Update: The VTA Nasa-North Bayshore study is being pulled from the VTA’s TAC and PAC committee agendas so the Mountain View City Council will have the first public review April  17.

This week, with minimal attention, VTA is recommending autonomous buses for next-step consideration for a connection between Bayshore/NASA light rail to North Bayshore through the Moffett Field/NASA Ames area. The recommendation is similar to Mountain View’s recent study on connecting the downtown transit center with North Bayshore.  The new route might start with human-driven buses and segue to autonomous buses depending on how fast the autonomous vehicle technology matures, with some combination of mixed and dedicated right of way.

The study recommended alignments for further study including a zigzag through Jones (yellow), and a 101 alignment (red).  It would connect to North Bayshore with a new bridge across Stevens Creek at Charleston.

The alignment study needed to thread a needle considering wetlands, burrowing owl habitat, superfund sites, and active runways. The new transit route would serve increaed employment at NASA Research Park and Google Bayview offices, and if we’re reading the maps correctly, the new transit route would be also accessible to a development of ~1900 new homes being proposed across 101 along Ellis.

VTA proposes to seek funding for further study of these options, including coordination with Mountain View’s North Bayshore connection, and exploration of the autonomous and connected vehicle infrastructure that could be used for the route.

The report was released with minimal fanfare, on the “consent calendar” of VTA’s Policy Advisory, Technical Advisory, and Citizens’ Advisory Committee, meaning that the report is included in the agenda packet for the meeting, but is not discussed unless committee members ask specially to discuss it.