By Chamber supports water improvements

An earthquake could be devastating to local business owners if the Hetch Hetchy water system is not upgraded, said members of nine peninsula chambers of commerce, including Los Altos and Mountain View, this month in a statement endorsing three state bills that would provide the funding and action needed to repair the aging system.

The 10,000 business owners represented in the Santa Clara County Chambers of Commerce Coalition said they were concerned about the possibility of their communities being without water for up to 60 days if a disaster occurs along the Peninsula.

Assembly bills 1823 and 2058 and Senate Bill 1870 would provide the incentives and action needed at the state level to enable the Bay Area Water Reliability Financing Authority to independently raise funds to assist the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission in the construction of projects for the water system, coalition members said.

Los Altos

Almond applies for federal traffic grant

Los Altos

The Almond School neighborhood could be next in line for a list of federally funded traffic-calming projects.

The Los Altos City Council agreed this month to submit a $194,400 Safe Routes to School grant application to CalTrans to fund street improvements near Almond School related to bicycle-pedestrian safety projects. If accepted, the city would commit $19,440 towards the project.

The grant proposal includes adding a raised crosswalk at South Clark Avenue and a landscaped chicane between Santa Barbara Drive and Rinconada Court. Both improvements are intended to slow traffic and were included in a city traffic-calming study conducted last year.

- Town Crier Staff Report