Highway 17 Wildlife and Trail Crossing

Help the Ridge Trail Solve Complex Crossings like Highway 17!
Have you ever driven Highway 17 and thought it was harrowing? Now imagine you are a hiker, biker or mountain lion. Help us provide safe crossings for outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife, which will connect over 30,000 acres of protected public lands on both sides of Highway 17 and create over 50 continuous miles of Ridge Trail. And Highway 17 is not the only complex crossing along the planned trail route. As the Ridge Trail proceeds to completion, some of our biggest obstacles will be complex and expensive crossings such as Highways 92, 35, 4, 680 and the railroads at Niles Canyon Road.

Why:
This is a critical gap for both wildlife and regional trails. The Ridge Trail believes that both wildlife and humans are important trail users and that careful and balanced planning will create the most elegant solution. Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) reached out to the Ridge Trail Council to rally trail advocates and to help fundraise to complete the crossing and the trail connections leading up to the crossing. Make sure to sign up for Midpen project updates here.

Current Status (as of June 2026):
The Highway 17 Wildlife and Trail Crossings project is at the advanced planning and design phase. Environmental review, including CEQA and NEPA, are completed. The Project Development Team, comprised of Midpen, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), and Caltrans District 4 are coordinating through the Plans, Specifications and Estimates (PS&E) phase to bring the project to 100% design. The project is currently scheduled to begin construction in mid-2027. The project is funded through PS&E. Midpen is leading the external funding development effort to support the implementation phase. Learn more about the project timeline and funding status here. Learn more about the project timeline and funding status here.

Funding need:
Funding is still needed for the construction phase of this project, and to support the Ridge Trail’s work attending meetings, reviewing planning documents, and organizing community members and volunteers to advocate for this important regional trail connection. To support our work on this project, you can make a donation here. Thank you for helping us to make this vital connection for wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts a reality!