The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Photograph by George Sakkestad

To make way for the new light rail route, trees lining Tasman Drive, as well as the sidewalks and bike lanes, have been removed.

Feelings mixed on light-rail project

By Natasha Collins

Some residents near Tasman Drive were unhappy that trees lining the street were removed to make way for the new light-rail system, but some said getting rid of the trees was practical.

Many residents living in mobile homes along Tasman protested the removal of the trees because the landscaping offered noise protection and a pretty environment. Some were also concerned that landscaping used to replace the trees would not reach maturity in time to protect residents from light-rail noise.

"They have destroyed Tasman," said Sandra Skolnik, who has lived near Tasman Drive for 13 years. "They have underestimated the value of the trees. Trees make people feel better. With them gone, there will be more traffic noise, which will make people angry."

But other residents say the trees' removal will make their life easier. The trees' roots were damaging the roads, and maintenance of the trees was tremendous, said Morris Herscovitz, another Tasman resident.

"I am not happy about the trees disappearing because they looked nice, but the trees were dirty and blocked out the light," Herscovitz said. "I can do without the trees because it means less work for me. People think the trees are beautiful. I would love to have them clean up after them and then see how beautiful they think they are."

The sidewalks and bicycle lanes along Tasman have also been removed so there will be enough room to maintain a four-lane road once the light rail is completed

"As you drove down the road, you could always see people walking down the sidewalks," Skolnik said. "Now where are people going to walk? It is no longer a community neighborhood--it is more like an urban jungle."

The $325 million project will be the first east-west light-rail line in the county and is intended to give residents better access to the San Jose International Airport. But residents have mixed feelings about the location of the light rail, and some doubt if it will be utilized. The construction has been funded by local, state and federal government agencies.

The line is expected to be fully operational by the year 2000.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, October 22, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.