South Bay City opts to add bike lanes at cost of parking, after heated marathon meeting

"After heated debate from scores of public speakers that dragged past midnight on Wednesday, Sunnyvale is moving ahead with a plan to remove parking along a strip of neighborhood road and put in two bike lanes. While the plan lacks funding and would take years before it comes to fruition, the decision by the Sunnyvale City Council marks a major milestone for a project that has faced intense public attention over more than a year of outreach."

"Certain residents will feel safer. But it will also cause a certain amount of issues for residents that are living along this corridor, said Mayor Larry Klein. There's a lot of other work that we need to get done before we actually get around to implementing this. For years, city commissions and officials have eyed options for adding bike lanes to Hollenbeck Avenue, focusing around 1 1/2 mi miles of mostly two-lane road with street parking."

Sunnyvale approved a plan to remove parking along a stretch of Hollenbeck Avenue and add two bike lanes after extensive public debate. The plan lacks dedicated funding and could take years to implement. Officials acknowledge that some residents will feel safer while others along the corridor will face parking and accessibility challenges. Staff found typical street parking use below one-third overall with higher use on some blocks, fewer cyclists than parallel streets, and five bicycle collisions over four years. Staff presented three options and estimated about $5 million to add bike lanes in either configuration.

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