Now the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is planning to demolish that Oka Road overpass—part of the Highway 17/Highway 85 cloverleaf—and replace it with a direct connector.

The neighbors, however, say they have had enough of the negative impacts from the existing overpass and are against the VTA's direct connector proposal.

"Most of us in this room can't see the reason for this project in the first place," said Paseo Laura resident Jeff Loughridge at an Aug. 7 public meeting with the VTA. "The money could be better spent now on something that's more vital."

Mojonera Court resident Daniel Tkach said the interchange on eastbound Los Gatos­Saratoga Road and Highway 17 needs improvement more than the proposed on ramp.

"From all the priorities, why are you choosing something that's not broken and trying to fix it?" Tkach said, followed by applause from his neighbors.

"Why are we spending that money when there are dozens of places where the money could be better spent?" another resident added.

But VTA officials said the project is necessary and was approved years ago.

According to John Ristow, deputy director for programming and highway administration, there was originally intended to be a direct ramp from northbound 17 to northbound 85, but it was never completed due to a lack of funds.

Now, $9.5 million of the 1996 Measure B county sales tax has been earmarked for this section of Highway 17 to correct the "unsafe weave or movement of two cars sharing the same space," Ristow said. VTA data indicates that there were 10 nonfatal accidents on that weave between 1997 and 2000—a number not high enough to merit the improvement, neighbors said.

VTA Deputy Director of Highway Construction Jeff Funk said that while there is no target date for the project, he hopes to start the 15-month construction process next year. The traffic in the residential area would be limited to five days, with Oak Road being closed for a maximum of five hours on the last day.

Funk said the VTA will try to impact the neighborhood as little as possible, and will not be working nights. "We're going to tell the contractors, 'These are your constraints. These are the conditions you have to work within,' " Funk said.

Ristow said the project is in its design and environmental review stage, but there is a possibility it may not happen. Ristow pointed to the VTA's plan to close the Lark Avenue exit from southbound 17—the town had so many concerns that the idea was dropped.

Tkach, like many of his neighbors, wants the same thing to happen with the direct connector proposal and wondered aloud what the neighbors could do to make the town act in the best interest of its community.

"You're doing that right now," said Joe Pirzynski, Los Gatos council member and member of the VTA's board of directors. Pirzynski said he would take the residents' concerns back to the board.

Also, Pirzynski said, the town typically needs to approve a project—with community input—before the board gives its green light. "As we continue the dialogue, if projects have more significance to a community, they will take a higher priority," Pirzynski said.

Many of the neighbors said they are opposed to the proposal because of what the existing bridge did to their area. Tkach said the construction would lower the property value, while another resident said he could already see, through his window, the cars driving on the highway.

Mojonera Court resident Noa Sklar said she is afraid to walk her children under the overpass because it is perceived as dangerous. "You're going to make it worse and worse and worse, and I'm not sure where it stops," Sklar said.

Loughridge pointed out that 5-gallon plants had been established in 1994, but those plants died three years later.

Ristow replied, however, that the contractor was required to maintain the plants for three years and then hand the responsibility over to Caltrans, which is evidently responsible for letting the greenery die. Ristow said the new overpass project includes funding for new landscaping.

"When it gets handed over to Caltrans, everybody washes their hands of it," Loughridge countered. He said he had tried calling Caltrans to ask for more maintenance, but he was never given a person to talk to. Loughridge said the residents need a contact person.

While no second public meeting is scheduled, Pirzynski said it was evident that the neighborhood is against the project. Pirzynski encouraged the neighbors to give the VTA verbal and written input, and at the same time the town would work with the VTA as a team to come up with a solution.