Final Plan – April 2026
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Final Plan
April 2026
This plan was prepared with funding provided by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) through the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program.
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Acknowledgements
Project Team
Pete Rice
Nicholas Frey
Colin Heyne
Wilson Tam
Ramses Madou
Cindy Adrian
Technical Advisory Committee
Anup Tapase, Metropolitan Transportation Commission
Albert Hew, Caltrans
Taslima Khanum, Caltrans
Zachary Chop, Caltrans
Benyam Aghegnehu, Santa Clara County Roads and Airports Department
Lola Torney, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Larissa Sanderfer, Santa Clara Valley Transportation
Authority
Nick Moore, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority David Kobayashi, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Mike Liw, City of Santa Clara
Steve Chan, City of Santa Clara
Roberto Alonzo, City of Milpitas
José Ruano, City of San José, Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement Joe Sordi, City of San José, Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement Liz Sewell, City of San José, Parks and Neighborhood Recreation Services Vu Dao, City of San José, Transportation (Traffic Safety) Jesse Mintz-Roth, City of San José, Transportation (Vision Zero) Scott Karoly, City of San José, Transportation (Active Transportation Program)
P
atrick Lee, City of San José, Transportation (Geometric Design) Andrew Luong, City of San José, Transportation (Traffic Signal Design) Neil Ong, City of San José, Transportation (Regional Project Delivery) Fabian Hernandez, City of San José, Transportation (Regional Project Delivery)
Noëlle Rábago, City of San José, Economic Development
Office of District 4 City Councilmember David
Cohen
David Cohen, Councilmember
Lam Nguyen, Chief of Staff
Mara Privitt, Operations Manager
Marlee Borges, Legislation Director
Eric V. Osborne, Communications Manager
Ralph Balaoing, Community Engagement & Policy Liaison
Justin Wang, Interim Legislative Director
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SJSU – MUP Program 295 Class of Fall 2023
David Bafumi
Alyssa Beyer
Sophie Chertok
Jovanny Escareno
Scott Karoly
Dexter Kennedy
Robert Mason
Hannah Meeks
Juan Mendez
Adilene Moreno
Nhu Nguyen
G. W. Devon Pack
Milauni Patel
Steven Peck
Elisha St. Laurent
Mary Thomasmeyer
Jordan Weinberg
Sheng Xiong
Richard Kos, Professor
Don Weden, Project Advisor
C
onsultant Team
Arup
Fehr & Peers
Winter Consultants
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements 2
Executive Summary 5
Introduction 13
Vision and Goals 18
Recommendations 33
Implementation 68
Priority Projects 76
Conclusion 84
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Executive Summary
North San José has evolved from its agricultural past into a center for industrial, manufacturing, and office growth. This evolution was driven in part by demand for large parcels and building footprints. While these land uses have contributed to San José’s economic success, North San José was designed primarily for cars, not people. Industrial parks, office campuses, expansive surface parking lots, and auto-oriented commercial areas have led to a reliance on driving for most trips. The result is not just traffic congestion, but also a lack of neighborhood connection, street life, and transportation options – it can be challenging to get around and enjoy public space without a car. With the number of residents and
workers in North San José forecast to double by 2040, this auto-centric model is no longer sustainable. Without a new approach, traffic congestion will worsen, and greenhouse gas emissions will increase, leading to declining safety and quality of life. Now is the time to reimagine how North San José will grow.
Growth does not mean we should have more cars on the road in North San José – new development and transportation
investments can work together to build a more attractive and healthy community. Thoughtful changes to how we design
streets, prioritize transit, and support biking and walking, paired with mixed-use development and public space, can support North San José in becoming a thriving, inclusive place where people of all ages and incomes can access jobs,
Figure 1 Connect North San José Study Area
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schools, parks, and services with more choices than just driving.
Connect North San José (Plan) outlines the steps to get there:
safer infrastructure, more reliable transit, better connections to transit, and new policies and programs that make taking more trips by walking, biking, and transit easy and delightful.
Rooted in the City of San José’s Move San José strategy, this Plan applies citywide goals to one of San José’s most dynamic, yet underserved areas. Connect North San José brings this citywide strategy down to the neighborhood level. It applies Move San José’s goals to one of our most promising neighborhoods for economic development while also addressing a neighborhood that has faced long-standing transportation challenges. With the tools, goals, and policies in place, this Plan is about making change tangible: converting goals and strategies into projects, data into decisions, and plans into action.
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What we heard
724 community members engaged
45 activities
16 stakeholder/business interviews
3 transportation audits
7 pop-ins/pop-ups
3 public workshops
1 community capacity building session
2 online surveys
Our Community Partners:
Prosperity Labs: A nonprofit dedicated to empowering
historically underserved communities, women, and micro- enterprises through economic development tools and
inclusive strategies.
L
EAD Filipino: A national nonprofit advancing civic
engagement, health equity, and grassroots action within Filipina/x/o and broader AAPI communities.
S
an José Bike Party: A monthly social cycling event that builds community through themed rides, promoting fun
and safe bicycling in and around San José.
A
rt Builds Community: A women-led public art planning
and consulting firm that integrates artists' perspectives into the creative design of public spaces.
S
ilicon Valley Bicycle Coalition: A nonprofit organization working to create healthier and more just communities by making bicycling safe and accessible through education, advocacy, and fun in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.
Key Themes
Transit Enhancements: Improving transit was one of
the most common requests. People want faster light
rail, more frequent buses, and better transit stop
amenities.
C
ommunity and Cultural Spaces: People want more
parks, plazas, night markets, and gathering places to
bring life to the area beyond business hours.
P
edestrian Safety: Responders voiced concerns
about pedestrian safety along North First Street,
Montague Expressway, and Brokaw Road, with
widespread support for improved crossings, shade,
and lighting.
B
icycle Infrastructure: Barriers to safe biking,
especially along high-speed corridors lacking physical
protection -and the need for protected bike lanes and
safer trail connections were top concerns.
T
raffic Congestion and Car Travel: Drivers cited
frustrations with driving conditions, including long
waits at traffic signals, left-turn delays, and worries about removing vehicle lanes before viable
alternatives are available.
A
ccessibility and Inclusion: Seniors, people with
disabilities, and community-based organizations
emphasized the need for access to physical Clipper
cards, shaded stops, and inclusive design practices like ADA-compliant curb ramps and sidewalks.
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Vision and Goals
Through our outreach meetings with businesses, community-based organizations (CBOs), agency stakeholders, and community leaders, the project team defined a vision that guides this Plan.
The Plan is based on three overarching goals to achieve this vision. Move San José laid the groundwork and provided focus for transportation challenges in North San José. This Plan’s goals, informed by outreach and stakeholder engagement, identify the community’s unique needs and add more clarity to context-specific challenges in the area. These goals help to articulate our vision for the future, guiding the development of a multimodal, safe, and connected transportation network. They also help us to measure outcomes, allowing staff to evaluate and prioritize projects effectively. The goals for the Plan include:
Our Vision: A safe, equitable, and climate-friendly multimodal transportation network that is innovative, supports economic vitality, and bridges community barriers.
Less Driving:
Encourage sustainable and
multimodal travel choices.
Access for All:
Prioritize investments that
improve access for all and direct
resources towards areas of need.
20-Minute Neighborhoods:
Develop a transportation network
that improves access to day-to-day
services and amenities
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What we found
Land use as a barrier and an
opportunity
North San José’s current abundant land
has enabled growth in high tech,
industrial, and manufacturing jobs;
fueling much of San José’s economy.
These large blocks, single-use zones,
wide setbacks —along with an
overabundance of parking—create an
environment that feels uninviting for
walking, biking, or taking transit.
With nearly half the area dedicated to
parking and few active ground-floor
uses, streets lack the vitality and
connectivity needed to support
multimodal travel.
Transit is not
competitive (yet)
Transit in North San José has strong
potential but is hindered by infrequent
and slow service, safety concerns, and
limited pedestrian access. As a result,
only 3% of commute trips are made by
transit. However, the foundation exists
with VTA routes currently linking key
destinations and regional hubs.
Targeted investments to speed,
reliability, safety, and pedestrian access
to transit stops are needed to unlock
transit’s full value.
Infrastructure that
divides
North San José’s auto-oriented
infrastructure, shaped by freeways,
expressways, and wide roadways, was
built to support vehicle movement and
industrial growth, but it now acts as a
barrier to multimodal connectivity.
These roads isolate neighborhoods,
prevent access to parks and services
without a car, and slow down transit.
This limits options for those without cars
and contributes to congestion for those
who drive. North San José currently
ranks last in the city for multimodal
access to goods and services.
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How We Will Deliver
Connect North San José outlines more than 400 multimodal transportation improvements across the Plan Area. These recommendations are grouped into 17 near- to mid-term projects that are ready for implementation, along with seven “Big Move” projects that will require deeper partnerships, additional analysis, and long-range planning. The Plan also recommends new policies and programs to support these transportation investments.
Together, these projects represent a roadmap to reshape how people move in and around North San José. Some improvements are small but meaningful, like a new crosswalk, protected bike lane, or closing a gap in the sidewalk network.
Others are more transformational, like improved transit corridors, a new street and paseo network, and infrastructure that reclaims space from cars for public use.
While all these projects are important for the complete transformation of North San José into a truly multimodal neighborhood, we have identified the six most crucial projects that can have the greatest impact on giving people the option to opt out of their cars and into healthier, safer modes of transportation.
For these projects, we identified immediate next steps and timelines for actions that can advance these projects to implementation as soon as possible.
