Traffic/Development

Work on expansion of Foothill Expressway in Los Altos is set to begin the week of April 13, according to Los Altos and Santa Clara County transportation officials.

An upcoming Foothill Expressway widening project has nearby residents concerned about traffic diverted to their side streets.

At a Feb. 4 workshop at Los Altos City Hall, several residents who live on University Avenue and Milverton Road expressed fears about inherited traffic as commuters seek to avoid expressway construction during the course of the 160-day project, set to begin next month.

This is the second in a three-part series on Los Altos business owners who have been – or may soon be – displaced by construction of state-mandated affordable housing units zoned for the commercial areas they once operated from. Part 1 ran Dec. 4. 

Renderings Courtesy of SDG ARCHITECTS
After 4898 El Camino Real developer Mircea Voskerician and his architect Jeff Potts presented plans for the Altos II complex, above, to the Los Altos Planning Commission, they took the commission’s feedback and created a revised look, below.

As he presented an updated design at last week’s Los Altos Planning Commission meeting, architect Jeff Potts said he and developer Mircea Voskerician were “excited” about their newly proposed Altos II multifamily housing project at 4898 El Camino Real.

By the time the commission voted 6-0 to recommend the project to the city council – member Ronit Bodner was absent – Commissioner Sally Meadows confirmed they were excited as well.

Town Crier File Photo
Google Inc. is set to extend funding for the Mountain View Community Shuttle for another five years.

Google Inc. officials revealed plans June 26 to extend funding for the Mountain View Community Shuttle for five years, enabling Phase 2 of the program to begin.

During Phase 1, Google totally funded the free shuttle service, operated by the company as part of an initiative to provide daytime transit options for Mountain View residents. Phase 2 will transition the operations from Google over the next year and allow the city to study the next steps for the program while providing stable and certain funding for the shuttle to continue at its current service levels.

Megan V. Winslow/Town Crier
Many of those living in their vehicles lining Mountain View roads, estimated at 290 vehicles by city officials, would be driven out of the area if the city council finalizes an ordinance opposing extended RV parking, civil rights groups argue. Dwellers rely on prolonged stays currently available through open spots on streets like Shoreline Boulevard.

Mountain View leaders are encountering some friction as they proceed to draft an ordinance that would essentially ban people from living in RVs parked on city streets.

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley and the ACLU of Northern California issued a letter earlier this month demanding that the Mountain View City Council oppose and reverse two “unconstitutional proposals” that target residents living in vehicles.