportunities to improve alternative modes of transportation through the construction of sidewalks, walking paths, bike lanes, trails and bridges across pedestrian barriers, such as the Don Burnett Bridge at Mary Avenue. The goals and policies in this Element seek to continue the work of making enhancements to the transportation network to encourage all modes of transportation.
GREENHOUSE GASES AND TRANSPORTATION
A major challenge of today is meeting the energy needs of a growing population while also protecting air quality and natural resources. The majority of greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to carbon dioxide emissions
from the transportation sector. A 2010 inventory of Cupertino’s community- wide emissions shows that transportation accounts for almost 41 percent of community-wide emissions. Therefore, reducing the number of automobile trips, particularly from single-occupancy vehicles, can provide the greatest benefit in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Cupertino.
The goals and policies in this Element work in tandem with other General Plan policies to address issues of sustainability, health and air quality by taking CHAPTER 5: MOBILITY ELEMENT | general plan (community vision 2015 - 2040) M-6
advantage of opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Low- carbon fuels, new and improved vehicle technologies, and land use strategies and infrastructure improvements to reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled can reduce transportation-related emissions significantly.
PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS
Cupertino has made considerable strides improving walkability and bikeability with new or improved bike lanes, sidewalks and pedestrian connections.
However, many older commercial areas and neighborhoods continue to lack a pedestrian and bike-friendly environment where students can safely walk and bike to school, and families can walk or bike to parks and nearby community facilities and shopping. This was a consistent theme expressed by participants during public workshops conducted as part of the General Plan Amendment.
Areas are generally considered walkable if people can safely walk to schools, parks and services within a half mile (less than10-14 minutes) distance. A bike- friendly city provides a network of streets and paths where people can bike safely and conveniently to community facilities, employment and shopping. The goals and policies of this Element, along with the City’s Bicycle Transportation Plan and Pedestrian Plan, seek to further improve and enhance the walking and biking environment through capital improvement projects, development review, and retrofitting existing facilities within older commercial areas and neighborhoods.
Figure M-1 identifies existing and planned improvements to bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the city.
PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
Senate Bill 743 (2013) created a process to change the way that transportation impacts are analyzed under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The process helps achieve the State’s goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and traffic-related air pollution, promotes the development of a multi-modal transportation system, and provides clean, efficient access to major destinations.
Specifically, the law requires an alternative to automobile level of service (LOS) for evaluating transportation impacts. Particularly within areas served by transit, alternative criteria are required to promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the development of multi-modal transportation networks, and a diversity of land uses.
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Like many cities, Cupertino has used LOS as a performance measure to evaluate traffic impacts. Historically, this has led cities to focus entirely on improvements to auto infrastructure, often to the detriment of other modes of transportation.
Consistent with State law, this Element seeks to look at performance measures that balance the needs of all modes of transportation, including automobile, walking, biking and transit. Such new measures can range from looking at vehicle miles traveled (VMT) as a measure of balancing land uses to reviewing seconds of delay for all travel modes as a measure of impacts to traffic. This will allow the City to develop and maintain a Transportation Improvement Plan that includes pedestrian, bicycle, transit and automobile network enhancements, and Transportation Systems Management (TSM) and Travel Demand Management (TDM) measures to improve efficiency of the network.
TRANSPORTATION NETWORK
Cupertino’s transportation network consists of a variety of street types and pathways. The network determines not only how various land uses are connected but also the modes of transportation used by people to access them. Table M-1 defines the various street types and paths in terms of their character, adjoining current and future land uses, modes of travel that they currently support, and improvements needed to enhance access for all modes of transportation.
Close alignment of the City’s Capital Improvement Program with Community Vision 2040 priorities will allow the City to strategically plan and direct resources to develop this multi-modal transportation infrastructure.
Figure M-2 shows the
geographical locations of the major roadways.
