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New Traffic Lane Striping for Nine Key Light Rail Intersections

Release Number:	nr08-01
Release Date:	Aug 03, 2009

   One or Two Shifts of (mostly) Night Work at Each Location

San Jose, Calif. – As part of its efforts to continually upgrade quality of service and public safety, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is restriping motor vehicle traffic lanes at nine key intersections in San Jose and Sunnyvale, with the improvements enhancing the line of sight for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and light rail operators. 

Work at each of the intersections, which includes locations such as Capitol Avenue/McKee Road and San Carlos Street/Woz Way, is taking place during nighttime hours since some elements of the work must be done after light rail service has ended for the day. No service impacts to light rail service are anticipated.

The project began this week and is scheduled to be completed by August 14 with work at any one intersection being completed in either one or two nights. Crews will begin setting up at 7 p.m. each night and be finished by 5 a.m. the next morning. The noisiest activities, which include cutting and grinding asphalt, are scheduled to take place before midnight. The work schedule for the intersection of Lawrence Expressway and Tasman Drive in Sunnyvale will be somewhat different, with at least some activities being completed during daytime hours.

The improvements will affect where motor vehicles making a left-hand turn over light rail tracks come to a stop on a red light. The “stop bar,” or line behind which vehicles stop, will be moved back ten to 20 feet (depending on the size of the intersection), which will improve visibility and safety for all users of the intersection. In addition, new intersection striping will be added and modifications to signaling systems will be made. 

While crews are working, the left-hand turn lane will be closed, with traffic either detoured past the intersection or allowed to use a second left hand turn lane, if one exists. 

Similar work on a number of other intersections is tentatively slated for 2010, although a construction contract has not yet been awarded.

More information on the project, including a schedule of affected intersections, is available in the “construction notices” section of  VTA’s website. Information is also available by contacting VTA Community Outreach at (408) 321-7575 or community.outreach@vta.org. 

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About VTA

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is an independent special
district that provides sustainable, accessible, community-focused transportation options that are innovative, environmentally responsible, and promote the vitality
of our region.  VTA is responsible for bus, light rail and paratransit operations; congestion management; specific highway improvement projects; countywide transportation planning and provides these services throughout the county including the cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga and Sunnyvale.  VTA continually builds partnerships to deliver transportation solutions that meet the evolving mobility needs of Santa Clara County

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