Figure 2 Our Vision requires us to think boldly in North San José
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Six Priority Projects Benefits Feasibility Cost
North First Street Transit-Priority Improvements
North First Street is the backbone of North San José’s transit network, but users face challenges today. To unlock its full potential, near-term improvements like signal upgrades, pedestrian enhancements, protected bike lanes, and other changes are needed to reduce delays between light rail and general traffic and create a safer, more welcoming corridor for all users.
Slow Street and Paseo Network
Building on past plans and policies, Connect North San José advances a new network of “slow streets” and paseos, especially for residential areas, that prioritize walking, biking, and neighborhood connection. This will transform large blocks into more livable, people-centered places that are designed for low-speed and local access travel.
Zanker Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Connection
This project will enhance Zanker Road as a vital north-south connector by improving safety for walking and biking by upgrading crossings, installing protected bike lanes, and filling gaps in the sidewalk network while maintaining freight and auto access and strengthening connections to schools, jobs, and key destinations.
M
ontague Expressway/First Street Grade Separation
A grade separation of Montague Expressway at North First Street will significantly reduce light rail delays at North First Street, enhance pedestrian and bike connectivity, and create new public space by separating high-volume east-west traffic from local streets.
C
harcot Avenue Bike-Priority Improvements
This project will upgrade Charcot Avenue with protected bike lanes, improved intersections, and a complete sidewalk network, creating a low-stress, state-of-the-art east-west connection that links to the proposed I-880 bicycle and pedestrian overcrossing.
I
-880/Charcot Avenue Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing This project will create a new bicycle and pedestrian overcrossing over I-880 between Charcot Avenue and Silk Wood Road, addressing community safety concerns and bridging a key east-west gap to better connect neighborhoods, schools, and trails across North San José.
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2. Introduction
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Introduction
North San José is an economic engine for
San José, the region, and the world. Once
known for orchards and fruit farms, it is
now a global tech hub. That growth has
brought major opportunity—but also
major challenges.
The area is the homeland of the Tamien Nation and Muwekma Ohlone Tribes. It has also served as an agricultural hub for the Santa Clara Valley, with farms that grew fruit and other crops.
Its central location in the region and available land have made the area a magnet for jobs and innovation. After World War II, farms were developed into large industrial parks,
manufacturing buildings, and offices, shifting North San José’s identity from agriculture to industry. The large agricultural tracts from the past are still evident today in the large block sizes of current developments.
Over the years, companies like Cisco, PayPal, Samsung, Apple, and Google have set up offices here, typically in industrial parks with large parking lots.
Figure 3 Connect North San José Study Area
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North San José has over 115,000 jobs and is home to almost 46,000 residents. That’s about a quarter of all jobs in San José, and nearly the same population as Morgan Hill.
Development of the freeway system and construction of the San José Mineta International Airport in the last century are defining elements of North San José’s environment today. As a result, North San José is surrounded on all sides by major infrastructure. The area is bounded by US-101, I-880, and SR 237, and divided by wide streets like Montague Expressway, Tasman Drive, and Zanker Road. Together, these features limit the number of routes into and out of the area, creating a small number of key access points that require coordinated, multi-agency efforts to improve.
Historically, easy access to regional roadways supported employment growth in North San José. But traffic has increased over time. Nearby neighborhoods—especially historically underserved communities— experience more pollution, noise, and dangerous streets. VTA light rail expanded travel options in the area, but North San José is still designed mainly for driving, which limits light rail’s potential as a practical alternative.
Figure 4 Jobs in North San José Compared to the rest of the city 26%
74%
Jobs in North San José (2024)
North San José
San José
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Figure 5 Historical Timeline for North San José
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As a result, North San José today functions more as a series of disconnected destinations than a unified part of the city. The area lacks a clear identity that reflects the diverse people who live, work, and attend school here.
But that’s changing. Planning efforts are underway that could double the number of people who live and work in North San José by 2040. The City has been working to bring more housing and jobs to the area, including recently adopting new housing overlay sites to attract affordable housing development in locations well-suited to transit. This anticipated growth is a generational opportunity. As the area continues to redevelop, we can leverage that change to create a place that lives up to our goals for equity, climate action, and quality of life. To support this, we need to rethink the way we design our streets and how we prioritize the transportation options that help people get where they need to go.
This scale of change requires us to think boldly about the future of transportation in the area.
Connect North San José is a 20-year community plan that identifies and prioritizes transportation improvements that are focused on enhancing safety, encouraging more
sustainable trips, and supporting ambitious growth while minimizing traffic.
Figure 6 Population Growth in North San José
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3. Vision and Goals
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Vision and Goals
San José’s City Council has set an ambitious blueprint for the future of transportation in our city—one that centers climate action and equity and expands transportation choices. To meet our city’s climate targets, the number of trips made by walking, biking, transit, or shared rides needs to double by 2050. For North San José specifically, this means that by 2040, two-thirds of all trips will need to be made using sustainable modes. That is a substantial shift from today, as only one-third of trips in the Plan Area are currently made without a private vehicle.
What we heard
The Connect North San José planning process brought together a wide range of community voices to reimagine transportation, mobility, and neighborhood vibrancy across the Plan Area. Through three distinct outreach phases, we deployed engagement strategies, including pop-ups, listening sessions, surveys, workshops, and local business and stakeholder interviews that allowed community members to actively shape the Plan. The engagement process was designed to prioritize equity, elevate historically disadvantaged community perspectives, and ensure that proposed improvements reflect local needs and lived experiences.
To date, the project team has engaged over 720 people through 48 distinct events and two online surveys. Each touchpoint represents an individual, CBO, business, or neighborhood association. Key themes that emerged throughout the engagement process include:
• Community and cultural spaces were a consistent desire, with calls for parks, plazas, night markets, and gathering places to bring life to the area beyond business hours.
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• Access to daily needs such as groceries, schools, and jobs is limited, with community members noting that it is often difficult to get into and out of North San José, especially without a car, highlighting the need for better connections. • Pedestrian safety improvements particularly along North First Street, Montague Expressway, and Brokaw Road saw widespread community support, including improved c
rossings, shade, and lighting.
• Bicycle access challenges, especially on high-speed corridors lacking physical p
rotection were noted, leading to strong demand for protected bike lanes and safer trail connections.
• Transit improvement suggestions topped nearly every engagement activity.
C
ommunity members requested faster light rail, more frequent buses (especially on Route 59), and better transit stop amenities.
• Congestion and car travel frustrations highlighted how limited access points into and out of North San José concentrate traffic, leading to long signal wait times, left-tur n
d
elays, and concerns about removing vehicle lanes before viable alternatives are in place.
• Accessibility and inclusion were emphasized by seniors, people with disabilities, and C
BOs who highlighted the need for physical Clipper cards, shaded transit stops, and inclusive design practices.
This feedback directly shaped the proposed projects and informed design concepts included in this Plan such as:
• Filling in sidewalk gaps, incorporating mid-block crossings, and introducing pedestrian- scale lighting in response to pedestrian safety concerns. • Expanding trail connectivity and safer, continuous, and connected bike infrastructure. • Advancing regional and corridor-scale projects that improve connections into and out of North San José, particularly for people walking, biking, and taking transit.
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• New street grid concepts integrating more public gathering areas and shortened superblocks. • Light rail station modifications and signal improvements to improve speed and reliability.
Ultimately, the Plan responds to what the community told us: that a successful transportation network must support walking, biking, and transit not just as options, but as preferred and safe ways to get around.
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Move San José
In 2022, the San José City Council unanimously adopted Move San José, a citywide transportation plan that charts a path toward more sustainable, accessible, and people-focused mobility. Developed in collaboration with community members, the plan outlines nine transportation goals and key performance indicators that help us make decisions, measure progress, and hold us accountable to our goals. Move San José provided the starting point to better understand transportation challenges in North San José.
Figure 7 Move San José Goal Performance for North San José
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Compared with the rest of the city, North San José scores lower in several Move San José goal areas including:
1. Transportation Safety: The City should maintain and
make improvements to the bike, walk, roll, and transit
systems to support Vision Zero, eliminating fatalities
and severe injuries while providing safe mobility for all in
North San José. There is a major disparity in
transportation safety for Equity Priority Communities
(EPC) in North San José, with EPCs scoring almost 50%
lower for Transportation Safety compared to the area
as a whole. EPCs are census tracts identified by the
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) as
having higher concentrations of underserved
populations such as low-income households, people of
color, and individuals with limited English proficiency. 37 Crashes that resulted in a severe injury
900 Crashes since 2020
75 Crashes involved a bicyclist or a pedestrian
15 Crashes that resulted in a fatality
Figure 8 Bike and Pedestrian Crashes in North San José since 2020
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2. Access for All: There should be more transportation
education, affordability, choices, and uptake of non-
vehicular options, especially in historically underserved communities and for people with limited mobility in North San José. North San José performs 60% lower than the
citywide average for Access for All.
70%
Average household income spent on housing
and transportation in Equity Priority
Communities in North San José
39%
Average household income spent on housing
and transportation in non-EPC neighborhoods
in North San José
Figure 9 Existing Transit Routes and Equity Priority Communities
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3. 20-Minute Neighborhoods: North San José should have
more great places, so it is easy to run errands and get to schools and parks without a car. This is the worst
performing goal area for North San José, with the 20-
Minute Neighborhood score in North San José almost 65%
lower than the citywide average.
11 Average number of goods, services, and
amenities within a 20-minute walk in North
San José
26 Average number of goods, services, and
amenities within a 20-minute walk citywide
Figure 10 Destinations in North San José
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Connect North San José’s Transportation Vision
Through outreach and engagement meetings with businesses, CBOs, agency stakeholders, and community leaders, we defined a vision that guides this Plan.
This vision reflects the community’s desire for a neighborhood that works better for everyone, a place where streets are safe, transit is reliable, and walking and biking are easy choices. It is about rebalancing transportation and land use in the area and redefining what kind of place North San José can be.