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FIGURE M-1
CURRENT (2014) AND PROPOSED
BICYCLE NETWORK
RAINBOW
Legend
City Boundary
Heart of the City Boundary
Urban Service Area Boundary
Sphere of Influence
Boundary Agreement Line
Unincorporated Areas
Bike Lanes on Street
* Note: see Complete Streets policy for implementation
Bike Paths Off Street
Bike Route
Right of Way Public Access
N
HOMESTEAD
ROAD
BUBB ROAD
STELLING RD
De ANZA BLVD
BLANEY AVE
WOLFE RD
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TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
MANAGEMENT (TSM)
TSM is an approach to congestion mitigation that identifies improvements to enhance the capacity of existing roadways through better operations. These techniques help improve traffic flow, air quality and movement of vehicles and goods, as well as enhance system accessibility and safety. TSM strategies are low-cost and effective, and typically include: intersection and signal improvements; data collection to monitor system performance; and/or special events management strategies.
TRANSPORTATION DEMAND
MANAGEMENT (TDM)
TDM seeks to reduce travel demand (specifically that of single-occupancy car) by encouraging other modes of travel through requirements and/or incentives. TDM strategies typically include:
commute trip reduction programs; parking policies; and/or incentives to take transit or other modes of transportation.
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Table M-1: Street Typology
Type Mode(s) of
Transportation Guidelines
Freeway
Limited access, part of a regional and/or State network subject to State design standards.
Expressway
Limited access, regional and part of a county network subject to County design standards.
Boulevard (Arterial)
Access and safe crossing for all modes of travel along a regional transportation corridor. May include medians to separate directional travel.
City or multi-jurisdictional design standards apply.
Main Street
Balances all modes of transportation, includes on-street parking and connects to highly pedestrian-oriented uses. Vehicular performance measures may be lowered to prioritize walking and biking.
Avenue
(Major and Minor Collector)
Connector that distributes trips to commercial and residential areas from boulevards, and provides balanced levels of service for auto, bikes and pedestrians.
Neighborhood Connector
Primarily serves and connects neighborhoods and neighborhood services, and facilitates safe walking and biking. May contain elements of Avenues including landscaped median or bus service.
Residential Street
Provides access to low-intensity residential uses, prioritizes walking and biking, and are typically good candidates for traffic calming.
Regional Pedestrian/
Bike Pathway
Part of regional network providing high quality pedestrian and bike paths to connect to other regional destinations.
Local Pedestrian/Bike Pathway
Connects to regional network but part of local infrastructure, provides quality pedestrian and bike paths connecting local destinations.
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Los Altos Sunnyvale
280
85 LAZANZEO DR
Santa Clara
ALVES DR
STEVENS
CREEK
BLVD
VOSS AVE
McCLELLAN
ROAD
PACIFICA DR
KIRWIN LN
San Jose
Stevens Creek
Reservoir
RAINBOW
Saratoga
DRIVE
Legend
City Boundary
Urban Service Area Boundary
Sphere of Influence
Boundary Agreement Line
Unincorporated Areas
Freeway and Expressways
Boulevards (Arterials)
Avenues (Major Collectors)
Avenues (Minor Collectors)
Neighborhood Connectors
Main Street
N 0 0.5 1 Mile
0 1000 2000 3000 Feet
0 500 1000 Meters
FIGURE M-2
CIRCULATION NETWORK
MIRA VISTA RD
LINDA VISTA DR
MANN DR ORANGE AVE
BUBB ROAD
MARY AVE
STELLING RD
De ANZA BLVD
VISTA DR
BLANEY AVE
WOLFE RD
HOMESTEAD ROAD
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LOOKING FORWARD
Maintaining Cupertino’s great quality of life – including convenient access, clean air, and reduced traffic – requires careful management of growth. The City will identify ways to locate appropriate land uses along major mixed-use corridors, improving overall access and connectivity, enhancing the attractiveness of non- vehicular transportation modes, and reducing demand on the roadway network.
The following are ways the City will address key challenges and opportunities facing Cupertino:
1 BETTER LINKAGES BETWEEN LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION.
How we use our land directly impacts our transportation facilities, modes of travel and vice versa. A primary cornerstone of Community Vision 2040 is to focus growth on major mixed-use corridors; support alternate modes of transportation including walking, biking and transit; and encourage a mix of compatible and complementary uses on key sites. These strategies will allow the City to manage growth with reduced traffic, air quality and greenhouse gas impacts.
