Have any questions about the earmark project? Visit our FAQs webpage to check if your question has already been answered.

Project Description

The Senter Road Earmark Project plans to add more permanent safety improvements to Senter Road, between Story Road and Monterey Road. Senter Road already has “quick-build” safety features from a previous project, which use low-cost, temporary materials.

To see upgrades installed through the quick-build project, view the quick-build project page. And view this before-and-after video, which shows what kind of improvements the quick-build project added:

With this project, we are making those previous improvements more enduring. Upgrades include:

• New traffic signal at Senter Road and Balfour Drive
• Roadway and pedestrian lighting improvements
• Protected bikeways
• Transit improvements
• Median islands
• Enhanced crosswalks

Project Map

These improvements will create a safer Senter Road for people who walk, roll, bike, drive, and take public transit.

Community Engagement

Have any questions about the earmark project? Visit our FAQs webpage to check if your question has already been answered.

Planned Improvements

New Traffic Signal at Senter Road and Balfour Drive

To simplify a complex intersection, this project will install a new traffic signal at Senter Road and Balfour Drive.

Sample rendering of a new traffic signal.

Roadway and Pedestrian Lighting Improvements

To improve lighting and visibility along Senter Road, this project will include:

• Pedestrian-scale lighting
• Enhanced light-emitted diode (LED) streetlights

Mixed streetlighting and pedestrian lighting at Old Bayshore Road.

Please view our lighting map to see where lighting upgrades are planned.

Protected Bikeways

To improve the corridor’s bike facilities, this project will install concrete curb barriers to physically separate people driving and biking.

Concrete separated bike lanes at 10th Street.

Transit Improvements

To support Transit First goals and improve safety for multiple transit routes, this project will install:

• Bus priority system at traffic signals
• Bus boarding islands
• Bus shelters and benches

A transit boarding island at 10th and Empire Streets.

Median Islands

To improve safety, this project will install median islands with trees at various locations.

A median island with street trees at Senter and Umbarger Roads.

Enhanced Crosswalks and Radar Signs

To improve pedestrian safety, this project will include two new enhanced crosswalks with flashing beacons. Upgrades will also be made to two existing crosswalks.

Radar speed signs will be installed along the corridor to alert drivers of their speed.

An enhanced crosswalk at Little Orchard Street and Perrymont Avenue.

Project Evaluation and Data Collection

To ensure the project is meeting desired goals, this project will include:

• Engineering
• Evaluation
• Data collection
• Community engagement

Timeline

• September to late fall 2025: Construction of enhanced crosswalks and radar signs
• Spring to winter 2026:
  • Construction of new traffic signal at Balfour
  • Intersection improvements at Tully
  • Lighting upgrades, protected bikeways, and medians
• Fall 2026 to summer 2027:
  • Construction of intersection improvements at:
    • Singleton
    • Lewis
    • Needles
    • San Gregorio

Contact

If you would like to receive project updates, or have any questions or comments, please email Anna Le at Anna.Le@sanjoseca.gov.

Updates

Based on feedback from the community and a re-evaluation of project scope priorities, the project will maintain three vehicle lanes north of Tully with a concrete-separated bike lane.

The City of San José was awarded additional funding for transit upgrades via Bus Accelerated Infrastructure (BusAID) program and Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP).

Announcement of earmark from Assemblymember Ash Kalra.

Resources

Learn more about our Vision Zero traffic safety initiative.

Funding

This project is funded by a state earmark. The funding for this budget request can be found in Assembly Bill 178. AB 178 was signed by Governor Newsom on June 30, 2022.

The City of San José secured additional funding for transit upgrades through the Bus Accelerated Infrastructure (BusAID) program. Information on the BusAID grant can be found in the memorandum approved on October 22, 2024.