When San Jose International Airport built the “hands” parking garage and converted the old “Green Island” rental lot at the north side of the airport into the economy parking lot, the former economy lot on the Santa Clara side of the airport was no longer needed. Besides a small area used for police motorcycle training, those old lots are now closed and fenced off. Ewert Road — the road around the north perimeter of the airport — is also closed and signed for “AUTHORIZED VEHICLES ONLY.”
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Cyclists, however, are free to use this road to get across from the Guadalupe River Trail for access to De La Cruz Boulevard and Central Expressway.
To access Ewert Road going west, stay on the west bank of the Guadalupe River Trail where it dead-ends at Green Island Bridge. This is the bridge to access the Economy Parking lot where all of those blue airport buses circulate. Airport Parkway becomes Ewert Road at the traffic light. Just keep going north past the freight operations and taxi storage area, stay right, and ignore the scary signs telling you to turn around. You’ll bypass a couple of sets of barriers and then you’re free and clear to ride around the airport on a beautiful, nicely paved two lane road with no car traffic.
To get to De La Cruz or Central Expressway, watch for the fence opening. As shown at the end of the video, you’ll see a beg button so you can cross De La Cruz.
For access from the west side of the airport, ride up De La Cruz until you find one of the two fence openings. From Central Expressway, you’ll need to get into that right-most left turn lane where Central tees at De La Cruz, and then cross De La Cruz for the fence opening to Ewert. Turn left onto Ewert to get to the Guadalupe River Trail.
I know a few Cyclelicious readers cross Highway 101 on Trimble as part of your daily commute and my hat’s off to you, but IMO this route bears mentioning for those who’d rather not mix it up with fast, merging traffic.
I always assumed that bicycles are among the vehicles authorized to use that street. As I do every time I see an “Authorized Vehicles Only” sign.
Know of any opening to get to Martin Road to COleman by following Ewert around to the south side of the airport?
Not that I know of, Ralph – the old parking areas seem completely fenced off.
Will try this route tomorrow, as I need to leave a vehicle at the Terminal A parking garage and get myself back to Los Altos. Wish me luck.
They fenced it off some time yesterday. I was stuck riding around the south side of my airport on my way home after midnight. Whoever is responsible for this sucks chilidogs!
If you don’t mind me asking — what part is fenced off?
I haven’t been back since the night of Feb 5th, but the opening in the temporary fence at De La Cruz and Central which allowed access to Ewert was closed. I’ve been taking N 1st to bypass the flooded underpasses on the GRT, which, frankly, stinks!