2 IMPROVED REGIONAL COORDINATION.
The City should continue to participate in regional projects and infrastructure planning to ensure consistency with local planning, and pursue funding for City transportation projects.
3 ENHANCED CONNECTIVITY.
A key objective of the City is to improve connections through streetscape and pathway improvements to ensure that the community enjoys easy walking and biking access to services including parks, schools and shopping. Other strategies seek to supplement existing modes of transportation such as community shuttles through partnerships and agreements and providing links between key transportation nodes. 4 REDUCED DEMAND.
The strategies in this Element seek to reduce demand on the City’s roadway infrastructure through careful land use planning, encourage alternative modes of transportation and utilize best practices in Transportation Demand Management (TDM) and Transportation Systems Management (TSM).
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GOAL M-1
Actively participate in regional planning
processes to coordinate local planning and
to advocate for decisions that meet and
complement the needs of Cupertino
REGIONAL COORDINATION
Regional transportation and land use decisions affect the operation of the transportation network in Cupertino. A key consideration of the General Plan is for the City to participate in regional planning initiatives in order to coordinate local improvements with regional initiatives, advocate for Cupertino’s needs, and take advantage of programs that can support Cupertino’s transportation infrastructure.
POLICY M-1.1: REGIONAL
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
Participate in regional transportation
planning processes to develop
programs consistent with the goals and
policies of Cupertino’s General Plan
and to minimize adverse impacts on
the City’s circulation system. Work with
neighboring cities to address regional
transportation and land use issues of
mutual interest.
POLICY M-1.2: TRANSPORTATION IMPACT
ANALYSIS
Evaluate new development and
redevelopment projects pursuant to the
City’s adopted Transportation Study
Guidelines evaluation criteria.
STRATEGIES:
M-1.2.1: VMT Thresholds
New development and redevelopment projects shall meet the VMT thresholds and reduction strategies described in the Cupertino Municipal Code.
M-1.2.2: Citywide VMT Reduction
Establish a framework for reducing VMT at
the citywide scale. These measures may
include, but are not limited to:
• Working with Valley Transit Authority
to increase bus frequency and speed
throughout Cupertino.
• Unbundling parking costs from
property costs.
• Developing a fair-share cost program
for Silicon Valley Hopper or car share
initiatives for development projects.
• Implementing market pricing for
parking spaces throughout the city.
• Limiting parking supply.
• Discouraging single occupancy vehicle
travel.
• Implementing a citywide bikeshare
program.
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M-1.2.3: Project-Level VMT Reduction
Develop a framework of project-level VMT reduction
measures for new development and redevelopment
projects in the city that exceed the City's adopted VMT threshold. These VMT reduction measures may include,
but are not limited to:
• Requiring the preparation and implementation of a
TDM program appropriate to the project's scale.
• Requiring contributions to a fair-share cost program
for transit, shuttle, or car share programs.
• Requiring a Behavioral Intervention Program to
provide individualized transportation information
for project occupants.
• Requiring an on-site car share program.
M-1.2.4: VMT Mitigation Banking Fee Program
Establish a VMT Mitigation Banking Fee Program. This
program shall fund the construction of facilities
throughout Cupertino that support the reduction of
VMT per service population impacts from new
development and redevelopment projects.
Participate in the development of
new multi-modal analysis methods and impact
thresholds as required by Senate Bill 743. However,
until such impact thresholds are developed, continue
to optimize mobility for all modes of transportation
while striving
to maintain the following intersection Levels of
Service (LOS) at a.m. and p.m. peak traffic hours:
• Major intersections: LOS D
• Stevens Creek Boulevard and De Anza Boulevard: LOS
E+
• Stevens Creek Boulevard and Stelling Road: LOS E+
• De Anza Boulevard and Bollinger Road: LOS E+
POLICY M-1.3: REGIONAL TRAIL DEVELOPMENT
Continue to plan and provide for a
comprehensive system of trails and pathways
consistent with regional systems, including the Bay
Trail, Stevens Creek Corridor and Ridge Trail.
