Total project costs for improvements are projected to run to $1,892,000, Loventhal said. Grant funds will cover $1,608,000 of the total. To receive federal grant money, Saratoga, Monte Sereno and Los Gatos are required to provide 15 percent of the total project cost. The three communities have committed $284,000 in matching funds, Loventhal said.

Highway 9--which runs through Saratoga, Monte Sereno, Los Gatos and Santa Clara County land--has long been a source of complaints concerning speeding and the lack of marked bike lanes and contiguous pedestrian trails. The highway has been the site of numerous accidents over the years. Two fatalities last year galvanized public support for improvements to make the highway safer.

Cyclist Jim Dein was killed by a hit-and-run driver in February of last year while riding his bicycle on a stretch of Highway 9 in Monte Sereno. Gina Loveday was hit and killed on the highway in Saratoga a month later while walking her dog. In May 2002, a motorist was killed in a crash on the highway.

The fatal accidents last year prompted Lana Malloy and JoAnne Peth, who live on the highway, to form an advocacy group called Citizens For Highway 9 Safety. Their website lists visibility, signage, vehicle speed and the lack of adequate sidewalks, crosswalks and bike lanes as the most common safety concerns. Malloy and Peth collected about 400 signatures on a petition concerning safety on the highway, which was submitted to the Monte Sereno and Saratoga city councils.

Despite the accidents, Highway 9 remains popular with pedestrians, joggers and bicyclists. Federal funding means safety improvements can now go forward.

With funding secured, Peth said Citizens For Highway 9 Safety plans to remain active in the next stages of the improvement process. "It's a win situation for everybody if it's done right," Peth said. "It's an opportunity for the three cities to work together to do a gateway model project to make the highway safer for pedestrians and bicyclists while keeping the rural, country feel that makes that road beautiful."

Enhancing safety for pedestrians and cyclists is the top priority, Loventhal said.

"Unfortunately, the accidents, as tragic as they may be, got the public behind [safety improvements to Highway 9]," Loventhal said.

Public outreach workshops on the project are planned during non-business hours starting in the fall. The workshops will attempt to keep the public informed on the project and serve as a forum for public feedback.

Improvements to Highway 9 are expected to be completed in two years.

"It seems like a long time, but it's a very aggressive timeline," Loventhal said.

Loventhal urged those with questions about the Highway 9 improvement project to contact the public works department in their city or town.

The website for The Citizens For Highway 9 Safety is www.highway9safety.com.