I-280 exit 10 Wolfe Road improvements (Cupertino, CA)

[kurumi]

https://www.vta.org/projects/i-280wolfe-road-interchange-improvements-project

This is a parclo B4 interchange, built in the 1960s, where the overpass carries 4 lanes for Wolfe Road. The Apple headquarters "doughnut" (sorry, "spaceship") is nearby and will resume being a large traffic generator once people return to their offices.

A couple years ago, the exit ramps were widened: formerly a single lane exit, widening into left | either | right turning lanes; now a two-lane (exit only + option lane, a favorite CA design) widening into left | left | right | right. But the overpass, with only 2 lanes in each direction, is a bottleneck.

There had been talk of widening the overpass (nice), but replacing the parclo with a SPUI or even a diamond (yay, longer/more red light phases). But the project details as of this month (see above) paint a better picture.

Wolfe Road is 3 lanes each direction throughout; with right-turn (exit) lanes, the overpass is now 8 lanes. All 6 ramps of the parclo are retained, though the geometry is changed a bit. Exit ramps are widened to 5 turning lanes (left | left | either | right | right). Bike lanes are added; these and sidewalks cross ramp traffic at right angles.

[mapman]

To me, that interchange always seemed crammed into place.  And I have been in congested conditions on the bridge before, so the bridge widening will certainly help.

I'm also glad to see the pedestrian improvements, but even with those in place, I wouldn't anticipate many pedestrians using Wolfe to cross I-280 - the's just too much traffic and vehicle conflicts in that area to be conducive to much pedestrian traffic.

[sparker]

To me, that interchange always seemed crammed into place.  And I have been in congested conditions on the bridge before, so the bridge widening will certainly help.

I'm also glad to see the pedestrian improvements, but even with those in place, I wouldn't anticipate many pedestrians using Wolfe to cross I-280 - the's just too much traffic and vehicle conflicts in that area to be conducive to much pedestrian traffic.

The original interchange was constructed to funnel traffic to and from the now-defunct Vallco shopping mall at Wolfe and Stevens Creek; with Apple's new HQ and a major Kaiser hospital (both a destination and traffic source) just to the northeast (their property corners abut) the emphasis has shifted from south and west of 280 to north and east.  With only isolated retail/dining establishments nearby (and most of those currently shifted into neutral or worse) there's little pedestrian traffic save Apple folks out for lunch-break exercise.  To that end, rumor (reinforced by local journalism) has it that Apple was instrumental in getting bike-and-pedestrian amenities improved in the area as "perks" for their workforce.   

[Naveed]

Redevelopment of the Vallco space to include housing (which would presumably house some number of Apple employees who might wish to walk to work) has long been stymied by local opposition to any new housing; in 2016, Cupertino voters defeated a measure that would have allowed for redevelopment, including several hundred units of housing. The impending announcement that the Cupertino Union School District will have to close several schools due to low enrollment may dissipate some opposition to new development, which would obviously lead to new traffic in the area.