Willow Glen Resident
News
City trails are 40 miles and growing, with goal to lace 100 miles together
By Eli Segall
Five years ago, San Jose's public trails were managed by a disorganized group of city employees, parks officials say. No accurate maps existed, and detailed information on the pathways was scattered in various filing cabinets.
Today, the situation is different. A San Jose Parks Department employee has developed user-friendly maps and a website packed with information, which is connecting San Jose's isolated trails into a unified, 100-mile web laced through the city.
Trail program manager Yves Zsutty presented an update of the trail network to the city council's transportation and environment committee June 4.
Nearly 40 miles are built out, though not interconnected, he said.
"There have been trails in San Jose for at least 20 years," Zsutty said in a recent telephone interview, "but now there's more of a focus on them."
Zsutty, a civil engineer by training and a former UC-Santa Cruz interior design instructor, was hired five years ago through the efforts of former San Jose city councilman Ken Yeager to focus exclusively on trails. His position was created after residents identified the void in 2000 when the Greenprint, the city's vision for park and trail development, was drafted, said Greenprint program manager Suzanne Wolf.
"[Yves has brought] maps, grants, collaborative efforts and community outreach," Wolf said. "We're thinking about trails from a much broader perspective now."
Trail improvements are made as funds become available, so there is no timeline for completion of the network, Zsutty said.
Seventy percent of trail funds come from local, state and federal grants, and it costs roughly $2 million to develop 1 mile of trail, he added.
"We're not targeting particular areas," Zsutty said. "We have 10 council members who are all advocates for trails, and implementation is happening throughout the city."
Pathways now receiving extensions or repairs include the Los Gatos Creek, Coyote Creek and Guadalupe River trails.
Most of this work became possible two years ago, when President George W. Bush signed a $244 billion federal transportation bill that earmarked $11.2 million for San Jose trails, Zsutty said.
Recently completed upgrades include a 0.8-mile gravel pathway along the Guadalupe Creek between Almaden Expressway and Meridian Avenue, and 2.3 miles of the Highway 87 Bikeway, between Willow Street and Santa Teresa Boulevard..
Progress on the 100-mile network will be discussed at Greenprint update meetings in each city council district in coming months.
One longtime advocate is thrilled by the progress.
"Trails are good for commuting to work, to get out during lunchtime to go for a jog, and they're great in the evenings or weekends to get out to your local parks," said Willow Glen resident Larry Ames, who has served on several regional trail advisory boards.
"Instead of driving, you can just use the trail," he said.
For more information on San Jose public trails, call Yves Zsutty at 408.793.5561, or visit www.sjparks.org.
A District 6 Greenprint update meeting will be held Aug. 30, from 7 to 9 p.m., at Willows Senior Center, 2175 Lincoln Ave.
