Key Facts About the Carmen Bridge Project

Cost of Construction: $1M – $1.8M, cost is TBD.

Project: Bridge to cross Stevens Creek Boulevard, connecting the two Carmen Roads

Type of Project: Pedestrian Path and Class I Bike Facilities (Trail)

Click here for information from the City of Cupertino’s website

Current Status (Nov 2021): The Carmen Road Bridge has a completed and approved (on 11/3/19) Feasibility Study. The next step for the project is for Council to authorize staff to proceed with design. The next opportunity for funding is the FY22-23 CIP (Capital Improvements Plan) budget, set to be discussed in May 2022. (The City Staff declined to recommend funding of this project to the Council for FY 2021-22.) To have the design funding in this budget, staff must recommend it as a high priority and Council must authorize it. 

Why does Walk-Bike Cupertino support this project?

Safer connector

It will be a safer, off-road route connector over Stevens Creek Boulevard. Over 100 Stevens Creek Elementary and over 400 Kennedy and Monta Vista students are driven to school each day because of the difficulty crossing Stevens Creek while walking or biking. 

Reducing traffic congestion on local roads

The additional cars that are on the road each morning driving students to school are a likely contributor to congestion and reduced safety around our schools and in local neighborhoods. Stevens Creek Boulevard is backed up each day in this area. 

Less traffic at schools

If kids are able to walk or bike to school safely, parents may let them! The bridge can reduce the gridlock at dropoff times by allowing hundreds of kids from local schools to walk or bike to school more safely. All our local schools have extremely high traffic congestion during school pickup and dropoff times. Every child that walks or bikes to school means one fewer car on the road.

Enhanced access to parks and neighborhoods

Neighborhoods south and north of Stevens Creek are largely cut off from one another, with walkable crossings of Stevens Creek almost a mile apart. Neighborhoods north of Stevens Creek can enjoy easier walking and biking access to Stevens Creek Trail, Blackberry Farm and McClellan Ranch; those south of Stevens Creek will be more easily able to use the tennis courts in Varian Park and the playground at Stevens Creek Elementary.

A greener Cupertino

Using alternative transportation and reducing pollution is great for everyone. By encouraging biking and walking, this bridge will result in fewer cars, less traffic, and cleaner air. Encouraging walking or biking to school will allow for less idling of vehicles as they wait for children to leave school each day or be dropped off.

Organization Endorsements

Chamber of Commerce (Letter of Support)
Cupertino Bike Ped Commission (2021 Work Plan Priority)
Cupertino SR2S Working Group
Friends of Stevens Creek Trail
Kennedy Middle School (KMS) PTA
Monta Vista High School (MVHS) PTSA
Stevens Creek PTO
Sunny View Retirement Community
Western Wheelers
YEPI (Youth Environmental Power Initiative)

Individual Endorsements

CUSD Board Members:
Jerry Liu
Sateesh Madhatil
Phllis Vogel
Lori Cunningham

FUHSD Board Members:
Roy Rocklin
Bill Wilson
Jeff Moe

Location of Project

(click map for larger view)

How Walk-Bike Cupertino has actively supported this project

Walk-Bike Cupertino has:

Provided information, maps and data to residents, City Council and Staff regarding number and location of local school children, usefulness of this bridge to connect neighborhoods, and to connect neighborhoods to parks;

Created a petition in support, and encouraged residents to sign it;

Kept supporters up to date on upcoming events and milestones for the project via email newsletters;

Sent emails of support to City Council and ecouraged others to do the same;

Coordinated vocal support at City Council meetings when this topic was to be discussed;

Met with City Staff, Bicycle Pedestrian Commission, and Cupertino City Councilmembers to discuss details of project and to encourage progress and adequate staffing.

Latest Carmen Bridge Project News

Carmen Bridge Project Update

Carmen Bridge Project Update

It’s been almost a year since we updated our community about the Carmen Bridge project in June 2021. The City allocated $75K to deal with obtaining access to a thin slice of property at the end of a cul-de-sac on the downward facing slope of the Stevens Creek Blvd...

Carmen Bridge Update

Carmen Bridge Update

This Spring, the Carmen Bridge Task Force undertook significant community outreach and meetings with city council and staff. These efforts have drawn tremendous support and endorsements from community leaders and have provided a good deal of information to the City...

Carmen Bridge Project Endorsed by Local PTA and PTSA

Carmen Bridge Project Endorsed by Local PTA and PTSA

Great news to share with our Walk-Bike community in Cupertino! Both Kennedy Middle School (KMS) PTA and Monta Vista High School (MVHS) PTSA have officially endorsed the Carmen Bridge project. Many thanks to MVHS PTSA President Kathy Jacques and KMS PTA President Xi...