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GOAL M-2
Promote improvements to city streets that
COMPLETE STREETS
Complete Streets policies encourage the design of streets that respond to the needs of all members of the community, balance different modes of transportation, promote the health and well-being of the community, and support environmental sustainability.
POLICY M-2.1: STREET DESIGN
Adopt and maintain street design
standards to optimize mobility for
all transportation modes including
automobiles, walking, bicycling and
transit.
POLICY M-2.2: ADJACENT LAND USE
Design roadway alignments, lane
widths, medians, parking and bicycle
lanes, crosswalks and sidewalks
to complement adjacent land uses
in keeping with the vision of the
Planning Area. Strive to minimize
adverse impacts and expand
alternative transportation options
for all Planning Areas (Special Areas
and Neighborhoods). Improvement
standards shall also consider
the urban, suburban and rural
environments found within the city.
STRATEGIES:
M-2.2.1: Rural Road Improvement
Standards.
Consider candidate rural roads and
develop specific street improvement
standards that preserve the rural
character of these streets. Rural
roads would typically feature natural
landscaping, no sidewalks and narrow
unpaved shoulders.
M-2.2.2: Semi-Rural Road Improvement
Standards.
Consider candidate semi-rural roads
where curb and gutter improvements,
and no sidewalks, are appropriate.
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M-2.2.3: Urban Road Improvement
Standards.
Develop urban improvement
standards for arterials such
as Stevens Creek and De Anza
Boulevards. In these areas, standards
may include wide sidewalks, tree
wells, seating, bike racks and
appropriate street furniture.
M-2.2.4: Suburban Road Improvement
Standards.
Develop suburban road improvement
standards for all streets not
designated as rural, semi-rural or in
the Crossroads Area.
POLICY M-2.3: CONNECTIVITY
Promote pedestrian and bicycle
improvements that improve
connectivity between planning areas,
neighborhoods and services, and
foster a sense of community.
STRATEGIES:
M-2.3.1: Inter Block Connectivity.
Require new development and
redevelopment to provide inter-
block connectivity to allow improved
access to all sites on the block from
secondary streets, access to the
street network via controlled
intersections, minimize conflicts with
pedestrian and bicycle traffic on
primary streets, and convenient
access for service vehicles.
POLICY M-2.4: COMMUNITY IMPACTS
Reduce traffic impacts and support
alternative modes of transportation
rather than constructing barriers
to mobility. Do not close streets
unless there is a demonstrated
safety or over-whelming through
traffic problem and there are no
acceptable alternatives since street
closures move the problem from
one street to another.
POLICY M-2.5: PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY
Ensure all new public and private
streets are publicly accessible to
improve walkability and reduce
impacts on existing streets.
POLICY M-2.6: TRAFFIC CALMING
Consider the implementation of best
practices on streets to reduce speeds
and make them user-friendly for
alternative modes of transportation,
including pedestrians and bicyclists.
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GOAL M-3
WALKABILITY AND BIKEABILITY
Walkability and bikeability policies encourage a livable, healthy, sustainable and connected city with a safe and comfortable pedestrian network among its various neighborhoods, parks, trails, employment centers, community facilities, neighborhood centers and commercial centers.
POLICY M-3.1: BICYCLE AND
PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN
Adopt and maintain a Bicycle and
Pedestrian master plan, which outlines
policies and improvements to streets,
extension of trails, and pathways to
create a safe way for people of all ages
to bike and walk on a daily basis, and
as shown in
Figure M-1.
POLICY M-3.2: DEVELOPMENT
Require new development and
redevelopment to increase
connectivity through direct and safe
pedestrian connections to public
amenities, neighborhoods, shopping
and employment destinations
throughout the city.
POLICY M-3.3: PEDESTRIAN AND
BICYCLE CROSSINGS
Enhance pedestrian and bicycle
crossings and pathways at key
locations across physical barriers such
as creeks, highways and road barriers.
POLICY M-3.4: STREET WIDTHS
Preserve and enhance citywide
pedestrian and bike connectivity by
limiting street widening purely for
automobiles as a means of improving
traffic flow.
POLICY M-3.5: CURB CUTS
Minimize the number and the width of
driveway openings.
