District Puts Task Force in Place to Review Parking Lot

If you are reading this it is no surprise to you to hear that the front parking lot at Fremont High School is crowded.  While access has always been challenging, the situation since construction began is more so.  We’ve all experienced the problem of finding a space, getting in and out of it, and managing to enter or exit the lot safely.  Many people have simply given up and gone home.

This issue came forward when I learned that the district was planning to build an entrance/venue for the football field.  This area would be utilized as a gathering place when games and band performances let out, and function as a barrier keeping students, who are being picked-up, out of the parking lot.  Since the fields and snack shack have just been newly reconstructed, utilizing all available space, the only place to put this venue was on parking lot space.

The district’s plan was to move the pool spots over, but this puts us farther away from the firelane and we often get stuck in student drop off and pick off cues.  Additionally, it will reduce the parking lot by 12 spaces, which were desperately needed after 5PM when the signage for pool parking runs out.

In response to some of our concerns, the school district offered to hire civil engineering firm, Underwood and Rosenblum, to take us through a relook at the parking lot and what could be done.  The purpose of the task force took on two goals:  a) improve student safety and b) reinstate/improve access for pool users.  How do we know if we have succeeded?  Pool users desired better flow (especially since the new construction will put almost all parking places on the other side of the firelane) and more capacity, especially after 5PM.

The City of Sunnyvale Recreation Department and about 16 other stakeholders attended. Unfortunately, the engineers did not come up with any viable ideas.  The conclusions supported the following changes which will help a little:

a) change south exit to be exit only, right turn only, and place barriers up to prevent left hand turners.  It will help with flow.
b) they will add a walkway from the VTA bus us to the school, taking out 6 more spots, on a trial basis, (supporting student safety).
c) they will see if they can relocate the VTA stop to Fremont Ave. 
d) they will take out the 3rd small oak tree and move a memorial to widen that stretch.
e) they will add a bike rack.
f) they will provide information about parking in the back lot.

(Construction on buildings on Fremont Ave.  to be able to consider putting a drop-off lane along Fremont Avenue will not happen for 5 years.)

So, as it stands, the construction for the football venue will begin in 4 weeks.  We were told that the parking lot will have a more limited flow and more limited access during construction.

There are many more details and there is a lot more background, but that’s about it in a nutshell.