Sunnyvale's Wolfe ECR Intersection - 5 Things You Should Know

By Andy Frazer, September 2014


For a PDF version of this page, click here.
 

#1 The Intersection At Wolfe Rd, El Camino Real And East Fremont Is One Of The Most-Congested Intersection In Sunnyvale

The El Camino Precise Plan refers to this intersection as the Eastern Node. It is one of the busiest intersections in Sunnyvale (1)

The El Camino Real and Wolfe Road intersection currently has long stoppages 

(more than 60- seconds) and low operating speeds. The City has determined 

that no changes are to be made at this intersection

 

#2 It is known as the “Little Monster” Intersection.

Many commuters who pass through this intersection refer to it as the “Little Monster” intersection as an homage to Sunnyvale’s busiest intersection: the Mathilda/237 intersection.

On Dec 17, 2013 the Council discussed action on the city’s Transportation Strategic Plan. The Report To Council RTC 13-232 pointed out the El Camino/Wolfe intersection:

The City currently has a deficiency plan in place because traffic 

volumes at build out conditions show that not all intersections in the 

regional Congestion Management Plan meet level of service goals. 

[Updated transportation forecasting models show] the intersection of 

Wolfe Road and El Camino Real/Fremont Avenue is projected 

to fall below regional standards in the future. (2)

#3 The City Has No Solution To Fixing The “Little Monster” Intersection

RTC 13-232 further says,
     

… no feasible mitigation has been identified.

In other words, congestion at this intersection will fall below acceptable levels, and the city says there is no way to fix it. Since there was no way to fix it, a previous City Council voted to adopt a Deficiency Plan.

A Deficiency Plan allows the city to complete transportation improvements (such as public transit, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian improvements) in other locations to compensate for the deficiency. This way the city can improve the overall transportation congestion metrics, without solving the congestion at this specific intersection. It may benefit travelers across the city, but it does not help residents who travel through the El Camino/Wolfe intersection.

The traffic study referenced in RTC 13-232 was conducted back in 2001, twelve years before Cupertino approved construction of the Apple II campus only one mile south of the Little Monster Intersection.

In 2014 the City Council agreed to merge study issues DPW 14-14 (Wolfe Rd Reconfiguration and Signalization) with DPW 14-17 (Optimization Alternatives to Wolfe Rd/El Camino Intersection). At the June 2014 Budget Workshop, the majority of Council decided not to pursue studying a grade separation (i.e., a bridge or tunnel) at the intersection.

#4 Congestion At Wolfe/El Camino Will Increase From Three New Large Development Projects.

In the next few years, the Little Monster Intersection will draw additional traffic from at least three new major developments along Wolfe Rd and El Camino Real.


1. Landbank Investments LLC is proposing a 770,000 square foot office campus located at 280 N. Wolfe Rd (at Wolfe Rd and Central Expressway) 2.5 miles north of this intersection. This project is expected to generate more than 3,000 daily car trips. Most employees heading south from this campus will likely pass through this intersection.

2. Essex Properties is building the Gateway Village high-density housing project one mile directly east on El Camino Real (at El Camino and Lawrence Expressway). Gateway Plaza will contain 420 housing units. Residents heading west out of this complex will pass through this intersection.

3. The new Apple II Campus will be one mile directly south on Wolfe Rd. This 2.8 million square foot campus will accommodate 13,000 employees. Most employees heading north out of the campus, including those headed to the El Camino Real area, Downtown or other Apple sites in Sunnyvale, will pass through this intersection.

#5 One Developer Is Proposing A High-Density Housing Project Directly At The “Little Monster” Intersection

Developer John Vidovich (De Anza Properties) is proposing a high-density residential development on the site of the former Butcher’s Orchard to the west of the Little Monster Intersection (871 East Fremont Ave). The current proposal is for 151 residential units, including six- and seven-story buildings.

Driveway access to this property would be impractical from either El Camino Real or Wolfe Rd. The developer’s only option is to build both driveways on East Fremont Ave. Traffic destined to drive either north, east or south would be required to exit west on to East Fremont Ave, then U-turn back towards the intersection.

This development would contribute two problems to the El Camino/Wolfe intersection. First, most of the traffic entering and exiting the project would pass through the intersection. Second, the entrances and exits to the property would increase the backup onto East Fremond, and back onto Wolfe Rd.

The city has a web-page with more detailed information about the Butcher’s Orchard project.

Further Reading

● RTC 13-232 Discussion and Possible Action to Update the Transportation Strategic Program and Adopt a Resolution Amending the City’s Master Fee Schedule for Traffic Impact Fees. This report to the Council on Dec 17, 2013 referenced the 2003 Transportation Strategic Program and indirectly references the findings from the 2001 traffic study.

● El Camino Real Precise Plan is the 2007 document that “serves as a guide to encourage well designed, appropriate developments along El Camino Real. The El Camino/Wolfe intersection is discussed in Section 3.3.4 Eastern Node. Sunnyvale city staff plans to revise the El Camino Real Precise Plan in 2015.

● DPW 14-14 Optimization of Wolfe Rd for Neighbors and Commuters via Reconfiguration and Signalization was a 2014 study issue. Council agreed to merge it with DPW 14-14.

● DPW 17-17 Analysis of Reconfiguration of Other Capacity Improvement Alternatives for the Wolfe Road/El Camino Real/Fremont Avenue Intersection Complex was a 2014 study issue. Council agreed to merge it with DPW 14-17.


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1. pp. 23-24, El Camino Real Precise Plan.

2. pp. 3-4  RTC 13-232 Discussion and Possible Action to Update the Transportation Strategic Program and Adopt a Resolution Amending the City’s Master Fee Schedule for Traffic Impact Fees.