San Jose Airport Road Closure Delayed Amid Cyclists’ Concerns
Ewert Road near SJC, a key bike corridor since the 1990s, faces possible closure; advocates argue it’s safer than alternatives and critical to Vision Zero goals.
Ewert Road, a flat, direct east-west route connecting San Jose to Santa Clara and Sunnyvale near San Jose Mineta International Airport, saw its planned Oct. 1 closure delayed due to projected El Niño rainfall, airport spokesperson Julie Jarratt told San José Spotlight.
The airport and city had initially announced the closure to improve safety and security, citing collisions and law enforcement calls involving vehicles and cyclists on a road originally built for internal airport access.
Cyclists and advocates, including San Jose Councilmember Michael Mulcahy, resident Mikhail Haurylau, and Bike San Jose co-lead Haojun Li, argue the detour routes are longer, less safe, and vulnerable to winter flooding and dark conditions.
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee submitted a 20-page report urging permanent public access, calling Ewert Road irreplaceable and not redundant with other infrastructure.
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Local and regional agencies, including VTA and Santa Clara bike committees, emphasize its role in regional corridors and as a reliable alternative when the Guadalupe River Trail floods.
Chair Jordan Moldow noted airport officials offered vague safety reasons without addressing existing protections like fencing, urging the airport to accommodate cyclists rather than shift risk elsewhere.
Prepared with AI assistance from the cited sources.
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