REPORT TO BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE
SUBJECT
Title
Benton-Brokaw Multimodal Crossing Feasibility Study (Puyehgar)
Report
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clara received Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) grant funding to develop the Benton-Brokaw Multimodal Crossing Feasibility Study (Study). HMH (Engineering Consultant) and Forward City Labs (Community Engagement/ Outreach Consultant) will develop the Study, which will take approximately 18 months to complete, with completion anticipated in 2027.
The existing Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) corridor creates a physical barrier between communities and hinders multimodal, direct access. The Study will identify, develop, and evaluate alternatives for a complete streets/multimodal connection to close the transportation gap between Benton Street and Brokaw Road. The Study will also consider long-term growth and development in the area, including improved access to Downtown Santa Clara, employment centers along Coleman Avenue, Santa Clara University, the future BART station, and the surrounding Station Area Plan. The Study will also identify potential impacts to adjacent properties, assess right-of-way acquisition needs, required utility relocations, conduct robust community engagement, and perform engineering analyses.
It should be noted that this is only a planning-level document and does not include design, environmental review, or construction of any alternative. At the completion and approval of the Study, if Council decides to move forward with a specific alternative, then additional funds would be required to design, bid, and construct the alternative.
At the June 29, 2026 BPAC meeting, City staff and the consultant team introduced the Study, reviewed the study area and existing transportation challenges, summarized feedback received during the first community meeting, and gathered BPAC input on priorities for developing and evaluating potential crossing alternatives.
DISCUSSION
Since the first BPAC meeting, the project team has continued technical analysis and community and stakeholder engagement and developed eight preliminary concepts to improve connectivity between Benton Street and Brokaw Road.
The project team also conducted an on-site stakeholder walkshop on July 7, 2026, with representatives from Caltrans, VTA, BART Silicon Valley, the South Bay Historical Railroad Society, City departments, and the consultant team. Participants reviewed existing conditions and potential opportunities and constraints related to rail infrastructure, utilities, property access and right-of-way, emergency response, historic resources, safety, and multimodal circulation.
At the upcoming BPAC meeting, the project team will:
1. Provide an update on work completed since the first BPAC meeting and the second round of community and stakeholder engagement activities;
2. Present the eight preliminary concepts and preliminary concept screening;
3. Review the evaluation criteria and obtain BPAC feedback on the concepts and which concepts BPAC supports advancing for further evaluation; and
4. Outline the next steps for refinement and evaluation of the concepts advanced through this phase of the Study.
Preliminary Concepts
The project team developed eight preliminary concepts to improve connectivity between Benton Street and Brokaw Road. Each concept exhibit includes a plain-language description, the travel modes served, and a preliminary screening of potential impacts. All concepts remain under consideration, and no concept is being recommended at this stage.
Concept 1 - Multimodal Undercrossing
This concept would provide a new undercrossing beneath the railroad corridor connecting Benton Street and Brokaw Road for vehicles and/or transit, bicyclists, and pedestrians, with bicycle and pedestrian facilities grade-separated from the roadway. The concept would provide a direct multimodal connection across the railroad; however, key impacts include eliminating current main access to the Santa Clara Police Department, the City’s Water Tank facility and a Silicon Valley Power electric facility, and disrupting VTA bus circulation around the existing Santa Clara Transit Center.
Concept 2 - Long Multimodal Undercrossing
This concept would extend the multimodal undercrossing beneath both El Camino Real and the railroad corridor, providing a continuous connection between Benton Street and Brokaw Road for vehicles and/or transit, bicyclists, and pedestrians. West of El Camino Real, Benton Street would transition into the tunnel. The primary impacts include eliminating traffic movements between Benton Street and El Camino Real and current access to the City’s Water Tank facility and a Silicon Valley Power electric facility.
Concept 3 - Multimodal Overcrossing
This concept would provide an overcrossing above the railroad corridor for vehicles and/or transit, bicyclists, and pedestrians, creating a direct connection between Benton Street and Brokaw Road. All modes would generally be accommodated at the same grade. The primary impacts include significant reconstruction of El Camino Real, elimination of access to adjacent properties, including the Santa Clara Police Department, and disruption of VTA bus circulation around the existing Santa Clara Transit Station.
Concept 4 - Long Multimodal Overcrossing
This concept would provide an elevated multimodal connection over both El Camino Real and the railroad corridor for vehicles and/or transit, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The longer structure would create a continuous connection between Benton Street and Brokaw Road; however, the primary impacts include eliminating vehicular connections between Benton Street and El Camino Real and affecting access to adjacent properties, including the City’s
Water Tank facility and a Silicon Valley Power electric facility.
.