The Vision: A safe, equitable, and climate-
friendly multimodal transportation network that
is innovative, supports economic vitality, and
bridges community barriers.
Connect North San José builds on the area’s success by enhancing existing assets like the Guadalupe River Trail, VTA light rail, and planned investments in housing and office space. The Plan identifies ways to make transit faster and more reliable, introduces new street connections, identifies safety improvements, considers opportunities to create more public space, and addresses existing barriers that isolate North San José. This approach will reduce reliance on vehicle use and auto-oriented infrastructure, unlocking the potential to create more vibrant, mixed-use spaces that foster community connections while benefiting the environment. Connect North San José aims to reimagine transportation infrastructure by creating a distinct identity
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and sense of place through thoughtful urban design, public art, and green spaces, encouraging North San José to evolve into a place where people can live, work, play, and thrive without depending on a car.
Connect North San José’s Transportation Goals
This Plan is guided by three overarching goals to achieve our vision. Move San José established a citywide framework of nine transportation goals and performance measures. Connect North San José applies that framework at the neighborhood scale.
Based on performance data and community input, this Plan focuses on three priority goal areas where North San José faces the greatest challenges: Access for All, 20-Minute Neighborhoods, and Less Driving. These goals help articulate our vision for the future, guide the development of a multimodal, safe, and connected transportation network, and help staff evaluate and prioritize projects effectively. The goals for the Connect North San José Plan include:
Less Driving: Encourage
sustainable and
multimodal travel choices.
Access for All:
Develop
a vision for North San José
that provides access for all
and directs investments
towards areas of need.
20-Minute
Neighborhoods:
Develop a transportation
network that promotes
access to day-to-day
services and amenities.
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Access for All: Develop a vision
for North San José that provides
access for all and directs
investments towards areas of
need.
More than 10,000 people live in EPCs in North San José. Many of these communities are located near major transportation corridors, including the US-101, I-880, and the San José Mineta International Airport. Residents living in these areas experience higher rates of exposure to air pollution, traffic safety risks, and other environmental burdens, all while facing greater barriers to accessing reliable, safe, and affordable transportation.
Households in EPCs in North San José spend almost twice the percentage of their household income on transportation as compared to other parts of the Plan Area. When a low-income household spends a large share of its monthly budget on transportation, it reduces what is left over for other essentials like housing, food, and healthcare, which can deepen financial insecurity. This burden is often a direct result of a transportation network that is designed around auto dependency, limited transit options, and poor access to nearby jobs and services, forcing longer and costlier commutes.
Figure 11 Cost of Transportation (% of Household Income)
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20-Minute Neighborhoods:
Develop a transportation network that
promotes access to day-to-day
services and amenities.
The current land use and street network in North San José was largely shaped around making places easy and fast to access in a car. Wide roads, large blocks, and a sea of surface parking lots dominate the area, making it difficult to walk, bike, or take transit for more trips.
In our outreach, residents and workers in North San José consistently shared that the area feels fragmented. They noted that there are few places to buy groceries, take their kids to play, meet up with neighbors, or enjoy public space without needing to drive. This disconnect is reflected in our data as well. North San José ranks lowest in the city for transportation access, a direct result of sidewalk network gaps, large blocks, and a lack of nearby goods and services.
In a people-centered place, streets and development patterns are designed to support daily life. That includes shorter blocks, safer crossings, and access to parks, shops, schools, and services within a short walk, bike ride, or transit trip. The ideal block length for walkability is between 200 and 400 feet, which is short enough to have frequent and safe crossing opportunities. In North San José, typical blocks exceed 600 feet, with some stretching to almost half a mile.
Figure 12 Goods and Services within a 20-Minute Walk
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Less Driving: Encourage sustainable and
multimodal travel choices.
Substantial growth is forecast for North San José. By 2040, the area is expected to grow with over 64,000 new residents and 91,000 new jobs. This will make it one of the most concentrated employment and population centers in the South Bay. Supporting this scale of growth will require a transportation system that can move more people, more efficiently without creating more congestion, pollution, or inequity. The solution is not wider roads but more efficient streets.
Multimodal transportation, including transit, biking, and walking, is more efficient at moving people than cars. A complete street that includes multimodal options like improvements to transit, safer bicycle infrastructure, complete sidewalks, and frequent safe and visible crossings can move almost three times more people than a roadway designed for cars alone. Not only is multimodal transportation more efficient at moving more people in the same amount of space, but it is also critical in helping us reach our commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Today
25%
trips in North San José taken
by biking, walking, transit, or
in shared rides.
By 2050
73%
trips in North San José taken
by biking, walking, transit, or
in shared rides.
Auto Oriented Street
Total Capacity
12,300 people/hr.
Multimodal Street
Total Capacity
30,100 people/hr.
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4. Recommendations
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Recommendations
The recommendations in this Plan turn the Connect North San José vision into projects. They were shaped by community feedback and a close look at where our transportation network works well and where it needs improvement.
At the heart of these recommendations is a collection of infrastructure projects organized by travel mode, each one targeting key needs identified by the community. In addition, supporting programs and policies are included to help advance these ideas through planning, funding, and design efforts. Among the project recommendations are a set of transformative “Big Move” projects. These are bold investments that can reshape how people move through North San José, with a focus on encouraging more walking, biking, and transit use. While these larger projects require dedicated planning, analysis, and construction timelines, they hold the potential to spark lasting change in North San José.
Proposed Multimodal Improvement Projects
Connect North San José uses an overlapping network approach to street design. Most streets are designed to serve everyone—people walking, biking, driving, and taking transit—but each street also has a priority mode that guides design decisions when space is limited or tradeoffs are needed.
This means that while all users are accommodated, some streets will emphasize one travel mode more than others. For example, a street prioritized for biking might include wider bike lanes or better protection, while still allowing vehicles and transit to use the space.
These networks work together to create a complete, connected system, giving people safe and convenient options no matter how they travel. The proposed improvements are shaped by community input and refined through technical analysis. Some build on existing plans, like the Better Bike Plan, while others introduce new ideas to support growth and the future vision for North San José.
The project team identified the role each street plays in the overall network and how to balance different modes. These priorities do not rule out other improvements; they simply help the City focus investments when space or funding is tight.
The recommended modal networks are based on the City of San José’s street typologies in the Envision San José 2040 General
Plan and include:
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• Grand Boulevards (Transit-Priority Streets): Transit comes first. These streets are designed to make buses and light rail faster and more reliable, while improving walking and biking connections to transit stops. • Residential Streets (Slow Streets and Paseos): Focused on safety, comfort, and accessibility for people walking or using an assistive mobility device to access homes and buildings. • On-Street Primary Bicycle Facilities (Bicycle-Priority Streets): These streets feature high-quality, low-stress bike facilities for riders of all ages and abilities, while still supporting other modes. • City Connector Streets: These streets maintain critical traffic and goods movement while providing safe crossings and connections for people walking and biking.
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Figure 13 Recommended Street Typology
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Grand Boulevards
North San José has an extensive transit network, with VTA’s Green, Orange, and Blue light rail lines and major bus routes 60, 20, and 59. Key corridors like North First Street, Tasman Drive, and Brokaw Road link residents, workers, and visitors to major destinations across the South Bay, including the
Sunnyvale Caltrain Station, Milpitas BART, the Great America ACE/Capitol Corridor Station, and San José Mineta
International Airport.
However, transit in North San José is not working as well as it could. Only about 3% of commute trips ending in the area are made by bus or rail. Community members shared why: transit here is often too slow, inconvenient, and doesn’t always feel safe. For example, a light rail trip from Downtown to Riverview Park can take nearly twice as long as driving the same
distance.
Transit presents an opportunity and must play a bigger role in unlocking the future vision and growth in North San José. A single light rail line can move up to 10 times more people than the same roadway space used for cars, making it an essential tool for growing our community while reducing emissions and managing traffic. As North San José grows, investing in projects to make transit fast, reliable, and safe will be key to keep people moving, reduce congestion, and create a more vibrant North San José.
This Plan recommends designating Brokaw Road as a Grand Boulevard and retaining First Street’s Grand Boulevard designation, to support high-quality transit and create people-first streets. Grand Boulevards, which come from the Envision San José 2040 General Plan, are the city’s key transit corridors and are designed to prioritize public transit. They are the main transit routes that connect neighborhoods and employment centers and include infrastructure that speeds up bus and light rail service, improves rider comfort, and creates a safer, more welcoming environment for everyone.
Figure 14 Passenger capacity of different transportation modes. (TUMI)
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Transit-priority features along these streets can include:
- Grade separation
- Left-turn vehicle restrictions
- Bus-only lanes
- Transit stop improvements
- More aggressive transit signal priority
- Enhanced pedestrian crossing improvements (e.g.,
shorter crossings, leading pedestrian intervals, and high- visibility crosswalks)
But these corridors are more than just places that support faster transit. Because every transit rider is also a pedestrian or cyclist, Grand Boulevards also need to provide wide sidewalks, pedestrian amenities, street furniture, landscaping, lighting, and wayfinding. Where feasible, high-quality bike facilities will also be included to support multimodal travel along these corridors and to improve bike access to transit.
“You have to be experienced to use public
transportation in North San José or you will definitely get lost. There are very [few] signs to tell you where
to go if you’re looking for the bus or light rail.”
North San José Resident
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Figure 15 Recommended Transit Priority Projects
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Recommended Transit-Priority Projects
Transit Priority projects will support faster and more reliable transit in North San José, making it easier to take local and regional trips on transit while transforming key streets in North San José into vibrant, multimodal corridors.
