Town closes route to Hwy. 17
South Santa Cruz Avenue will be blocked for three weekends
LOS GATOS — Los Gatos residents are likely cheering the news that the town will be closing a portion of South Santa Cruz Avenue on at least three weekends this summer in an attempt to deter beachgoers from using the on-ramp to southbound Highway 17.
The Town Council this past week unanimously approved the shutdowns for June 25-26, July 2-4 and July 9-10.
Town staff had originally proposed a one-weekend pilot closure on July 17-18. But council members said they wanted the shutdown to occur sooner rather than later. They also wanted multiple shutdowns so that data could be collected at “critical locations” and compared from weekend to weekend, including weekends when South Santa Cruz Avenue is not closed. Since Caltrans has refused to close the onramp itself, Mayor Barbara Spector asked, “Is it illegal for a town to close off one of its streets if that street is an on-ramp to a highway?”
“No, you can do it,” town attorney Rob Schultz replied. “If it’s our right of way, our street, we can do that.”
Resident Kevin Falini urged council members to authorize the closures. “This is our battlefield because it’s our town and the cars are coming through,” Falini said. “If we’re going to have to fight the cars or fight Caltrans, I say please pick the battle with Caltrans. We’ll support you.”
The town is trying to strike a delicate balance that keeps cut-through traffic off local streets without discouraging diners and shoppers from visiting the downtown district.
But Vista Del Monte resident Mary Martin, who walked to town during the Memorial Day weekend, saw no benefit to the traffic. “There were so many parking places available; these people are going right through town. Nobody’s stopping to eat. Nobody’s stopping to shop.”
Council members also discussed holding weekend events at the Town Plaza as one way to justify ongoing street closures. That happened on April 24, when portions of Santa Cruz Avenue were closed for the town-sponsored “Spring into Green” event. Expanding the Sunday farmers market into S. Santa Cruz is another option.
For the three-weekend pilot, South Santa Cruz Avenue will be barricaded at Wood Road. That allows residents of The Meadows senior community to come and go, as well as guests staying at the Toll House Hotel.