Concept 5 - Multimodal Overcrossing with Separate Bicycle & Pedestrian Facility
This concept would provide an overcrossing above the railroad corridor for vehicles and/or transit, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Unlike Concept 3, bicyclists and pedestrians would use a separate shared-use facility on the bridge, accessed by spiral ramps at Benton Street and Brokaw Road rather than the roadway approaches. The primary impacts include significant reconstruction of El Camino Real, elimination of access to adjacent properties, including the Santa Clara Police Department and disruption of VTA bus circulation around the existing Santa Clara Transit Station.
Concept 6 - Bicycle and Pedestrian Undercrossing
This concept would provide a new bicycle- and pedestrian-only undercrossing beneath Benton Street and the railroad corridor, creating a direct connection between Benton Street and Brokaw Road without providing a new vehicular connection. The primary impact is the need for utility relocations along Benton Street and Brokaw Road.
Concept 7 - Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing
This concept would provide a new bicycle- and pedestrian-only overcrossing above the railroad corridor between Benton Street and Brokaw Road. The preliminary concept assumes a spiral ramp at Benton Street and a switchback ramp at Brokaw Road to accommodate the required elevation change. The primary impact is the visual effect of the elevated facility on the historic rail area.
Concept 8 - Modifications to Existing Facilities
This concept would improve the existing Santa Clara Transit Center plaza and bicycle and pedestrian undercrossing and provide a new ramp from Benton Street to the existing undercrossing, with bicyclists dismounting on the ramp. Improvements would address known issues and concerns with the existing facility. The primary impact is that the new ramp from Benton Street would affect circulation through the station plaza. Unlike the other concepts, this concept would not provide a new direct connection between Benton Street and Brokaw Road.
Concept Screening, Selection, and Evaluation
The second round of community and stakeholder engagement includes a Community Workshop on October 14, 2026, a Station Area Task Force meeting on October 15, 2026, an online survey, and this BPAC meeting. The preliminary concepts and screening information are being presented through these outreach activities to gather feedback on the concepts participants support advancing for further consideration.
The Station Area Task Force is also being asked to provide feedback on the evaluation criteria and how the concepts align with the Station Area Plan and support connectivity to the future BART station and surrounding Station Area.
Input from the community workshop, online survey, SATF, and BPAC, together with the preliminary concept screening, will inform selection of the two concepts to advance as project alternatives. The selected alternatives will then be further refined and evaluated using the following categories:
• Multimodal Use/Access: How well does the proposed facility facilitate multimodal transportation, account for elevation and travel distance, and ensure strong bicycle and pedestrian connections to key destinations?
• Right-of-Way and Utilities: What are the preliminary property needs, including temporary construction easements, and how significant are the impacts of proposed improvements on existing utilities?
• Traffic and Transit Operations: How will the project impact traffic operations and transit circulation on existing roadways in the project area?
• Consistency with Future Development: How well do the proposed facilities align with the future BART station, the Station Area Plan, and planned transit-oriented development?
• Consistency with Historic Rail Area: How well do the proposed facilities preserve historic resources and respect the character of the historic rail area?
• Consistency with Public Input: How well do the proposed facilities align with public feedback and priorities?
• Estimated Project Cost: How significant are the anticipated project costs?
BPAC Role and Requested Input
The project team is seeking BPAC feedback on the following:
• Preliminary concepts and which concepts BPAC supports advancing for further evaluation
• Evaluation criteria
• Bicycle and pedestrian access, connectivity, safety, and user experience associated with the preliminary concepts
Next Steps
The project team will further develop the geometric layouts of the two selected alternatives to better define their alignments, configurations, and potential impacts. The refined alternatives will then be evaluated using the established evaluation criteria, including considerations such as multimodal accessibility, right-of-way impacts, traffic operations, compatibility with future development, and planning-level cost. The quantitative and qualitative results of the evaluation, including the benefits, impacts, and tradeoffs associated with each alternative, will be presented at future public outreach meetings to gather additional community and stakeholder feedback and inform selection of a preferred alternative.
There are multiple methods for staying up to date on the project and providing input:
• Webpage: <https://santaclaraca.gov/bentonbrokaw>
• Voicemail: 408-615-3048
• Email: Ajmal Puyehgar, Senior Civil Engineer with the Department of Public Works’ Traffic Engineering Division, apuyehgar@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:apuyehgar@santaclaraca.gov>.
Written by: Michelle Vera Cruz, HMH
Reviewed by: Ajmal Puyehgar, Senior Civil Engineer, Public Works
Reviewed by: Carol Shariat, Transportation Manager, Public Works
Approved by: Michael Liw, Assistant Director/City Engineer, Public Works
ATTACHMENT
1. Project Study Area
2. Project Concepts Exhibit