By signing this we are asking the City of Santa Clara to restore FULL access at ALL times to this valuable publicly funded and maintained resource.



The San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail (STAC Trail) is a valuable public asset: whether you are physically challenged and need the most smooth, safe, level, direct route; wish to go for a long run on smooth, even pavement, stroll with colleagues along the Creekside; take the kids out for a family bike ride; or commute safely to numerous employers. It is a vital public asset - an artery linking to the extensive San Francisco Bay Trail network.

The STAC Trail was paid for by the taxpayers of both Santa Clara and Santa Clara County, including regional and state “congestion mitigation” funds designated to reduce traffic jams on San Tomas Expressway by creating a safe bike path as an enticing alternative to driving.

In 2009, when planning for what is now Levi’s Stadium began, a small group of citizens spoke up; concerned that access to this public resource would be threatened. The city’s Bicycle Advisory Committee created three proposals for safe, segregated access for trail use that would not interfere with event-goers, but San Francisco 49ers management balked at the costs involved.

A draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was created in 2009 that documented this promise and in 2013 it was approved under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and stadium construction began.

Residents were then promised that the trail would be closed only for stadium construction.

The only limitation listed in the EIRs was that STAC Trail users may have to walk their bikes on the STAC Trail for the largest of events. But the trail would remain fully open to the ALL of the public at ALL times (even with the largest of events).

Today the situation is dramatically different than that documented in the EIR. Santa Clara’s Stadium Authority has allowed the 49ers to lease land from Great America Park in order to sell alcohol and concessions, and the security perimeter has now been constructed on the opposite side of the trail than was reflected in the official documents.

Events have expanded beyond football games to include WrestleMania, monster truck rallies, motocross events and music concerts. The trail is now frequently closed for event preparation and during events placed into the Great America parking lot as well. There are safety concerns of mixing bicyclists and pedestrians with alcohol-consuming event patrons.



The only concessions were "baby steps" with the SCPD Chief. These were meant as a good faith effort to prove that the STAC Trail is viable: Allowing cyclists and pedestrians who are ticket holders only. This is still a clear violation of the EIRs.

This Trail can safely handle hundreds of users per hour. Practical alternatives exist, but all possible solutions require a commitment by Santa Clara.

Extended STAC Trail closures often impact peak commuting hours, and bicyclists and pedestrians are forced to detour onto significantly congested roadways. This puts these users at increased risk. Our public efforts over the last 6-9 months have been ignored by City Leadership, the Santa Clara City Manager and Mayor have still not met with us. For more information: Join us on Facebook. Or email us, we need volunteers too! (TakeBackSantaClara@gmail.com)

We the taxpayers of Santa Clara (City and County) are being denied access to our public right-of-way by private interests. Our funds were designated for a peaceful creek-side trail for the public's benefit. To restrict the use of the San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail for the benefit of a private corporation is an unauthorized and illegal gift of Public Funds/Assets.

The San Francisco 49ers balked at reasonable proposals in order to save money and shortcut the public process. Yet they’ve paid significantly more cash to Great America in order to profit from food and beverage sales to a captive audience in their parking lot.

Please join us in asking the City of Santa Clara to restore FULL access

at ALL times to our valuable publicly-funded and -maintained resource