87 Planting Project

Overview

The Route 87 Planting Project features 6.5 miles of new landscaping from Chynoweth Avenue to Virginia Street, and from Auzerais Avenue to Julian Street along Route 87 in San Jose. The landscape effort includes replacement planting, automatic irrigation systems, erosion control work and a three-year plant maintenance period.

Features

• More than 800 trees will be planted along Route 87 including: several types of evergreens, crape myrtles, pines, Chinese pistaches and cherry plums; shrubs and ground covers.

• A three-year plant maintenance period will be provided by the contractor.

• The trees will help reduce greenhouse gases, filter pollutants therefore providing cleaner air.

• Landscape improvements to bike path trailheads.

Objective

The Route 87 Planting Project will feature new trees, shrubs and ground cover to provide environmental and visual benefits to users of the bike path adjacent to the highway.

Operations

Caltrans operates and maintains the highway and interchanges. The City of San Jose operates and maintains the local streets.

Upon completion of the planting project, Caltrans will maintain the landscaping improvements.

Capital Cost/Project Funding

The total capital cost is $4.6 million of which $2.5 million are Federal funds and $2.1 million are local funds.

Project Schedule

Began: Late 2008

Completed: October 2009

Maintenance Period: Late 2009 - Late 2012