T1. Brokaw Road Transit-Priority Improvements
Brokaw Road is a key east–west corridor for transit in North San José, carrying VTA Route 60 Express and providing an important connection to Milpitas BART, the airport, and Caltrain. This project focuses on improving transit speed, reliability, and rider experience along the corridor through a coordinated set of transit-priority upgrades.
Recommended improvements include evaluating a range of transit priority treatments such as transit signal priority, queue jumps, bus stop consolidation, in-lane boarding and bus islands, and targeted lane repurposing where feasible (including potential dedicated transit lanes). Upgraded bus stops with shelters, benches, wayfinding, lighting, and improved boarding areas would enhance rider comfort and support more reliable service.
Pedestrian improvements, including corner bulb-outs, removal of right-turn slip lanes, and closure of sidewalk network gaps, would make access to transit safer and more convenient. While protected bicycle facilities are planned on this corridor, priority should be placed on transit operations and high-quality pedestrian access to stops.
T2. North First Street Transit-Priority Improvements (North of Brokaw) North First Street experiences recurring delays and safety challenges for people walking, biking, and taking transit. These issues are driven by large intersections, long traffic signal cycles, and frequent conflicts with general traffic, which limit the speed, reliability, and overall usability of light rail in North San José.
Near-term improvements on North First Street focus on speeding up light rail and creating a safer, more comfortable environment for people walking and biking. These improvements include signal pre-emption. Signal pre-emption temporarily interrupts the normal traffic signal cycle so light rail can receive a green indication and clear the intersection. Other “Improve pedestrian
infrastructure in the
business sector along
Junction Avenue, specifically
around the intersections
along Charcot Avenue and
East Brokaw Road”
North San José Resident
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improvements include removal of select low-volume left-turn lanes to reduce conflicts with light rail, removal of right-turn slip lanes, narrowing traffic lanes, reducing pedestrian crossing distances through tighter curb radii and bulb-outs, extending pedestrian refuges, installing bi-directional curb ramps with truncated domes, and constructing protected bike lanes and protected intersections along the corridor.
Together, these actions represent critical near-term steps to improve transit performance and safety. However, some constraints—particularly near freeway crossings and other constrained segments—may require longer-term, capital-intensive solutions to fully address (see North First Street Corridor Transformation (Big Move)).
T3. North First Street Corridor Transformation (Big Move) (South of Brokaw) North First Street includes multiple structural constraints, including undercrossings at US-101 and I-880, constrained right-of- way segments, and repeated at-grade conflicts, that limit how effectively the corridor can function for transit, walking, and biking. These issues cannot be fully addressed through operational improvements alone.
San José’s Better Bike Plan 2025 calls for protected bike lanes along North First Street within the Plan Area, including constrained segments south of Brokaw Road. Delivering continuous, low-stress bike lanes in these locations, while maintaining transit performance and safe pedestrian crossings, presents significant design challenges.
This Big Move establishes a long-term vision to transform North First Street into a safer, faster, and more intuitive corridor by addressing challenges that cannot be fully solved through near-term operational improvements alone. Implementing continuous protected bike lanes, improving light rail performance, and resolving safety challenges may require larger, capital- intensive changes.
Future planning efforts, if funded, would evaluate options such as grade-separating light rail by raising or lowering the tracks so trains can cross streets without stopping for traffic signals, reconfiguring the street cross-section, and other structural changes to reduce conflicts and create space for safer crossings and protected bike lanes. A local precedent for grade- separated light rail already exists on the same line about two miles south, where the tracks run below street level under Bassett Street.
By reducing conflicts and overcoming key barriers along North First Street, this Big Move would make it easier and safer to walk, bike, and take transit while improving light rail speed and reliability.
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T4. Tasman Drive Transit-Priority Improvements
In 2020, VTA led the development of the Tasman Drive Complete Streets Study that aimed to transform this corridor—w hich runs through San José, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, and Milpitas—into a multimodal street that prioritizes transit, bicyclists, and pedestrians while still serving motorists.
Connect North San José builds on that work by identifying and p
rioritizing additional improvements along Tasman Drive from the Guadalupe River Trail to Coyote Creek. These improvements include wider sidewalks and pedestrian-scale lighting, vertically separated bike lanes and protected intersections, high-visibility crosswalk treatments at signalized intersections, tighter curb radii, and streetscape improvements.
T5. Montague Expressway / First Street Grade Separation (Big Move)
The largest source of delay for light rail on North First Street occurs at the Montague Expressway crossing, where long signal cycles and high east–west traffic volumes significantly slow transit operations, particularly during peak hours. These delays affect not only light rail reliability, but also traffic flow on Montague Expressway and north–south movements along North First Street.
This Big Move advances grade separation at Montague
Expressway as a long-term solution to improve transit reliability and overall corridor performance. A feasibility study completed by the City in 2021 evaluated multiple grade-separation concepts at this location; this plan reaffirms the need for grade separation and identifies advancement of a preferred concept as a priority next step.
Figure 16 Proposed Grade Separation Alternative at Montague Expressway (artistic rendering for illustrative purposes only, final design subject to future study and approvals)
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Transit signal pre-emption would be a valuable near-term improvement to reduce delay at this intersection. However, grade separation would provide a larger and more lasting benefit by reducing or eliminating signal delay for light rail and improving long-term reliability. Grade-separation concepts could range from separating light rail from Montague Expressway traffic to broader designs that also improve north–south movements along North First Street.
Because North First Street is the premier multimodal corridor in the Plan Area, any grade-separated solution must also prioritize placemaking and corridor quality. Future designs should ensure that the space beneath and around a grade- separated structure supports a safe, welcoming, and active street-level environment. Design features such as lighting, landscaping, public art, clear sightlines, and high-quality pedestrian and bicycle connections would help reinforce North First Street as a place to live, work, and move through comfortably.
Next steps include identifying a preferred alternative, advancing project development and environmental review, coordinating with VTA and partner agencies, and pursuing funding to support implementation.
T6. Light Rail Blue Line Extension (Big Move)
Currently, the Blue Line ends at Baypointe Station, leaving North First Street without a direct light rail connection to regional destinations like Milpitas BART and the Great Mall. This project would extend the Blue Line to South Milpitas Boulevard Station, creating a direct connection to BART and improving access to regional transit.
A direct connection would make transit trips faster and more convenient by reducing or eliminating the need to transfer between lines. Improving regional connectivity would support higher transit ridership and strengthen access between North San José and job centers along the North First Street corridor.
T7. Seamless Airport Connections (Big Move)
Despite being close to San José Mineta International Airport, transit travel between North San José and the airport is often slow and indirect. Improving this connection is critical to supporting jobs, business travel, tourism, and regional access.
This Big Move establishes a long-term vision for a faster, more reliable, and more direct connection between North San José and the airport. Future planning and design efforts, if funded, would evaluate a range of concepts and technologies to identify a feasible and implementable solution. These could include, for example, expanding the planned San José Airport Connector, introducing direct shuttle or transit service, enhancing transit priority, improving connections from VTA light rail, and exploring extended people-mover or moving-walkway connections from key transit stops.
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T8. Mobility Hubs (Big Move)
Mobility hubs are places where people can easily transfer between walking, biking, transit, and shared mobility. For example, someone could take light rail to a station in North San José, then use a bike share or scooter to travel the final half mile to work. Mobility hubs are designed to make these connections easier, improve first- and last-mile access, and provide a more comfortable and reliable travel experience. They can also include amenities that support daily needs and create welcoming public spaces.
This plan recommends the development of mobility hubs at 12 locations across North San José, shown in Figure 17. Many of these locations are at existing VTA light rail stations along North First Street and Tasman Drive, with an additional opportunity at Mineta San José International Airport. Locations along the light rail lines would function as urban district hubs, which are major and local activity centers with moderate to high concentrations of housing and jobs. These mobility hubs support high employment areas with strong transit service and a range of local mobility options. The airport location would function as a pulse hub, which serves the airport as a major destination that brings people to and from the area and supports local economic activity. Multiple regional and local travel modes would converge here, allowing for more efficient transfers.
The plan recommends that the eleven urban district hubs would be in underutilized parking lots at intersection corners adjacent to light rail stations, where they can provide convenient access to transit while minimizing impacts to roadway operations. Because many of these sites are on private property, implementation would require coordination with property owners and may be pursued through easement agreements or as part of redevelopment project reviews.
Mobility hubs in North San José would include a set of improvements that support both transportation and the surrounding public space. Features may include enhanced transit waiting areas, real-time light rail or flight information, secure bicycle parking, bike share stations, electric charging stations, and wayfinding signs. Clear and comfortable pedestrian and bicycle connections to surrounding destinations will be a core component of each hub.
Beyond transportation, mobility hubs can help address the community’s desire for gathering spaces. Mobility hubs can serve as “third places” by incorporating amenities such as seating, shade, lighting, public art, and opportunities for small-scale retail, cafes, and community-serving uses, creating spaces that support activity throughout the day.
Mobility hubs would be implemented incrementally and tailored to their context, with amenities added over time as demand and opportunities evolve. Implementation will require coordination with VTA, private partners, and Transportation Management Associations (TMAs), which can support first- and last-mile services, programming, and ongoing operations.
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Figure 17 Recommended Mobility Hubs
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Pedestrian-Priority Network
An appealing walking environment is essential for a thriving, people-centered North San José. Pedestrian priority streets are designed to offer a high-quality experience for people on foot, with features like shade, wide and accessible sidewalks, frequent crossings, and active street frontages that invite people to linger, explore, and connect. These improvements not only support walkability but also create a sense of place and community.
In a walkable neighborhood, people can move safely and comfortably from one destination to another. Ideally, blocks should be 200 to 400 feet in length to encourage walking and social interaction. However, most of North San José still reflects its agricultural past, with large blocks often exceeding 600 feet, and in some places stretching over 2,000 feet! Many streets also lack active ground- floor uses or pedestrian-scale design elements like parklets or cafes, making walking a less enticing option.
