Traffic signal improvements on Foothill, San Tomas and Montague Expressways get a green light

SAN JOSE – The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously today to receive funds needed to implement and update traffic responsive signal timing on Foothill, San Tomas and Montague Expressways. By monitoring traffic patterns and adjusting traffic signals as needed, these technologies aim to increase the likelihood that a light will be green when cars arrive and limit the time that drivers must spend stopped at intersections.

“I’m really pleased to see this project moving forward,” said County Supervisor Joe Simitian, whose district includes parts of Foothill Expressway. “Investing in smart technologies like these is crucial for lightening the traffic burden on these roadways, and making sure we can all get to wherever we need to go as quickly and conveniently as possible.”

“I hear from folks all the time who wonder why they have to stop at every single intersection, even when traffic is light. And,” said Simitian, “it also makes sense environmentally to reduce the amount of stop and go traffic and the associated emissions.”

Traffic responsive signal timing will be implemented for weekdays and weekends on Foothill Expressway and for weekdays on San Tomas and Montague Expressways once commuter traffic rises closer to pre-pandemic levels. County staff expect this to take place in Fall 2021 or Spring 2022.

Funding for the improvements comes from a Transportation Fund for Clean Air grant the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) awarded to the County late last year.