Open house meetings on expressways, Santa Teresa-Hale corridor coming up

The Santa Clara County Roads and Airports Department will hold open house meetings throughout the county to discuss the County Expressways Improvement Plan and the South County Santa Teresa-Hale Corridor. 

Residents may drop in any time during the meetings to view information about current conditions on the expressways and to share their ideas for what changes or improvements are needed, according to County staff. All expressways will be on display at every open house. 

One of the open houses is scheduled for Feb. 13 at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center. 

The County Expressways Improvement Plan includes the Almaden, Capitol, Central, Foothill, Lawrence, Montague, Page Mill-Oregon and San Tomas expressways. The Santa Teresa-Hale Corridor runs through South County, west of Monterey Road. 

The following open house meetings are scheduled:

-Tuesday, Jan. 7, 6 to 8 p.m., Seven Trees Community Center, 3590 Cas Drive, San Jose.

-Thursday, Jan. 9, 6 to 8 p.m., West Valley Branch Library, 1243 San Tomas Aquino Road, San Jose. 

-Tuesday, Jan. 14, 6 to 8 p.m., Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Auditorium, 3331 North First Street, San Jose.

-Thursday, Jan. 16, 6 to 8 p.m., Los Altos Youth Center, 1 North San Antonio, Los Altos. 

-Thursday, Feb. 13, 6 to 8 p.m., Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center, 17000 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill. 

Input gathered at the open houses will be used to compile and evaluate the County’s Expressway Plan 2040, which is a successor to the 2003 Comprehensive County Expressway Planning Study and its 2008 update, according to County staff. 

The 2003 Comprehensive County Expressway Planning Study documented consensus on potential expressway improvements of all types including capacity and operational enhancements, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, sound walls and landscaping, according to County staff. 

In 2008, the Santa Teresa Boulevard-Hale Avenue corridor from Gilroy to north of Morgan Hill was added to the study, County staff said. 

Expressway Plan 2040 will take a new look at the needs of the expressways and the Santa Teresa-Hale corridor based on city land use plans, projected 2040 traffic growth and streets planning, according to County staff. 

Members of the public may provide comments or get more information by visiting www.expressways.info, sending an e-mail to Ex****************@Co*********.org, or by calling the project hotline at (408) 573-2417.