New mixed-used developments, like the River View Apartments, are already demonstrating what is possible with compact design and vibrant, street-facing uses. To build on this momentum, Connect North San José takes a two- pronged approach to pedestrian improvements:
- Expand the street network to shorten walking distances, break up large blocks, and improve pedestrian connectivity.
- Recommend corridor-wide safety improvements, such as
filling sidewalk gaps, tightening curb radii, and constructing ADA-compliant curb ramps, to make walking safer and more comfortable along key corridors.
This two-pronged approach is reflected in the pedestrian-priority projects detailed later in this section. Together, these strategies will create a more walkable and inviting pedestrian environment in North San José, where choosing to walk is not just possible, but comfortable and convenient. “The [commercial] driveways are too steep. I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from tilting over. I’m forced to ride onto private property. Some of these driveways don’t consider people in wheelchairs.”
North San José Resident
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Recommended Pedestrian-Priority Projects
P1. Gish Road/Rosemary Gardens Traffic Calming Improvements Gish Road is a key connection between the Rosemary Gardens neighborhood and North First Street, and it runs near Bachrodt Elementary School. Community feedback has pointed to speeding concerns and limited intersection control along the corridor. This project builds on traffic calming treatments already implemented along the corridor, such as curb extensions, chicanes, mid-block pinch points, median islands, and traffic circles. These improvements help to slow vehicles and improve safety. In addition, raised crosswalks, speed tables, and other vertical traffic calming treatments will be evaluated to make this residential street safer for everyone, especially children walking to school. Additional opportunities to improve walking and biking connections in Rosemary Gardens include re- aligning the curb ramp at the end of Technology Drive to better connect to the multi-use path adjacent to Rosemary Gardens Park.
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P2. Slow Streets Network (Big Move)
In 2010, the North San Jo sé Urban
Design Guidelines established a vision
for development that emphasized
walkability, pedestrian-friendly streets,
connectivity, identity, public art, and
sustainability. The Guidelines also
introduced “slow streets” concepts,
including example street designs that
prioritize people walking and biking and
support a more comfortable
neighborhood street environment.
Connect North San José builds on this
foundation by expanding the slow
streets concept into a more complete
network of local-access streets
designed for walking, biking, and low-
speed vehicle travel.
Slow streets prioritize people over
th
rough traffic by using design and
operations that encourage lower
speeds and create safer, more
comfortable spaces for daily life and
neighborhood connection. Potential
treatments could include traffic
calming, reduced speed limits, curb
extensions, enhanced crossings,
landscaping, and shared-street designs
that strengthen local access while
discouraging cut-through driving.
Figure 19b Proposed Cross Section for Paseos (North San José Area Design Guidelines)
Figure 18a Proposed Cross Section for Slow Street (North San José Area Design Guidelines)
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This Big Move establishes a long-term vision for a more connected and intuitive street network. Where feasible, new local streets should align with existing streets to create more 4-way intersections and a denser, more walkable grid. This helps avoid offset intersections, an existing pattern in San José that reduces connectivity and makes walking and biking less direct.
Because much of North San José will evolve through redevelopment, implementation would occur incrementally through partnership with willing development projects, supported by the San José Department of Transportation. Slow streets would be delivered in ways that support both the development itself and North San José circulation more generally, with specific locations and designs refined through future planning and project review.
P3. Paseo Network (Big Move)
Complementing the Slow Streets project, the proposed Paseo Network focuses on new pedestrian-first paths that connect neighborhoods to trails, parks, and transit, while also accommodating people biking. These paseos will link key active transportation assets such as the Guadalupe River Trail and Coyote Creek Trail, creating car-free routes that prioritize walking while supporting biking. Like Slow Streets, the final locations will depend on how new development occurs, but the vision is to create a comprehensive, low-stress, and accessible network where walking is the most natural choice and biking is safe and convenient.
“Safer and more active places can be connected by better transit and safer bike routes. Placemaking should be a priority, otherwise places people want to go will be far and few between and everyone will drive to those places instead (ala Santana Row and Willow Glen)” North San José Resident
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Bicycle-Priority Network
Biking can be one of the most efficient and enjoyable ways to travel. North San José has major opportunities for biking thanks to investments in trails like the Guadalupe River Trail, a mild climate, and mostly flat terrain. A safe and connected bike network is key to making it easier for more people to bike for everyday trips. This Plan builds on San José’s Better Bike Plan by highlighting priority corridors that form the foundation of a low-stress and connected bike network in North San José.
In 2020, the San José City Council adopted Better Bike Plan 2025. The Better Bike Plan aims to make bicycling safe and convenient for all ages and abilities in all parts of the City. It calls for protected Class IV bike lanes throughout the Connect North San José Plan Area. While nearly all priority corridors in North San José have planned protected bike lanes, certain corridors should have higher priority to provide the highest-quality bike facilities. Connect North San José builds on the Better Bike Plan’s recommendations by prioritizing long-term improvements that create a safe, low-stress, and connected network and redesignates several streets to On-Street Primary Bicycle Facilities.
The Pla n prioritizes On -Street Primary Bicycle Facilities that make biking and scootering safer, more intuitive, and more convenient for riders of all ages and skill levels. These routes emphasize protected bike lanes when space is limited and tradeoffs are required.
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Figure 19 Bicycle-Priority Network and Projects
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Recommended Bicycle-Priority Projects
B1. Coyote Creek Trail Extension
This project will extend the Coyote Creek Trail from Montague Expressway to North Coyote Park, creating a dedicated, paved shared-use path for people walking, biking, and rolling. By completing this segment between Montague Expressway and Charcot Avenue, the project fills a major gap in the low-stress bicycle network and links directly to the proposed I-880 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing. This project is also identified in the San José Better Bike Plan and the San José Trails Master Plan.
B2. River Oaks Parkway Bicycle-
Priority Improvements
This project will upgrade the
existing buffered bike lanes
along River Oaks Parkway to
protected bike lanes. It also
adds protected intersections at
Zanker Road, Cisco Way, and
Research Place, making biking
safer and more intuitive at
these key crossings. Quick-build
protected bike lanes were
installed along River Oaks
Parkway by the 2025 pavement
maintenance program but do
not include protected
intersections. This project
would upgrade the planned
protected bike facility with
more permanent infrastructure
and protected intersections.
Figure 20 Planning Level Concept for Protected Intersection at Zanker and River Oaks Parkway
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B3. Plumeria Drive Bicycle-Priority Improvements
This project will upgrade the existing buffered bike lanes into protected bike lanes that connect to a planned Guadalupe River Trail access point from the City’s North San José Access and Ramp Study– Guadalupe River and Coyote Creek Trails (2017). It will also add a protected intersection at North First Street to improve safety for people biking and walking. This project provides safer bike access to the proposed light rail station and mobility hub at Plumeria Drive and North First Street, making it easier to bike to transit.
B4. Skyport Drive Bicycle-Priority Improvements
This project will upgrade the existing quick-build protected bike lanes on Skyport Drive to more permanent infrastructure, creating a safer and more comfortable route between North First Street and the airport. This project will also explore better connections to the Guadalupe River Trail.
“Drivers never think to check for bikes, they only look for pedestrians. Drivers need to be reminded that
they share the road with bikers.”
North San José Resident
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B5. Charcot Avenue Bicycle-Priority Improvements
This project will upgrade bike lanes on Charcot
Avenue to protected bike lanes and include
intersection upgrades, including the removal of right-
turn slip lanes, at North First Street and Zanker Road.
This project also fills key sidewalk gaps between
Zanker Road and O’Toole Avenue, creating a more
complete multimodal corridor and facilitating a new
low-stress connection to the proposed I-880 Bicycle
and Pedestrian Overcrossing (see below). The project
provides safer bike access to the proposed light rail
station and mobility hub at Charcot Avenue and
North First Street, making it easier to bike to transit.
B6. Component Drive Bicycle-Priority Improvements
This project will add new protected bike lanes along
Component Drive, leading to a new planned access
point to the Guadalupe River Trail from the City’s
North San José Access and Ramp Study – Guadalupe
River and Coyote Creek Trails (2017).
B7. North Fourth Street Bicycle-Priority
Improvements
This project will upgrade existing basic bike lanes on
North Fourth Street to protected bike lanes. The US-
101/Zanker Road/Skyport Drive/Fourth Street
Improvements Project will introduce a new bridge,
with planned protected bike facilities over US-101
that will better connect the north side of the Plan
Area to Rosemary Gardens, Japantown, and
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Downtown San José. Despite Fourth Street’s direct connection to the new interchange, the street will be designed to prioritize bicycle connectivity and discourage regional cut-through traffic towards Downtown San José. Traffic volumes and speeds on Fourth Street are expected to remain low.
B8. Guadalupe River Trail Rio Robles Access
To improve access to the Guadalupe River Trail, this project will formalize a new entry point between the Hetch Hetchy Trail and the Guadalupe River Trail near Rio Robles as identified in the 2017 Ramp Access Study.
B9. I-880 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing
This project will add a new bicycle and pedestrian overcrossing over I-880, linking Charcot Avenue and Silk Wood Lane. Paired with the Charcot Avenue Bicycle-Priority Improvements and the River to Creek Active Greenway, this project provides a dedicated crossing for people walking and biking near Orchard Elementary School, addressing community concerns about safety and traffic in the area. It also fills a critical east–west gap across I-880, linking Oakland Road to the core of the Connect North San José Plan Area. The new crossing would cut the distance between access points across the I-880 barrier by more than half, making it significantly easier for people walking and biking to access jobs, schools, trails, and transit in North San José.
