Santa Clara Street is generally considered to be Downtown San José’s most important street. It is central to civic life, hosting parades and other large public celebrations. The street connects important destinations like San José City Hall, San Pedro Square, the De Anza Hotel, and Diridon Station. The future BART subway will run beneath it and feature stops in the downtown core and at Diridon Station.

But except for a few specific times during the day or special events, Santa Clara Street lacks the vibrant street life that one would expect on a city’s main drag. Many stretches of the street are not pleasant places to walk, shop, or spend time. Businesses struggle to attract customers. Transit buses get stuck at red lights and in traffic, preventing them from providing fast, frequent service.

The Reimaging Santa Clara Street Project is an opportunity to make this critical downtown street better for everyone.

Examples of potential improvements include:

• Transit priority features
• Expanded sidewalks
• Enhanced landscaping
• Curb loading
• Parks and public places

City Goals

The project supports and builds upon the vision laid out in the City’s General Plan as well as the Downtown Transportation Plan. Both plans designate Santa Clara Street as a 'Grand Boulevard'. This is a street type that aims to prioritize transit operations on the road. It will also expand and improve pedestrian space on the sidewalks. A 'Grand Boulevard' can help the City achieve its goal to reduce vehicle trips and increase trips taken by foot, bike, and transit.

The City’s Transit First Policy and the City’s Complete Streets Design Standards and Guidelines will inform the project team’s selection of the optimal design elements and improvements for the corridor.

Timeline

The planning process is scheduled to take approximately one year from kick-off, which is currently slated for fall 2024.

Community engagement

We will have a table at Viva CalleSJ on Sunday, September 8! Find us at the Roosevelt Park Hub from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The project intends to form two committees to facilitate feedback and engage directedly on the design and planning process. This includes:

• A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC): A group of industry professionals and representatives of institutional stakeholders
• A Community Advisory Committee (CAC): A group of residents, business, and property owner representatives

Additionally, the Project will hold community meetings and online surveys to solicit additional feedback and community review of design proposals.

Resources

• Downtown Transportation Plan (DTP)
• Request for proposals

Funding

This project is funded by the City of San José’s Capital Improvement Program.

_{An aerial shot of City Hall Plaza and the intersection of Santa Clara and Fifth Streets.}