Three-Creeks Trail

The Three-Creeks Trail is envisioned as a multi-use trail running over a former Union Pacific railroad line stretching from Lomus near Lincoln out to Kelley Park. This trail is sometimes called the Willow Glen Spur trail after the name of the railroad line. This line was abandoned for use in 2000. Union Pacific removed the rails in 2004. The City of San Jose Parks Department 2000 strategic plan envisioned the purchase and conversion of this land for trail use. In the intervening years some of the land has been purchased by other landowners, and is threatened in other ways. It is our goal to assist local government in creating a workable trail on this property.

Maps

Aerial Map (2.1MB PDF) of complete trail.
East alignment (1.1MB PDF) from highway 87 east to Kelley Park.
West alignment (1.2MB PDF) from Lonus near Lincoln to highway 87.

Threats to the trail

Construction on Stucco Supply Company property

On Wednesday July 8th 2009, the San Jose Planning Department approved the erection of a canopy by Stucco Supply Company, which has purchased a portion of the former railway line. This will effectively block the trail right-of-way. An appeal was heard by the Planning Commission on Wednesday, August 26, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at San Jose City Hall. The appeal failed.

Map of the Stucco Supply Co property and location of the canopy.
Map of the entire Three-Creeks Trail showing how the loss of property will decrease connectivity to the region.
A letter to the Director of the Planning Department of the City of San Jose explaining the problems with erecting a canopy (PDF 65kB) dated 6/20/2009.
Map showing a 1000 foot radius from Stucco Supply Co. Residents within a 1000 foot radius from Stucco Supply Co can protest the canopy construction to the San Jose planning commission.

City of San Jose General Plan

The current City of San Jose General Plan includes the Eastern alignment of the Three-Creeks trail. The next version of the General Plan does not include the Eastern alignment. The new plan only indicates that the general area needs an improved transportation corridor for non-auto traffic which could be fulfilled by putting bike lanes on Alma.
Cover of the Greenprint 2000 plan (PDF 0.8MB), the current General Plan.
Western Alignment map (district 6) (PDF 1.0MB), the current General Plan.
Eastern Alignment map (district 7) (PDF 1.1MB), the current General Plan.
Draft of the 2009 Greenprint
Map showing 2009 Greenprint draft for Eastern Alignment of Three Creeks Trail. The map shows that the city intends to create a single “most feasible east-west connection.” This may be a bike trail on Alma Street.

Sutton Developer

Sutton Letter (0.25MB PDF) and Sutton letter exhibits (12.6MB PDF) by Bruce Tichinin dated 02/16/2009. This letter was addressed to a developer who proposing a housing development along the far western leg of the Three Creeks Trail from Lonus Avenue to Broadway. The development would have provided minimal space for a trail. The letter outlined the legal challenges of developing this property. The developer abandoned plans to purchase this property.

Willow Glen Spur Trail Focus Group

Majority Report (1.9MB PDF) by the SJ Director of parks dated 11/13/2008, presenting the City of San Jose’s plan to create a trail of the West Alignment of the railroad tracks.
Minority Report (0.5MB PDF) by Larry Ames dated 03/02/2009. A focus group organized by the City of San Jose concluded that the Eastern Alignment of the trail could be replaced by a bike lane on Alma. This white paper documents the challenges and benefits of developing the rail line as a trail.

Links

City of San Jose Site for Three Creaks Trail - This site focuses on the work that the city has done on the West Alignment.
Article in the Willow Glen Resident (PDF 0.2MB) about Save Our Trails dated 3/13/2009 By Tiffany Carney.
WGNA Support for the Three Creeks Trail dated 8/13/2007 by President of WGNA.
San Jose Mercury News article about the Three Creeks Trail dated 11/16/2007.
Willow Glen Resident article dated 10/26/2007 about the opening of a portion of the Guadalupe River Trail that goes under 280, also discusses the Three-Creeks Trail.