VTA and city officials from San Jose and Campbell have started working with neighborhoods along a nearly six-mile stretch of Bascom Avenue to figure out how to tackle some of the road’s trickiest intersections and more dangerous segments.

The improvement projects they come up with could significantly affect Bascom Avenue commuters, including those served by VTA bus routes 61 and 62, the Mountain View-Winchester light rail line and the Los Gatos Creek Trail crossing near Southwest Expressway.

It’s all part of what’s called the Bascom Corridor Complete Streets Study, which will focus on the stretch of Bascom from Interstate 880 near the neighborhoods of Bascom-Forest and Rose Garden in San Jose to the Pruneyard in Campbell all the way down to Highway 85 near Good Samaritan Hospital in Cambrian Park. Unincorporated county pockets along the corridor are included in the study.

City and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority planners are hoping residents along that stretch can help them identify possible improvements to smooth traffic flow, such as traffic signals and better access to multiple forms of transportation.

Two open houses were held last week to kick-start the process, one at Bascom Community Center and the other at Farnham Elementary School.

Residents split into groups following staff presentations at both meetings, then presented their findings at the end. The 50 to 60 who attended the Bascom Community Center meeting outnumbered the dozen or so who showed up for the second meeting, but people at both shared nearly identical concerns, complaints and requests.

Many asked for protected bike lanes, more sidewalks and crosswalks, and planting of trees in traffic medians for shade and scenery.

Nearly everyone at both meetings said reducing the travel lanes from six to four should be seriously considered. More safety measures around Del Mar High School and near Farnham Elementary were also on their list of requests, as well as adding signs to the Los Gatos Creek Trail entrances.

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center was a particularly problematic area for neighbors on both ends of Bascom. Many said they were alarmed to see seniors navigating the busy street without using an intersection and want to see a more direct way to cross there.

Some older residents like Anthony Sacco, who lives near Hamilton Avenue, said crossing Bascom is unsafe for seniors because of their physical limitations and the lack of supportive pedestrian infrastructure.

“I have problems negotiating Bascom Avenue, and part of it is the lack of sidewalks,” Sacco said. “It’s too far between crosswalks. I don’t want to have to travel 2,000 or even 1,200 feet to cross the street, and when I do cross it, I want it to be narrower than 100 to 120 feet.”

VTA transportation planner Malahat Owrang said in an interview that identifying where seniors live near Bascom and its light rail and bus stops is one of her top priorities.

“Seniors usually have free transit passes and are more likely to use transit,” Owrang said. “I’d really like to look at where the senior centers are; it’s just as important as the schools.”

Even if all of the communities are on board with the design, it still will need to conform to established guidelines in San Jose, Campbell and the unincorporated county areas.

“It’s a lot of work because it’s a very long corridor, it goes through different jurisdictions,” Owrang added. “Any design idea we come up with should be consistent with the design guidelines that cities follow.”

It’s unknown how much the project will cost, but Measure B funds could be used for part of it, although Owrang noted that applying for money from the measure’s bike and pedestrian account is a “competitive” process.

The next phase of the study will begin later this year when planners come up with and present three different designs for public input. The preferred design and a project cost estimate will be announced next spring.

Residents are being asked to take the VTA survey online at bascomsurvey.vta.org.