Talk of Highway 85 brings fond memories of cherry trees
QI enjoyed reading about the planning and construction of Highway 85, and noted you said it was planned in 1965. But when my folks moved from the Rose Garden area to a new house in Cambrian Park in 1958, we had a wide swath of land left in orchards running through the new subdivisions. This land had been set aside in the ’50s for the future highway.
I have fond memories of snagging cherries from the trees as I rode home after my morning paper route to the house my folks rented from the state at the corner of Bascom Avenue. That strip of land back then was all cherry orchards just waiting for Highway 17 to be built.
— Dall Barley, San Ramon
AI can just imagine the scene you describe, cherry orchards, new subdivisions, and now much-used Bay Area roads still years away. The 85 corridor was on the Thomas Guide map (remember that?) in the late ’50s, but the first formal papers were signed in 1965. Including it on maps prevented more building along the corridor, which saved millions of dollars in not having to buy out homeowners.
QI’ve been getting a very good perspective over the last several months from my chairs during chemotherapy on the 4th floor of the Stanford building at the corner of Los Gatos Boulevard and Good Samaritan Drive at the Highway 85 entrance ramps from both Los Gatos Boulevard and Highway 17. With much-reduced traffic these days, the only traffic backup is on these metered ramps. Can they turn off those meters?
— Jim Hunt, San Jose
AIt’s not going to happen because as traffic begins to increase, meters will be needed. Be patient and get healthy.
QWhile we’re talking about Highway 85, does anyone remember the mixed-use path that was to run next to the freeway south of the Union Pacific railway? It was delayed for 20 years due to lack of funding. Twenty years has come and gone. If the current bicycle boom continues, this could take lots of cars off 85 and be as popular as the Los Gatos Creek Trail. Coordinating Cupertino, Saratoga, Los Gatos, San Jose, Santa Clara County and the Union Pacific is another matter.
— William Bording
AIt’s still being planned, but nothing is imminent.
QI understand that the original plan for Highway 85 was to put mass transit down the median to join with the Caltrain and VTA station in Mountain View. This seems to be a great idea, given rush-hour traffic on 85. What happened to thatplan?
— Jay Shuler, San Jose
AIt’s all but dead. The VTA studied the idea but concluded it was far too expensive and would not attract enough riders.
Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow, or contact him at mrroadshow@ bayareanewsgroup. com or 408-9205335. Or contact Gary at grichards@bayareanewsgroup.com or 408-920-5037.