By Eliza Ridgeway

Two new pathways are slated to bring nearly $2 million worth of improvements to Los Altos Hills in 2006. Stanford University is expected to contribute $1.05 million for the construction of pathways connecting Stanford’s S-1 trail, on the edge of town, to Arastradero preserve in Palo Alto.

Los Altos Hills has also budgeted $854,000 for pathways improvements on Moody and Robleda roads.

“It’ll be a busy year for pathways,” Mayor Breene Kerr said. The flush of new projects follows several years of relative inactivity in Los Altos Hills.

A $400,000 grant from the Valley Transportation Authority and $337,000 in pathways in-lieu fees comprise the bulk of funding for the Moody and Robleda pathways.

The Moody pathway will provide a safe corridor for pedestrians from Foothill College to Francemont Road, connecting to a pathway to Hidden Villa.

“The net result will be an extremely attractive and safe route,” Kerr said. Vehicles have been illegally parking on Moody Road to access pathways, and Kerr said the city has been reluctant to enforce parking regulations because pedestrians did not have a safe alternative route.

The Robleda path is scheduled for completion by summer 2006 and the Moody path by winter 2006.

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Dec. 13 approved Stanford’s plan for the S-1 trail and the contested S-1c alignment, which places the trail along Alpine Road rather than through Stanford’s land. Local supervisor Liz Kniss voted against the alignment.

“I think everyone was a little disappointed to see the S-1a and S-1b alternatives taken off the table,” planning director Carl Cahill said. Stanford rejected the a and b alternatives for pathways on its own land, citing a need for future development space.

“This is not the ideal situation - all of the environmental groups would prefer that the trail went through the interior of Stanford land,” Kerr said.

He added that the Los Altos Hills portion of the pathway, while not ideal, “is much better than what they have up on Alpine Road.”

“For pedestrian traffic along this portion of Arastradero, this will allow to greatly improve safety,” Kerr said. “The Ramos Ranch section of the trail is a fairly significant off-road segment - so it’s not all bad.”

Stanford cannot build the northern segment of the trail, along Alpine Road, until San Mateo County and Portola Valley grant permission.

Residents at recent meetings have spoken against a trail along the heavily trafficked road.

The southern segment of the trail, which runs through Los Altos Hills, could be completed as soon as 2006.

“Stanford generally moves pretty quickly,” Kerr said.

The million dollars in funding can be disbursed as soon as the town signs an agreement with the university.