By Khalida Sarwari
With the Saratoga City Council’s approval of the design elements related to the second phase of the Village Streetscape Improvement project, construction could begin this summer.
The design element was approved unanimously by the council on Feb. 6 with an addendum by Councilman Howard Miller to explore the possibility of removing three Liquidambar trees on Big Basin Way near Starbucks.
“There are some gorgeous trees there, but they’re taking up the sidewalk,” Miller said. “Those trees have gotten too big for the limited amount of space there.”
As part of this final phase of the project, plans include adding more bulb-outs, along with concrete cobble and lighted crosswalks on Big Basin Way near Starbucks, Wells Fargo and at Fourth and Fifth streets.
Plans also call for a bus stop shelter on Saratoga Avenue across from the old post office, directional signage, repairs to sidewalks, curbs and gutter, and miscellaneous electrical, irrigation and landscape upgrades. If all goes accordingly, the work is expected to be completed by November.
The goal of the project, said Saratoga’s public works director John Cherbone, is to “improve pedestrian access and also beautify the downtown.”
“These improvements are directed at the entrance to the Village and improvements to Blaney Plaza to make it more accessible,” Cherbone said.
The council last visited the project on Dec. 5, when it was presented with updated project costs based on the most recent bid prices that necessitated the removal of various elements of the project. They included improvements at intersections on Fifth and Sixth streets, a kiosk at Blaney Plaza and an arch over the entranceway to Big Basin Way.
The first phase of the project, completed in 2011, concentrated on Big Basin Way between Third and Fourth streets. Changes included adding bulb-outs, extending a portion of the sidewalk, crosswalk improvements, landscaping and the addition of hanging baskets.
That phase was mostly paid for through multiple grants from the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and Caltrans. They added up to around $400,000.
The final phase will be paid for with a $1.3 million grant from the VTA.
With the council’s approval of the scope and design elements of the project, the city’s design consultant, Gates and Associates, can move forward with the next step, which entails preparing the final construction plans. Construction could begin as early as June, according to Cherbone.
At the Feb. 6 council meeting, Vice Mayor Emily Lo inquired about any traffic impact the construction might have on activities held along Big Basin Way, such as car shows. Cherbone said those effects would be known sometime around May, after the city receives bids for contractors. The main foreseeable impact is likely to be in the area across from Starbucks.
Separately, the city is also looking into restriping to add at least four additional parking spots in the area, Cherbone said.
For more information, and to view conceptual designs of the project, visit saratoga.ca.us, click on the “What’s New” tab, then choose “Current Projects” and click on the “Village Pedestrian Enhancement Project” link.
