cars in a parking lot

Rancho San Antonio Multimodal Access Project

Rancho San Antonio parking lot (Karl Gohl)

Project Overview

Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve and County Park is Midpen’s most visited preserve —welcoming nearly 700,000 visitors per year.  Located close to many communities and providing easy access to a large network of trails and wonderful opportunities to connect with nature, parking demand often exceeds capacity during peak hours.

For the Rancho San Antonio Multimodal Access Study, Midpen explored and evaluated non-motorized mobility, transit options and parking alternatives for Rancho San Antonio Preserve to encourage visitors to opt for greener forms of transportation and reduce parking demand and traffic, while maintaining equitable access for both local and regional visitors.

We have now begun implementation of the first set of study recommendations.

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Public Access, Education, and Outreach
Public Access

Goals & Objectives

The Rancho San Antonio Multimodal Access Project was developed to:

  • Study existing parking and access conditions.
  • Identify and prioritize strategies to encourage other modes of travel and reduce parking demand.
  • Implement recommended strategies including access, transit, traffic and capacity improvements and visitor demand management.

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Next Steps

The study recommendations were scored and weighted on a series of factors to develop three sets of strategies for implementation. The board authorized the implementation of the first priority set in April 2021. Plans, including scope, schedule, staff resources and budget, are in development for these board approved strategies and many short-term measures are already in place. Sign up for our email list above to receive updates on these programs.

Carpool Restricted Lot Pilot – Collect baseline data and develop carpool policy and model.

  • Beginning in August 2022, the lower equestrian lot (Coyote Trail trailhead) was reserved for carpools of three or more individuals on weekends and holidays. ADA-accessible spaces and equestrian trailer parking are not subject to carpool restrictions. This pilot program was completed in November 2023 with the Midpen Board of Directors requesting that staff begin a new project for Rancho San Antonio to evaluate long-term carpool options for the preserve which is set to begin in mid-2024.

Dynamic or Variable Signage – Coordinate with the City of Cupertino and County of Santa Clara to identify locations, sign types, content, and costs.

  • Electronic signage was installed in August 2022 to display current parking availability at the preserve entrance. This information is also available on our website so that visitors can check before they leave home.

Bike Facilities – Review existing bicycle facilities at all entrances, including bike racks, lockers, and repair stations and develop specific recommendations and cost for each location.   

  • Three additional bike racks have been installed at the Mora Trail entrance, Deer Meadow Trail entrance and the open-air barn at Deer Hollow Farm.
  • A bicycle repair station has been installed in the main parking area.

New and Improved Bike Access – Review opportunities to improve bicycle access to preserve entrances and to the bike-accessible trails in the preserve and confirm what bike facilities are potentially feasible in the long-term.

  • Bicycle access routes and bike racks are now available on the Rancho San Antonio preserve page.
  • Midpen worked with the City of Cupertino to implement bike access improvements along Cristo Rey Drive during the city’s paving project in the summer 2022.

Subsidized Ride Hail – Develop an implementation plan to identify potential partners and ridership, estimate operating costs and consider possible funding sources. Pending feasibility and cost-effectiveness of this option, develop an action plan for grant funding and implementation.

  • A designated rideshare drop-off/pick up area is now available in front of the restrooms in the main parking area.

Free or Low-cost Shuttle Service – Implementation is anticipated to require two phases.  The first phase will focus on understanding key service elements and the second phase will provide more detail on how the service could operate and be funded.

  • We have partnered with the City of Cupertino on Silicon Valley Hopper (formally Via-Cupertino Shuttle)—an on-demand shuttle service providing transportation to and from Rancho San Antonio from anywhere in Cupertino and Sunnyvale Caltrain!

Timeline

DateAction
Summer 2019-Spring 2021Rancho San Antonio Multimodal Access Study
April 2021Board of directors acceptance of Rancho San Antonio Multimodal Access Strategies Report findings and recommendations.
May - June 2021Develop plans for priority one strategies including scope, schedule, staff resources and budget
CurrentImplement priority one strategies

 

Partners

Throughout the study, Midpen consulted with multiple stakeholders on this project including:

Santa Clara County Parks
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
Santa Clara Valley Water District
City of Mountain View
City of Cupertino
City of Los Altos
City of Los Altos Hills
City of Sunnyvale
Montclaire Elementary School (CUSD)