The struggle for safety and accessibility has led to a temporary closure of a beloved trail in the Bay Area. The San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail, located between Highway 101 and Mission College Boulevard, will be closed from September 1 through September 25. This shutdown comes as Santa Clara Valley Water District, also known as Valley Water, embarks on their Freedom Bridge Removal Project.
According to Valley Water, the project will focus on removing a private pedestrian and bicycle bridge known as the Freedom Bridge and rehabilitating portions of the San Tomas Aquino Creek Levee. The removal of the existing bridge structure and its abutments will take place in two separate phases over the following month.
First approved on August 25, 2022, Valley Water decided to proceed with the project after a Draft IS/MND study was conducted from April 4, 2022, until May 10, 2022. During this timeframe, the public could review the study at the Valley Water Headquarters Building in San Jose or at the Central Park Library reference desk in Santa Clara. Upon review, no comments were received, and only minor revisions were made to the final study for clarification purposes. Today, our communities emphasize the need for infrastructure that is both safe and accessible to all.
While the trail closure may be an inconvenience for its users, the project has pre-determined detours set for rerouting walkers and cyclists. These detours include Scott Boulevard, Bowers Avenue/Great America Parkway, Mission College Boulevard, and Agnew Road.
For those seeking more information on this temporary closure, Shree Dharasker, Valley Water's contact for the project, can be reached at [email protected] or by calling 408-630-3037. Visit the Valley Water's project website for further updates on the progress of this important infrastructure work.
