How Can a Shuttle Serve Los Altos?

Editor's Note: Los Altos Patch extended an invitation to all candidates to blog. Anabel Pelham, a candidate for City Council, accepted the invitation. 

If we think about Los Altos holistically—as an ecosystem—then a mini-shuttle begins to make a lot of sense. Look at our geography—relatively long and narrow, an outcome of a city growing along a railroad line. Yet, this geography is ideal for a north/south, oval-shaped, fixed-route shuttle.

A shuttle would link us together, particularly the downtown and civic center. It would diminish the need for a car and thus likely open up more parking spaces. It would encourage pedestrians, cyclists and walking in general. It would contribute to our village charm and socialization, and promote health and wellness. Perhaps most important, it would help build a sense of community and place.

There are many national and international models for small town/village/community shuttles, so we need not start from zero. See, for example, http://www.cityofcalabasas.com/ We can duplicate best practices and infuse our unique character (color, name, shuttle stop signage, etc.) on the vehicles. We could have a contest to name it!

Imagine strategically placed bike racks and “bike corrals” at shuttle stops; shuttle stops at major parking lots (leave the car, take the shuttle); attractive shuttle stop signage listing stops and times; shuttle stops near existing benches and gathering spots and plazas.  For example, a shuttle stop at Main and State Streets near Citibank would likely pump some life into an underused space. Imagine a pop-up GROM gelato stand under the gazebo in the summer!

A shuttle could interconnect the seven commercial areas of Los Altos, attract more visitors to downtown, and place us on the forward-looking sustainability and Age-Friendly Cities, 8-80 Cities, New Urbanism, and Project for Public Spaces maps.

A public/private partnership could help support the initial investment, and longer- term financing could be generated by weekly/monthly passes and daily tickets (although experience has shown that public transit needs modest ongoing support). If Los Altos Hills wishes to participate in the shuttle routes, we could work out a joint venture.

There will be the usual implementation issues: contracting for shuttles, number and types, routes and signage, drivers, insurance, ticketing and passes, vehicle maintenance, and more. But all of these issues are manageable, and many other cities have already done it.

To get the ball rolling, I wish to respectfully suggest a name for the shuttle: the Apricot! This shuttle will be a priority public/private partnership goal of my agenda, if I am elected to the Los Altos City Council. anabelpelham.org.