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STRATEGIES:
M-3.5.1: Shared Driveway Access.
Encourage Require property
owners to use shared driveway
access and interconnected roads
within blocks, where feasible.
Require driveway access
closures, consolidations or both
when a site is remodeled or
redeveloped.
M-3.5.2: Direct Access from Secondary
Streets.
Encourage Require propertiesy with
frontages on major and secondary
streets to provide direct pedestrian
and vehicular access to driveways from
the secondary street.
POLICY M-3.6: SAFE SPACES FOR
PEDESTRIANS
Require parking lots to include
clearly defined paths for pedestrians
to provide a safe path to building
entrances.
POLICY M-3.7: CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
PROGRAM
Plan for improvements to pedestrian
and bicycle facilities and eliminate
gaps along the pedestrian and bicycle
network as part of the City’s Capital
Improvement Program.
POLICY M-3.8: BICYCLE PARKING
Require new development and
redevelopment to provide public and
private bicycle parking.
POLICY M-3.9: OUTREACH
Actively engage the community in
promoting walking and bicycling
through education, encouragement
and outreach on improvement projects
and programs.
POLICY M-3.10: PROACTIVE
ENFORCEMENT
Prioritize enforcement of traffic
speeds and regulations on all streets
with bike lanes, bike routes, and
around schools.
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GOAL M-4
Promote local and regional transit that
is efficient, frequent and convenient and
reduces traffic impacts
TRANSIT
Transit policies encourage planning and coordination of regional and local transit services, both public and private, to accommodate diverse community needs and to make transit a safe, comfortable and efficient option
POLICY M-4.1: TRANSIT AGENCIES
Coordinate with VTA to improve
transportation service, infrastructure
and access in the city, and to connect
to transportation facilities such as
Caltrain and VTA light rail stations.
POLICY M-4.2: LOCAL TRANSPORTATION
SERVICES
Create or partner with transit
providers, employers, educational
institutions, and major commercial
entities to minimize gaps within local
transportation services.
POLICY M-4.3: CONNECTING SPECIAL
AREAS
Identify and implement new or
enhanced transit services to connect
all Special Areas as identified in
Figure PA-1 (Chapter 2: Planning
Areas).
POLICY M-4.4: TRANSIT FACILITIES
WITH NEW DEVELOPMENT
Work with VTA and/or major
developments to ensure all new
development projects include
amenities to support public transit
including bus stop shelters, space for
transit vehicles as appropriate and
attractive amenities such as trash
receptacles, signage, seating and
lighting.
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POLICY M-4.5: ACCESS TO TRANSIT
SERVICES
Support right-of-way design and
amenities consistent with local transit
goals to improve transit as a viable
alternative to driving.
POLICY M-4.6: BUS AND SHUTTLE
PROGRAMS
Work with large regional employers
and private commuter bus/shuttle
programs to provide safe pick-up,
drop-off, and park and rides in order to
reduce single occupancy vehicle trips.
POLICY M-4.7: VALLCO SHOPPING
DISTRICT TRANSFER STATION
Work with VTA and/or other
transportation service organizations
to study and develop a transit transfer
station that incorporates a hub for
alternative transportation services
such as, car sharing, bike sharing and/
or other services.
POLICY M-4.8: MICRO-TRANSIT
Continue to support a local micro-transit
option, such as the Silicon Valley Hopper
or similar service.
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GOAL M-5
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL
Safe routes to schools policies protect the safety of school children and promote health, environmental sustainability and social interaction. They leverage local, regional and national Safe Routes to Schools Program resources to support increased walking and bicycling to schools.
POLICY M-5.1: SAFE ROUTES TO
SCHOOLS
Promote Safe Routes to Schools
programs for all schools serving the
city.
STRATEGIES:
M-5.1.1. Coordination with School
Districts.
Coordinate with the School Districts
to develop plans and programs that
encourage car/van-pooling, stagger
hours of adjacent schools, establish
drop-off locations, and encourage
walking and bicycling to school.
M-5.1.2. Teen Commission.
Encourage the Teen Commission to
work with schools to encourage year-
round programs to incentivize walking
and biking to school.
