Mountain View approves Shoreline pathway improvements - San Jose Spotlight

"That could all change starting next year, after the Mountain View City Council voted last month to move ahead with an $8.7 million improvement project. The initiative aims to enhance the experience for walkers and bikers traversing a section of Shoreline that crosses above Central Expressway and the Caltrain tracks, which acts as a major connector between downtown Mountain View and the northern portion of the city."

"An existing trail that runs along the east side of the roadway will be replaced with a 10-foot-wide path that meets Americans with Disabilities Act standards. The current steep slopes don't comply with the most recent accessibility requirements, according to last month's council report. While the new path would address conditions directly to the north and south of the Central Expressway overpass, the city does not plan to make changes to the bridge itself."

"In addition to the wider path, the city also plans to install a new connection to the recently completed Central Expressway sidewalk, as well as planting 65 native trees and constructing stairs to connect two portions of the pathway north of the bridge. The stairs would include a "bike channel," which is a smooth ramp that allows cyclists to move their bicycles up and down the stairs more easily."

The Shoreline Boulevard bicycle and pedestrian path between Villa Street and Wright Avenue, constructed more than five decades ago, is in poor condition with tree roots causing cracked and raised asphalt. The Mountain View City Council approved an $8.7 million project to replace the existing east-side trail with a 10-foot-wide path that meets Americans with Disabilities Act standards because current steep slopes do not meet accessibility requirements. The existing six-foot sidewalk over the Central Expressway will remain while the new path connects to the overpass. The plan adds a Central Expressway sidewalk connection, plants 65 native trees, builds stairs with a bike channel, and schedules construction from spring 2026 to spring 2027 with traffic controls to maintain access.

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