B10. East-West Active Greenway (Big Move)
North San José lacks a continuous, low-stress east–west route for people walking and biking, particularly across major barriers such as I-880 and US-101. These barriers limit access between neighborhoods, regional trails, transit, and destinations, and prevent the Guadalupe River Trail and Coyote Creek Trail from functioning as a connected system.
This Big Move establishes a long-term vision for a continuous east–west active transportation greenway that links the Coyote Creek Trail to the Guadalupe River Trail and crosses both I-880 and US-101. Rather than prescribing a single solution, this Big Move identifies the need to overcome these barriers and sets the stage for future, funded planning and design work to determine how best to do so.
A key question for this Big Move is how to cross US-101 and connect to the Guadalupe River Trail. Potential approaches could include using the existing trail undercrossing to connect on the east side of US-101, creating a new crossing to connect to the trail on the west side, or pursuing other context-sensitive solutions. Future studies would evaluate feasibility, safety, user experience, environmental constraints, and community impacts to identify a preferred approach.
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Foundational projects, such as the I-880 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing and the Charcot Avenue Bicycle-Priority Improvements, represent early steps toward this vision. Together with future investments, these projects would help deliver a safe, intuitive, and connected east–west route that closes critical gaps in the active transportation network.
By addressing long-standing freeway barriers and improving trail-to-trail connectivity, this Big Move supports safer travel, expands access to regional open space and transit, and strengthens connections between neighborhoods.
Figure 21 Example Concept for River to Creek Greenway
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Connector Streets Network
North San José is a significant hub for high-tech employment and manufacturing, supporting the City’s and the region’s reputation as a leader in innovation and technology. The core of this area, known as the “Innovation Triangle” or the “Golden Triangle,” is a magnet for jobs, contributing to San José’s local and regional economy and serving a diverse workforce. Major employers line key corridors like North First Street and Zanker Road, making reliable access for people and goods essential.
To support this economic activity, Connect North San José identifies a network of City Connector Streets. These routes accommodate both local travel and longer trips to regionally significant destinations and highway facilities. City Connector Streets support freight movement, employee commutes, and connections to highways and the airport, while also improving safety and comfort for people walking and biking.
Although vehicle and freight access are key priorities on City Connector Streets, safety improvements for all modes include:
- Safe pedestrian crossings
- Protected bike lanes where feasible
- Complete sidewalks
- Safer intersections
This complete street approach helps ensure these corridors continue to support North San José’s economic vitality while also contributing to the area’s transformation into a safer, more multimodal, and connected neighborhood.
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Figure 22 City Connector Network and Priority Projects
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Recommended Connector Streets Projects
C1. Zanker Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Connection
Zanker Road serves as a key north–south connector in the Innovation Triangle, linking jobs, housing, and major destinations.
This project would deliver multimodal improvements to make biking and walking safer while maintaining freight and auto access.
Improvements include a new pedestrian crossing signal between River Oaks Parkway and Tasman Drive to support safer access to the MacDonald High School complex, intersection upgrades at Tasman Drive, Montague Expressway, Plumeria Drive, Trimble Road, Charcot Avenue, and Brokaw Road, and closure of sidewalk gaps between Trimble Road and Brokaw Road. The project would also add protected bike lanes along the corridor.
This corridor connects directly to the US-101/Zanker Road/Skyport Drive/Fourth Street Improvement Project (R1), which will provide a new crossing over US-101 and improve regional access to and from North San José.
On Zanker Road, in front of Dolores
Huerta Middle School and Kathleen
MacDonald High School:
“What is the incentive for people to
get their kids to bike to school? This
street is way too scary to ride on.”
San José Resident
Figure 23 Planning Level Concept for Protected Intersection at Zanker Road and Charcot Avenue
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South of Montague Expressway, Zanker Road is planned to maintain its existing four-lane configuration. Improvements along this segment would focus on enhancing pedestrian and bicycle crossings at high-traffic intersections and freeway ramps, consistent with the City’s approach to balancing regional access with multimodal priorities.
C2. Oakland Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Connection
This project implements multimodal safety
improvements that make biking and walking safer while
still supporting auto and freight movement.
Improvements will include upgrading the existing bike
lanes on Oakland Road to protected Class IV bike lanes.
While quick-build protected bike lanes were installed
along Oakland Road in fall 2025, this project would
upgrade those facilities with more permanent
infrastructure and include protected intersection
improvements at Oakland Road and Montague
Expressway, including the removal of right-turn slip
lanes to improve pedestrian safety.
C3. Junction Avenue Bicycle and Pedestrian Connection
Junction Avenue is an important north-south industrial connector between Montague Expressway and I-880. This project includes safety improvements to better support multimodal travel along this corridor while still maintaining vehicle and freight mobility. Improvements include adding and improving separated bicycle facilities and closing sidewalk network gaps.
C4. Trimble Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Connection
This project extends protected bike lanes and adds protected intersections along the full Trimble Road corridor, connecting to North First Street, Zanker Road, and Montague Expressway, while closing key sidewalk network gaps to create a safer, continuous east-west route for people walking and biking. This project will tie into the newly completed Trimble Road/US-101 interchange redesign, which improves auto access to neighborhoods to the west and the greater South Bay. The Guadalupe River Trail Bike Connections project has also identified additional improvements to support safe crossings at the Guadalupe River Trail ramp across Trimble Road, including during flood events.
Figure 24 Planning Level Concepts for a Protected Intersection at Oakland Road and Brokaw Road
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Recommended Regional Transportation Projects
One of the most persistent challenges in North San José is limited connectivity across major barriers such as freeways, creeks, and rail corridors. These barriers limit access into and out of the area, creating bottlenecks for all modes. The City of San José, in partnership with VTA and Caltrans, is advancing several regionally significant infrastructure projects to improve multimodal access and circulation in the Plan Area.
R1. US-101/Zanker Road/Skyport Drive/Fourth Street Improvements The US-101/Zanker Road/Skyport Drive/Fourth Street Improvements Project would provide a new north–south connection across US-101, linking Zanker Road north of the freeway with Fourth Street and Skyport Drive. Today, limited crossings of US- 101 constrain access to North San José and create congestion at existing interchanges. This project would introduce a new crossing that improves network connectivity, reduces pressure on nearby interchanges, and provides more direct routes for all modes.
In addition to improving vehicular access, the project would incorporate bicycle and pedestrian facilities, creating a safer and more comfortable crossing of US-101 for people walking and biking. This connection complements the Zanker Road Bicycle and Pedestrian Connection project (C1), which focuses on improving north–south multimodal access along the corridor.
Together, these projects support a more complete and connected transportation network.
The City is also advancing the US-101 Mabury–Berryessa–Oakland Road Corridor Project, which would improve access to the Berryessa BART station and surrounding areas through modifications to existing interchange configurations and local connections. While the existing Oakland Road interchange currently provides a primary access point to North San José, the planned US-101/Zanker Road crossing is expected to become a primary access route in the future.
R2. I-880/Montague Expressway and McCarthy/O’Toole Improvements The I-880/Montague Expressway interchange and the nearby McCarthy Boulevard/O’Toole Avenue intersection are critical connections between major employment centers, residential neighborhoods, and regional transportation corridors. However, both locations experience significant congestion and operational challenges. The existing cloverleaf interchange at I-880 creates weaving conflicts and delay, while the at-grade intersection at McCarthy Boulevard and O’Toole Avenue limits efficient east–west travel along Montague Expressway.
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This project, identified in the 2022 settlement agreement between the City of San José and the County of Santa Clara, would reconfigure the I-880 interchange by converting it from a full cloverleaf to a partial cloverleaf with signalized ramp intersections, and construct a new grade-separated crossing at McCarthy Boulevard/O’Toole Avenue. Together, these improvements would reduce conflicts, improve traffic flow, and strengthen regional connectivity along the Montague Expressway corridor, while also providing an opportunity to incorporate complete streets elements and improve pedestrian and bicycle crossings.
R3. Montague Expressway/Guadalupe River Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing Pedestrian and bicycle amenities on the existing Guadalupe River Bridge at Montague Expressway are limited. Existing pathways are narrow, located only on the north side of the bridge, and lack separation from high-speed vehicle traffic.
This project would construct a new bicycle and pedestrian overcrossing across the Guadalupe River and extend shared-use paths to connect to the Guadalupe River Trail. The overcrossing would also support the County of Santa Clara’s planned shared-use path network along Montague Expressway, improving continuity and access along the corridor.
The overcrossing is identified in the 2022 settlement agreement between the City of San José and the County of Santa Clara.
R4. Trimble Road Flyover
The Trimble Road flyover is a regionally significant project identified in the 2022 settlement agreement between the City of San José and the County of Santa Clara. The project would reconstruct the Montague Expressway/Trimble Road intersection to provide a grade-separated connection, including a flyover ramp to separate westbound left-turn movements from Montague Expressway to Trimble Road from opposing traffic.
Today, the intersection experiences congestion and operational challenges due to high traffic volumes and conflicting turning movements. The flyover would reduce these conflicts, improve traffic flow, and enhance east–west travel reliability along the Montague Expressway corridor.
In addition to improving vehicle operations, the project presents an opportunity to enhance safety and connectivity for people walking and biking by improving crossings and incorporating complete streets elements along the corridor.
Implementation of the project is contingent on future traffic conditions. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the City would evaluate intersection performance and advance the flyover or an alternative congestion mitigation project if conditions warrant.
