Sunnyvale Rejects Bus Rapid Transit Pitch

The Sunnyvale City Council has rejected a proposal by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority that would create a Bus Rapid Transit route on El Camino Real between from Palo Alto to Santa Clara.

The proposal would have restricted the right-hand lanes of El Camino Real to high-occupancy vehicles during peak commute hours, according to an article by Victoria Kezra. The plan also included "modifying the timing of signal lights so buses don’t catch as many red lights, shortening crosswalks to make it safer for pedestrians and add traffic lights to more intersections."

The pitch to Sunnyvale is part of an ongoing effort at the VTA to convince cities to implement changes on El Camino Real. "VTA plans to make the same pitch to Palo Alto in January," according to Kezra.

Sunnyvale City Councilmembers said the idea was too impractical for their city.