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APRIL 20, 2012 VOLUME 20, NO. 13
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INSIDE: WEEKEND | PAGE 16
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City seeks solutions for Bayshore traffic By Daniel DeBolt
Shuttles are stuck n Tuesday the City Many companies in the area, Council took a small including Google and Microsoft, step towards addressing run shuttles from the downtown the bumper to bumper traffic transit hub. But “right now the in and out of Mountain View’s shuttles are stuck in the same business park north of High- traffic that single-occupancy way 101, approving a study that vehicles are,” said Public Works will examine alternatives to car Director Mike Fuller. travel. “I think it’s going to be a very “We’re basically going to provide interesting project,” Hurrell said a complete menu of things that of the study. He noted a “gradual can be done,” to reduce traffic, change in the mentality about said William Hurtraveling,” among the rell, vice president younger generation. of CDM Smith, the “Sitting in a car in a consultant hired to ‘Shuttles are traffic jam isn’t how do the study. they want to spend Vice Mayor John stuck in the their life,” he said. Inks, who has votHurrell said ed against funding same traffic.’ that reducing traffic numerous stud- PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR by huge amounts may ies, said he was not be easy. MIKE FULLER impressed with “It probably CDM Smith’s expeisn’t realistic to think rience as a company you’ll be able to pull and voted in favor of funding the them back to C or D levels or even $325,000 study, which he noted E,” Hurrell said. “When they are could take 2,000 hours of work. at capacity, you essentially cannot Several fixes for the traffic move additional traffic. You have on North Shoreline Boulevard, to look at alternative ways to move Charleston Road and North Reng- people in and out of the area.” storff Avenue are already being discussed at stakeholder meetings Popular ideas and in an online forum, northAt the online forum, access to bayshorepreciseplan.org, which North Bayshore has easily been the city set up for drafting a new the most popular topic, with 33 North Bayshore’s precise plan. The ideas posted. The most popular revised plan will be a detailed land idea, according to users’ votes, use blueprint for future develop- is a light rail extension running ment of North Bayshore. from downtown to North BayExpressing some skepticism, shore. Judging by the comments, Council member Jac Siegel noted one of the least popular ideas is to that many of the proposed solu- estimate the amount of parking tions have to do with increased needed for North Bayshore and walking and biking. then “double it” to make sure “I don’t think we’re going to there’s plenty. have 50,000 people a day walking One forum user said she found and biking out there,” Siegel said, the last leg of her trip to North adding that the traffic at several Bayshore, a two-mile stretch intersections on North Shoreline from the downtown train staare already rated at level F, the tion, to be the most difficult. worst on the scale.
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An egret flies to its nest in a tree growing along Shorebird Way, near the site of Google’s proposed bridge.
Google scales back bridge project By Daniel DeBolt
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fter prodding from conservationists, Mountain View-based Google is redesigning its bridge project over Stevens Creek, one of the most hotly contested infrastructure projects in recent memory. Google has axed one of the two elevated automobile bridges over Stevens Creek proposed to carry shuttles to a planned 42-acre campus at NASA Ames for Google’s Planetary Ventures division, according to a letter to city officials.
“To confirm Google’s intentions going forward, Google has determined that the proposed new vehicle bridge at Crittenden is not required,” wrote Google real estate and construction manager John Igoe in the April 3 letter. A pedestrian bridge at Crittenden Lane would also be “deleted completely,” Igoe wrote. The change in direction was applauded by Shani Klainhaus of the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society. “I’m glad Google is no longer considering a vehicular bridge over Crittenden Lane that
would have adverse impacts to Stevens Creek and the wetlands,” Kleinhaus said. “We are looking forward to a comprehensive and adequate review of the new proposals for bridges at the Charleston site.” A Google spokesperson said Google considered feedback received, which includes over 100 comments from environmental and conservation groups. “As we said when we initially introduced this plan, working with the city of Mountain See GOOGLE BRIDGE, page 7
Coaches kick off Spartan summer camps By Nick Veronin
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n an effort to promote its athletic programs and give coaches a sneak peek at upand-coming local talent, this summer Mountain View High School is hosting a series of sports day camps for elementary
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and middle school students. Spartan Sports Camp, which begins June 11 and runs through July 27, will be held at Mountain View High School and will feature week-long sessions focused on a variety of sports, including baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball, track and field,
volleyball and water polo, said Ricky Appler, assistant director of the camp. “(It’s) a great opportunity for the school to take a look at the incoming kids,” said Ivan Bandov, the varsity girls soccer See SPARTAN CAMP, page 9
VIEWPOINT 15 | MOVIES 18 | GOINGS ON 19 | MARKETPLACE 38
See NORTH BAYSHORE, page 12