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Figure 25 Regional Transportation Projects
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Programs and Policies
North San José Transportation Management Association (TMA) Establish a TMA to encourage shared mobility throughout North San José, maximizing coordination across large employers in the area. A TMA could help fund and coordinate programs such as:
- North San José shuttle service connecting key activity centers and regional transit hubs - Community rideshare and guaranteed ride home
- Mobility wallets that work across both
transit and emerging mobility providers
- More secure bike parking facilities
- Demand-based parking pricing and shared
parking programs
- Safe Routes to School programming
- Pedestrian awareness campaigns
- Neighborhood parklet programs
- Seasonal streets programs
- Sidewalk furniture and activation
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Transit Safety Action Plan
Work with VTA to develop a transit safety action plan to ensure the transit experience is safe and feels safe. The action plan would focus on measures the City and VTA can directly influence, such as more frequent transit service, improved lighting at stops, real-time arrival information, visible staff (such as transit ambassadors), and community-informed design. These actions can help reduce harassment, improve cleanliness, and prevent crime.
Micromobility Expansion
Work with shared e-bike and e-scooter operators to increase the amount of docking infrastructure throughout North San José.
Curbside Electric Vehicle Charging
Expand access to EV charging infrastructure throughout North San José. This program is already recommended in the City’s Emerging Mobility Action Plan.
Curbside Management Support Pilot
Establish a pilot program that makes it easier to report sidewalk obstructions. Experience with trash, improperly docked scooters, and other barriers can restrict use of sidewalks, making first/last mile access to transit stations challenging. This program can be incorporated as a feature into the City’s existing San José 311 reporting platform.
Sidewalk Classification Plan
Assign sidewalk classifications for North San José streets that define priorities for new sidewalk projects that reflect the five “sidewalk zone” types. This helps ensure sidewalks follow universal design best practices and support placemaking.
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North San José Wayfinding and Signage Program
Develop a comprehensive wayfinding program
throughout North San José, with signage to key
destinations such as parks, trails, schools, transit
hubs, and other spaces using branding unique to
North San José.
North San José Lighting Scheme
Develop a distinct lighting scheme that is unique to
North San José and increases pedestrian-scale
lighting. A thoughtfully designed lighting scheme can
help North San José shine by celebrating its unique
neighborhood and identifying and creating a more
welcoming environment. Distinctive lighting along
streets, pathways, and in other public spaces also
makes it easier and safer to walk or bike at night.
Public Art
Identify opportunities for public murals, sidewalk, or
crosswalk art throughout North San José to celebrate
community and establish a better sense of place. As
redevelopment occurs in San José, art should be
integrated into public realm improvements like new plazas and street frontage space, including streetscape improvements on North First Street. New paseos, slow streets, and mobility hubs should incorporate public art elements and other placemaking strategies. To maximize the benefits of a future Montague grade-separated crossing, special attention should be given to art, lighting, and placemaking beneath the structure along North First Street to activate the space.
Figure 26 Example Lighting Concepts from San José Downtown Comprehensive Lighting Plan
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5. Implementation
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Implementation
North San José has many opportunities to improve safety, access, and mobility. But how will the City get there? This chapter summarizes how the City can prioritize, fund, and deliver the recommended projects. These projects vary in cost, from a few million dollars for simple safety enhancements to tens of millions of dollars for new street networks. Regardless of their size, these projects can provide significant benefits to the people who use them daily. This Plan identifies over 400 improvements, grouped into 20 near- to mid-term projects that are ready for implementation and eight “Big Move” projects that will require deeper partnerships, additional analysis, and long-range planning.
Many improvements can be delivered through existing City and VTA programs, such as ADA curb ramp upgrades, pavement maintenance, Vision Zero, and Green Streets. Other projects will require additional public funding, such as grants or bonds.
Private developers will also play an important role in implementation through development approvals and public-private partnerships.
While all the projects are important for North San José, this Plan identified six priority projects, including near- to mid-term projects and “Big Moves,” as having the greatest impact on our goals for equity, mode shift, and planning for future growth.
These projects are more complex, requiring additional engineering work, traffic operations analysis, and stakeholder coordination. The six priority projects are:
1. North First Street Transit-Priority Improvements
2. Slow Streets and Paseo Network
3. Brokaw Road Transit-Priority Improvements
4. Montague Expressway / First Street Grade Separation
5. Coyote Creek Trail Extension
6. I-880 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing
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Implementation Pathways
Transportation projects are usually implemented by either a private developer or a public agency. Some of the Connect North San José recommended projects can only be implemented by the City or another public agency, while some of the recommended projects could also be implemented by a developer. When developers implement these improvements, the City may spend less money and staff time, but it also has less control over timing and design. Some improvements, such as certain elements of the Paseo Network, could only be implemented when a developer redevelops the private property on which the Paseo Network is recommended.
Agency-led Efforts
Several agencies will work together to implement many elements of the Connect North San José recommendations. Those agencies and their associated responsibilities are detailed below:
• City of San José Department of Transportation (SJ DOT): Designing and managing the City’s roadways, traffic signals, active transportation facilities, parking, curbs, and sidewalks. • City of San José Department of Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services: Managing city parks, trails, and open space
• City of San José Department of Public Works: Overseeing project permitting processes, as well as the delivery of major capital projects that renovate, replace, or build new City facilities or infrastructure. • Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA): Managing light rail and bus service, as well as ACE shuttle service, and the design and maintenance of bus stops and rail stations throughout the City. • Santa Clara County Roads and Airports Department: Maintaining and improving county expressways, like Montague Expressway, to ensure they are safe, efficient, and responsive to the needs of people who use them every day. • California Department of Transportation (Caltrans): Design and maintenance of state-owned facilities within the right-of-way, including freeway ramps and interchanges throughout North San José. • California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC): Reviews and approves applications to modify highway-rail and highway-light rail crossings, for example, to add or upgrade bicycle facilities on the approaches to the crossing.
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• Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR): Owns and operates the Warm Springs Subdivision railroad line in the project area.
UPRR approval is required for city-proposed changes around highway-rail crossings, such as on Oakland Rd.
Advantages of Agency-led Implementation:
• Better coordination and oversight across projects and modes, maximizing the benefits of bundled implementation. • The City can emphasize safety, equity, and multimodal access even when those elements do not directly serve private development interests
• Access to more diverse funding sources
• Streamlined regional/interagency coordination with existing relationships and agreements Disadvantages of Agency-led Implementation:
• City funding and staffing constraints can delay implementation • Public procurement, environmental review, and interagency coordination can extend schedules compared to private- sector construction timelines
• Budget pressures may lead to scaling back project features, like public art or placemaking
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Project Planning
•Identify and coordinate with
project partners (e.g.
Caltrans, VTA, etc.)
•Advance and refine initial
feasibility and concept
design
•Conduct ongoing outreach,
neighborhood feedback,
and council alignment
•Refine to 30% design and
conduct traffic studies,
VMT/GHG analyses, and
identify required mitigations
•Conduct environmental
review under CEQA and/or
NEPA if needed
•Conduct a baseline "before"
study to document existing
transportation conditions
and intended project
outcomes with quantitative
and qualitative KPIs
Access to Funding
•Work through relevant
commission approvals and
City Council approval
•Align with Santa Clara
County, VTA, and Caltrans
where relevant
•Continued public outreach
and stakeholder
engagement
•Pursue local, state, and
federal funding sources for
project delivery
•Secure match funding and
identify potential
private/public partnerships
if relevant
•Identify existing funding
sources for project
implementation
Bid and Construction
•Finalize 65-100% design
•Acquire easements and
resolve utility conflicts
•Prepare construction
documents and initiate
contractor procurement and
bidding
•Continued public outreach
and stakeholder
engagement
•Construct project
Performance Monitoring
•Conduct an "after" study
following implementation to
assess transportation,
safety, and access outcomes
relative to baseline
conditions
•Use the same quantitative
and qualitative performance
indicators as "before" study
to track progress
•Identify and address
unintended safety or
operational issues through
post-project evaluation
Figure 27 Implementation Pathway through agency-led efforts
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Developer-led Efforts
Private developers implement transportation improvements when they are required to upgrade City infrastructure as part of development approvals. For example, development projects may be required to build sidewalks, plant trees, close network gaps, and improve access for walking, biking, and transit. Developers can also help deliver elements of the bike network and Paseo Network as new sites are built or redeveloped. Several City policies support this approach, including San José’s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Ordinance, the Transportation Analysis Policy, the North San José Urban Design Guidelines, and the San José Citywide Design Standards and Guidelines.
San José TDM Ordinance: Requires new development to incorporate strategies that reduce vehicle trips and support sustainable travel choices such as walking, biking, transit, and shared rides. The ordinance ties project approvals to measurable mobility outcomes, like reducing VMT, encouraging developers to invest in multimodal infrastructure.
Transportation Analysis Policy: Establishes how the City evaluates transportation impacts of new development, shifting focus from vehicle delay (Level of Service) to VMT. This policy helps shift investments toward projects that reduce driving, such as improving transit access, bike network improvements, or new sidewalks, by helping projects meet VMT thresholds.
North San José Area Design Guidelines: Used by staff to review and condition development approvals, meaning compliance is effectively required for projects seeking entitlements in North San José. Conformance with design intent and key standards, like active frontages and pedestrian connectivity, is needed when approving development projects.
San José Citywide Design Standards and Guidelines: These guidelines are integrated into the development review process, and projects must demonstrate consistency, including enhancements that support walking, biking, and transit.
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Like all things, there are benefits and drawbacks to relying on a private developer to implement improvements in public transportation:
Advantages of Developer-led Implementation:
• Projects can be constructed without direct City capital spending. • Requires less staff time to manage and deliver.
• Qualifies for TDM points under the City’s TDM ordinance if needed for development approval. • Some projects that are identified in this Plan that are better implemented by developers include:
o Paseo Networks and/or slow/grid streets internal to private properties but publicly accessible. o Bike racks and other amenities on private properties. o Wayfinding on private properties.