POLICY M-5.2: PRIORITIZING PROJECTS
Ensure that bicycle and pedestrian
safety improvements include projects
to enhance safe accessibility to
schools.
POLICY M-5.3: CONNECTIONS TO TRAILS
Connect schools to the citywide trail
system.
POLICY M-5.4: EDUCATION
Support education programs that
promote safe walking and bicycling to
schools.
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GOAL M-6
Promote innovative strategies to provide
efficient and adequate vehicle parking
VEHICLE PARKING
Vehicle parking policies encourage efficient and adequate parking, avoid negative effects on the pedestrian environment or surrounding neighborhoods, and support the City’s goals for Complete Streets, walkability, bikeability and effective transit.
POLICY M-6.1: PARKING CODES
Maintain efficient and updated parking
standards to ensure that development
provides adequate parking, both on-
street and off-street depending on the
characteristics of the development,
while also reducing reliance on the
automobile.
POLICY M-6.2: OFF-STREET PARKING
Ensure new off-street parking is
properly designed and efficiently used.
POLICY M-6.3: UNBUNDLED PARKING
Where required by State law, require
residential, commercial, and office uses
to unbundle parking. Encourage
commercial and office uses to unbundle
parking.
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GOAL M-7
transportation including automobiles,
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT ANALYSIS
Transportation Impact Analysis policies enable effective, informed transportation planning by using a more balanced system of indicators, data and monitoring to evaluate the city’s multi-modal transportation system and optimize travel by all transportation modes.
POLICY M-7.1: MULTI-MODAL
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT ANALYSIS
Follow guidelines set by the VTA
related to transportation impact
analyses, while conforming to State
goals for multi-modal performance
targets.
POLICY M-7.2: PROTECTED
INTERSECTIONS
Consider adopting a Protected
Intersection policy, which would
identify intersections where
improvements would not be
considered, which would degrade
levels of service for non-vehicular
modes of transportation. Potential
locations include intersections in
Priority Development Areas (PDAs)
and other areas where non-vehicular
transportation is a key consideration,
such as, near shopping districts,
schools, parks and senior citizen
developments.
CHAPTER 5: MOBILITY ELEMENT | general plan (community vision 2015 - 2040) M-22
GOAL M-8
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND AIR QUALITY
Greenhouse gas emissions and air quality policies in this Element work in tandem with other General Plan policies to reduce municipal and community-wide greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality throughout Cupertino.
POLICY M-8.1: GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONSTRANSPORTATION
Promote transportation policies
that help to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
STRATEGIES:
M-8.1.1. TSM Strategies.
Employ TSM strategies to improve
efficiency of the transportation
infrastructure including strategic right-
of-way improvements, intelligent
transportation systems and optimization
of signal timing to coordinate traffic
flow.
M-8.1.2. Major and Large Employers.
Require major and large employers,
including colleges and schools, to
develop and maintain TDM programs to
reduce vehicle trips generated by their
employees and students and develop a
tracking method to monitor results.
M-8.1.3. TDM Ordinance.
Develop and adopt a TDM ordinance
to reduce vehicle trips with specific
implementation actions for all
development projects and a
monitoring and reporting program to
ensure implementation.
POLICY M-8.2: LAND USE
Support development and
transportation improvements that help
reduce greenhouse gas emissions by
reducing per service population
capita Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT),
reducing impacts on the City’s
transportation network
and maintaining the desired levels of
service for all modes of transportation.
STRATEGIES:
M-8.2.1. Design of New Development.
Require new development to include
CHAPTER 5: MOBILITY ELEMENT | general plan (community vision 2015 - 2040) M-23
shared amenities that encourage the use of transit, bicycling, or walking as alternative modes of transportation.
M-8.2.2. Pedestrian Activity.
Require new development to provide
pedestrian pathways to entrances, and
orient buildings and entrances to the
street, to encourage pedestrian activity.
M-8.2.3. Commercial Development.
Require new commercial developments
to provide shared office facilities,
cafeterias, daycare facilities,
lunchrooms, showers, bicycle parking,
home offices, shuttle buses to transit
facilities and other amenities that
encourage the use of transit, bicycling
or walking as commute modes to work.
