District buys $1.4M property to `address traffic flow issues'

A traffic solution could be coming soon to Los Gatos High School.

The Los Gatos-saratoga Union High School District board of trustees purchased a property adjacent to Los Gatos High School for $1.4 million for what it says could be used to “address traffic flow issues.”

It's not yet clear what this traffic solution will look like or when it could be implemented.

The 7,450-square-foot lot, located at 123 New York Ave., will help the district “investigate and potentially improve traffic flow to and from the campus,” according to a press release.

“This purchase will also allow us to begin to think about our greater plan to address the impact of our carbon footprint, which includes but is not limited to solar and electric vehicle charging stations for staff on site,” the release states.

Traffic flow during student pickup and drop-off has been a longtime concern for the district, with bottlenecks and long lines blocking traffic. Superintendent Bill Sanderson said the district has been discussing addressing these issues for a number of years.

The district purchased the lot, which houses a 1,232-square-foot house, from the Jansons family for “a competitive under-market value” of $1.4 million. The property was listed on Redfin for $1.6 million.

The house will likely be demolished in the coming months.

Funds for the purchase came out of the district's special reserve, which must be used for facility purchases or improvements. It has no impact on the district's general fund.

“We are aware of the traffic issue in the town of Los Gatos. The high school is not the only factor, but we are a factor,” board President Katherine Tseng said. “This purchase is one part of the solution.”