Disadvantages of Developer-led Implementation:
• Implementation timeline is dependent on development timeline, which is driven by market conditions. • Linear projects are delivered piecemeal, and may result in short segments of bike lanes or improved sidewalks intermixed with the current existing conditions for several years, until the neighboring properties are redeveloped. • Too many requirements can reduce development feasibility and may delay or discourage reinvestment in North San José.
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Figure 28 Implementation pathway through new development
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Funding Pathways
Grant Funds
To help deliver projects sooner, the City can pursue funding from a mix of sources. Because grant programs and award cycles can change from year to year, the City should pursue federal opportunities while also prioritizing strong state and local options. Still, the recommended projects are strong candidates for many grant applications because of their multimodal benefits. The Connect North San José Plan makes them even more compelling to grantors for several reasons:
• The projects are part of a larger network that can create a virtuous cycle of mode shift. • The projects are packaged into defined recommendations, which can make them easier to advance into design, environmental clearance, and construction.
• About a quarter of the Plan Area includes Equity Priority Communities (EPCs), strengthening the case for equity-focused funding.
• Much of the project definition and benefits analysis has already been done, making a grant application easier to complete for staff or consultants should the City decide to pursue grant funding.
Potential Barriers to Implementation
Multi-Jurisdictional Coordination
Many recommendations require coordination across multiple City departments and external agencies. For example, improvements at VTA stations require alignment with VTA, and in some locations may also require coordination with Caltrans, the CPUC, utility companies, or adjacent property owners. Each additional partner can add time and complexity to project delivery. Continued coordination through the Connect North San José Technical Advisory Committee can help maintain alignment, resolve issues early, and support smoother implementation.
Environmental Clearance
Projects that use federal funding may require review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which can add time and cost beyond state and local processes. Some state-funded projects may qualify for CEQA streamlining or exemptions.
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Given these factors, the City may choose to prioritize state and local funding for faster delivery while pursuing federal funding when timing and requirements align.
Multiple Funding Sources Complicate Reporting
Seeking multiple grant sources is often required, especially for larger projects, but this can complicate reporting and even grow the size of the project to meet the requirements of different grant programs. It can also be challenging to find matching funds. To address this, the City can consider establishing a centralized grant coordination and pre-approval process for projects in North San José that streamlines matching funds, reporting requirements, and application timelines across departments and agencies.
Effective and Continuous Public Outreach
Even when projects are supported by data and community input, some changes can be controversial. The City should communicate benefits early and often, be clear about tradeoffs, and keep community members informed as projects move from planning to design and delivery. A dedicated communications approach could help explain implementation timing and build on relationships established during this Plan.
Priority Projects
The City is focused on making smart, strategic investments in North San José’s transportation network over the next 20 years.
The recommended projects were identified and prioritized through a structured, data-driven process that builds from corridor-level analysis to project-level evaluation. This implementation strategy is a living document and will be updated to reflect changing funding availability, project readiness, and private development activity.
First, the project team identified key corridors based on existing travel patterns, as well as projected population and employment growth. These corridors represent the most critical connections for accessing jobs, housing, transit, and regional destinations.
Next, the team developed a set of potential improvements using a standardized toolbox of strategies, such as protected bike lanes, safer crossings, transit improvements, and new street connections. These improvements were then combined into projects, typically organized by corridor.
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All recommended projects were evaluated using a consistent prioritization framework that considered four primary factors:
• Project Benefits: Each project was scored by the City’s Decision Support System based on how well it advances Move San José goals and key performance indicators, including safety, access, mode shift, and connectivity. These scores were summed across all improvements within a project to estimate overall benefits. • Cost and Feasibility: Planning-level cost estimates and feasibility considerations were developed for each project, including right-of-way constraints, coordination with partner agencies, phasing opportunities, and potential traffic impacts.
• Equity Assessment: Projects were evaluated to understand how they address community-identified needs, improve conditions in Equity Priority Communities, and avoid unintended negative impacts. This included both data-informed analysis and qualitative review.
• Community Priority: Community input from outreach activities and surveys was used to identify priority corridors and improvement types. These preferences were incorporated into project scoring.
Projects were compared across these factors to identify a set of priority investments that balance impact, feasibility, equity, and community support.
The priority project sheets below summarize each project using a consistent scale from one to five, where one represents lower relative performance and five represents higher relative performance.
All recommended projects will continue to be refined over time. As implementation progresses, the City will use its Decision Support System and ongoing coordination with partner agencies to regularly reassess priorities based on updated data, funding availability, and development activity.
Note: Renderings and illustrations are conceptual and intended to convey long-term vision. Specific designs would be determined through future planning, engineering, and regulatory review.
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North First Street Transit-
Priority Improvements
This project will transform the full length of North San José’s main corridor through the following Complete Streets interventions:
- Transit signal priority or signal pre-emption for light rail - Light rail station amenity improvements
- Physically separated bike lanes
- Removal of select low-volume left-turn lanes and slip lanes - Pedestrian bulb-outs, refuges and upgraded curb ramps - Mobility hubs
Why this project?
A designated priority corridor for both Vision Zero and the Better Bike Plan, North First Street needs near-term improvements to improve safety and access along the full corridor. Light rail speeds and reliability are also in need of improvement.
Implementors:
San José Department of Transportation, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
Next Steps:
Conduct 10% conceptual design, VTA coordination, and
environmental clearance.
Benefits:
Feasibility:
Cost:
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Slow Street and Paseo
Network
Slow streets and paseos create calmer, lower-speed routes for walking and biking by shifting through traffic to busier streets and using design features that discourage cut-through driving.
While this Plan identifies a recommended network, exact locations and timing would be refined over time as redevelopment occurs.
Why this project?
Breaking up mega blocks is key to creating a more human-scaled North San José for people to walk, bike, and congregate.
Implementors:
Future private development projects (especially residential), San José Department of Transportation
Next Steps:
Coordinate with City Planning Division and the Office of Economic Development on street locations and the pipeline for new development.
Benefits:
Feasibility:
Cost:
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Charcot Avenue Bike-Priority
Improvements
This project will upgrade bike lanes on Charcot Avenue to protected bike lanes and includes intersection upgrades like the removal of right-turn slip lanes at North First Street and Zanker Road. This project also fills key sidewalk gaps between Zanker Road and O’Toole Avenue, creating a more complete multimodal corridor.
Why this project?
There are limited east-west connections on the low-stress bike network in North San José, making it feel unsafe and challenging to get from the Guadalupe River Trail to Coyote Creek.
Implementors:
San José Department of Transportation
Next Steps:
Conduct 10% design concepts and environmental clearance.
Benefits:
Feasibility:
Cost:
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Montague Expressway/First
Street Grade Separation
Grade separation at Montague Expressway would address the largest source of delay for light rail on North First Street and improve overall corridor performance. It would also improve safety and comfort for people walking and biking by reducing conflicts with high-volume east–west vehicle traffic.
Because North First Street is the premier multimodal corridor in the Plan Area, the space beneath and around a grade-separated structure should also support a safe, welcoming street
environment and could include new public amenities such as lighting, landscaping, and enhanced pedestrian and bicycle connections.
Why this project?
North First Street is a designated priority corridor in both the City’s Vision Zero program and Better Bike Plan, and light rail speeds and reliability need improvement. The City of San José has completed an engineering feasibility study for grade separation at this location, providing a foundation for future project development.
Implementors:
San José Department of Transportation, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, County Roads & Airports.
Next Steps:
Conduct conceptual alternatives, prepare preliminary engineering (e.g., 10% concepts), coordinate with VTA and regulatory agencies, and initiate environmental reviews.
Benefits:
Feasibility:
Cost:
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I-880/Charcot Avenue Bicycle
and Pedestrian Overcrossing
A new bicycle and pedestrian overcrossing to Fox Lane from Charcot Avenue over I-880 would address a key gap in the low- stress bike network and better connect the Plan Area to East San José.
Why this project?
Currently, there is more than a mile distance between crossing opportunities to travel from the eastern part of the Connect North San José Plan Area to the North First Street core. This new overcrossing would reduce that distance by half, improving connectivity and linkages for EPCs on the east side of I-880 to employment hubs in North San José.
Implementors:
San José Department of Transportation, Caltrans
Next Steps:
Finalize 10% design concepts, Caltrans coordination, and environmental reviews.
Benefits:
Feasibility:
Cost:
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Zanker Road Bicycle and
Pedestrian Connection
This project delivers multimodal improvements to make walking and biking safer while maintaining freight and vehicle mobility. Key elements include a new signalized pedestrian crossing between River Oaks Parkway and Tasman Drive to support safer access to the MacDonald High School complex. The project maintains Zanker Road’s four-lane configuration south of Montague Expressway.
Additional improvements include intersection upgrades at Tasman Drive, Montague Expressway, Plumeria Drive, Trimble Road, Charcot Avenue, and Brokaw Road, closure of sidewalk gaps between Trimble Road and Brokaw Road, and new protected bike lanes.
Why this project?
Zanker Road serves as a key north-south connector in the Innovation Triangle, linking jobs, housing, and major destinations.
Safety improvements are needed to better support active transportation to the MacDonald High School complex.
Implementors:
San José Department of Transportation, Santa Clara Unified School District
Next Steps:
Conduct 10% design concepts and environmental reviews.
Benefits:
Feasibility:
Cost:
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Conclusion
North San José is ready for change, and this Plan lays the groundwork to make it happen. With the community’s input, support from partner agencies, and the leadership of City staff and our partner agencies, we have a clear and actionable path forward to creating a more equitable, safe, and well-connected transportation system. The goals of Connect North San José are within reach, but only if the City and our partners work together. It will take strong coordination, creative problem solving, and a shared commitment to bring these projects to life. This is an opportunity to shape a better future for one of San José’s most dynamic and rapidly growing areas. There is a lot to do, and this Plan provides a clear path to move from ideas to implementation.
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