VTA pulls plans to build near Branham light rail

“There was supposed to be some fixing of the on-ramp situation, which still hasn’t happened. I let VTA know that they would have big opposition, including myself, to developing that property… without traffic mitigation measures at least started.” — San Jose City Councilman Johnny Khamis

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority has pulled plans for now to build a high-density, mixeduse project near the Branham light rail station.

The VTA wants to wait until a traffic study on the Highway 87 corridor is finished.

In March the VTA asked San Jose officials to amend the city’s General Plan so it could develop a 3-acre parcel at 4747 Narvaez Ave., which currently serves as the agency’s parking lot.

“While the SR 87 corridor study moves forward, VTA is withdrawing the General Plan Amendment application for the property at the Branham light rail lot for this year’s cycle but will preserve the possibility of reapplying next year,” spokeswoman Stacey Hendler Ross said in a written statement. The study will examine traffic congestion that has plagued the area around the Highway 87/ Capitol Expressway/Narvaez on-ramp for years.

Previous development proposals have met with resistance from neighbors who felt area traffic and parking problems were ignored. Narvaez is a narrow two-lane street, they noted, and one project’s developer didn’t provide even basic details such as the number or height of proposed buildings.

When VTA’s application was filed recently, San Jose City Councilman Johnny Khamis said he would demand it address traffic around the northbound onramp to Highway 87 near the site before he would even consider a land use amendment.

Frustrated by broken promises to fix the signal light queue and tackle traffic backups on the on-ramp, Khamis said in an interview that neighbors are already unhappy with congestion exacerbated from a new development nearby on Communications Hill and fear the problem could worsen.

“There was supposed to be some fixing of the onramp situation, which still hasn’t happened,” Khamis said. “I let VTA know that they would have big opposition, including myself, to developing that property… without traffic mitigation measures at least started.

“To change the zoning to housing before we address the traffic concerns, it seemed irresponsible to me,” he added.

Using shoulder lanes as flex commute lanes to alleviate backups on Highway 87 is one possible solution Khamis said he supports, noting that VTA is considering that as part of its study. He said the study will help VTA and city staff explore potential traffic mitigation measures at the Highway 87/Capitol/Narvaez onramp and should be done by the end of the year.

The development project isn’t permanently off the table. According to the VTA, “If a project is proposed after the study of 87 is complete, a community meeting will be held to discuss any specifics and get input from the neighbors.”