Lawson Bikeway Feasibility Study
Project Overview
The City of Cupertino retained Hexagon Transportation Consultants, Inc. to conduct a feasibility study to develop alternatives for a bikeway (bike lane or bike path) to Lawson Middle School. The goal of the study was to engage students, parents, school and district staff, neighbors, and the community to develop a bikeway design that will provide students safe access to the bike cages on campus while taking a variety of needs into consideration.
Project Background
The Lawson Middle School Bikeway Project was initiated as a result of the School Walk Audit Implementation Project. The purpose of the School Walk Audit Implementation Project was to enhance the safety of students walking or biking to the City of Cupertino's fourteen public schools by identifying various improvement projects to enhance roadway safety for all school-age children. The Walk Audit project developed a comprehensive list of recommendations for improving bicyclist and pedestrian safety surrounding Cupertino's public schools.
One of the improvements identified was the installation of a two-way separated bike path at Lawson Middle School, which would provide a safe and convenient way for students to access the campus bike cages. Due to the congested conditions during the morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times, the sidewalks adjacent to the school are crowded with students, and the streets around the school experience significant vehicular traffic. Installing the bike path would provide cyclists with a separate, dedicated space, keeping them away from vehicles on the road and pedestrians on the sidewalks. The City Council authorized the Lawson Middle School Bikeway Project in the Fiscal Year (FY) 22-23 Work Plan, with a budget of $40,000, to evaluate alternative configurations for a bike path to access the bike racks from the neighboring streets. Transportation Division staff hired Hexagon Transportation Consultants, Inc. to assist with this effort.
Community Meetings
November 10, 2022
Attendees from Lawson Middle School, Cupertino Union School District, the Lawson neighborhood, and community members had the opportunity to hear a brief presentation about the feasibility study and provide feedback to City staff and the project team.
March 16, 2023
Hexagon Consultants presented project background, data collected, and initial conceptual designs being considered for the bikeway. Design alternatives include a multi-use path, two-way separated bikeway, and bike boulevard. See presentation below for schematics.
The study team used feedback received to develop alternatives which they presented at Community Meeting #3.
April 26, 2023
The City's project team presented a summary of feedback gathered during Community Meeting #2, revised conceptual drawings and cost estimates of the two designs being considered, the process moving forward, and gathered feedback about attendees' preferences, which will be valuable for the next steps of the study process.
Bicycle Pedestrian Commission Meeting
May 17, 2023
The Bicycle Pedestrian Commission heard a presentation regarding two alternatives being considered for this study. The Commission is recommending that Council direct staff to move forward with an on-street, two-way separated bikeway. For details on the design, see the slideshow presented to the Commission:
City Council Meeting
July 09, 2024
The City Council considered a recommendation to install on-street, two-way protected bikeway along the west side of Vista Drive and the north side of Forest Avenue along the Lawson Middle School frontages, in line with community and Bicycle Pedestrian Commission support for this alternative. The City Council unanimously recommended that staff proceed with implementing the on-street protected two-way bikeway.
Final Report
See the link below for the final Feasibility Study.
Project Manager
David Stillman
Transportation Manager
Email: davids@cupertino.org
Phone: 408.777.3249