M-8.2.4. Residential and Mixed-Use
Development.
Require new residential or mixed-use
developments to provide shared bicycle
parking and bike repair stations at
locations close to entrances.
POLICY M-8.36: ALTERNATIVE FUEL
CHARGING STATIONS
Develop a city-wide strategy to
encourage the construction of a
network of public and private
alternative fuel vehicle charging/
fueling stations.
POLICY M-8.3: TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT (TSM)
PROGRAMS
Employ TSM strategies to improve
efficiency of the transportation infrastructure including strategic right-of-way improvements, intelligent transportation systems and optimization of signal timing to coordinate traffic flow.
POLICY M-8.4: TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT (TDM)
PROGRAMS
Require large employers, including
colleges and schools, to develop and maintain TDM programs to reduce vehicle trips generated by their employees and students and develop a tracking method to monitor results.
CHAPTER 5: MOBILITY ELEMENT | general plan (community vision 2015 - 2040) M-24
POLICY M-8.5: DESIGN OF NEW
DEVELOPMENTS
Encourage new commercial
developments to provide shared office
facilities, cafeterias, daycare facilities,
lunchrooms, showers, bicycle parking,
home offices, shuttle buses to transit
facilities and other amenities that
encourage the use of transit, bicycling
or walking as commute modes to
work. Provide pedestrian pathways
and orient buildings to the street to
encourage pedestrian activity.
CHAPTER 5: MOBILITY ELEMENT | general plan (community vision 2015 - 2040) M-25
D USE AND COMMUNITY CHARACTER ELEMENT | cupertino community vision 2040
GOAL M-9
Promote effective and efficient use of the
city's transportation network and services
ROADWAY SYSTEM EFFICIENCY
Roadway system efficiency policies make effective use of roadway capacity by encouraging strategic roadway improvements and complementary policies promoting transit, walking, bicycling and complete streets.
POLICY M-9.1: EFFICIENT AUTOMOBILE
INFRASTRUCTURE
Strive to maximize the efficiency of
existing infrastructure by locating
appropriate land uses along
roadways and retrofitting streets
to be accessible for all modes of
transportation.
POLICY M-9.2: REDUCED TRAVEL
DEMAND
Promote effective TDM programs for
existing and new development.
POLICY M-9.3: STREET WIDTH
Except as required by environmental
review for new developments, limit
widening of streets as a means of
improving traffic efficiency and focus
instead on operational improvements
to preserve community character.
STRATEGIES:
M-9.3.1. Wolfe Road Overcrossing.
Consider alternate designs for the
Wolfe Road/I-280 Interchange (e.g.,
from partial cloverleaf design to
diamond design) when evaluating
the need to widen the freeway
overcrossing.
M-9.3.2. Streetscape Design.
When reviewing the widening of an
existing street, consider aesthetically
pleasing enhancements and amenities
to improve the safe movement of
pedestrians and bicyclists in keeping
with the vision of the Planning Area.
CHAPTER 3: LAN
CHAPTER 5: MOBILITY ELEMENT | general plan (community vision 2015 - 2040) M-26
GOAL M-10
modes of transportation and that projects
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
Transportation infrastructure policies promote safe, attractive and well- maintained facilities for walking, bicycling, transit and automobiles.
POLICY M-10.1: TRANSPORTATION
IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Develop and implement an updated
citywide transportation improvement
plan necessary to accommodate
vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle
transportation improvements to meet
the City’s needs.
POLICY M-10.2: TRANSPORTATION
IMPACT FEE
Ensure sustainable funding levels for
the Transportation Improvement Plan
by enacting a transportation impact
fee for new development.
POLICY M-10.3: MULTI-MODAL
IMPROVEMENTS
Integrate the financing, design and
construction of pedestrian and bicycle
facilities with street projects. Build
pedestrian and bicycle improvements
at the same time as improvements
for vehicular circulation to enable
travelers to transition from one mode
of transportation to another (e.g.,
bicycle to bus).
POLICY M-10.4: ROADWAY
MAINTENANCE FUNDING
Identify and secure new funding
sources to fund the on-going routine
maintenance of roadways.