Project Description
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Elena and Taaffe Roads in Los Altos Hills, California, represent a significant thoroughfare for the Los Altos Hills Community in the case of emergency evacuation.
Interstate 280 (I-280) is a primary evacuation corridor for Los Altos Hills. Connectivity of primary and secondary thoroughfares from residential roads to the interstate are critical for ingress and egress if emergency evacuation becomes necessary, The Elena – Taaffe Evacuation Route Project is one of four frontage roadways being treated to provide alternative connectivity to the I-280 access ramps and the I-280 under passages.
From the intersection of Altamont Road, Taaffe Road provides an easterly, downhill directed evacuation route, roughly midway between the two I-280 access ramps at Page Mill and El Monte Roads. Taaffe Road terminates as Elena Road.
Elena Road is a frontage road to I-280 that distributes traffic to both the Page Mill and El Monte Roads access ramps. Additionally, Elena Road provides access to the Robleda and La Barranca Roads I-280 underpasses as well as its own underpass. Elena Road has previously been treated from its terminus at Purissima Road to La Barranca Road, an I-280 underpass.
To secure egress for all people along this evacuation route in the event of wildfire, the Los Altos Hills County Fire District (LAHCFD or District) and Santa Clara County Firesafe Council (SCCFSC) propose a roadside treatment of hazardous fuels.
Project Site
The Elena-Taaffe Evacuation Route Project intends to treat all or portions Taaffe Road and the remaining untreated portion of Elena Road.
- Taaffe Road in its entirety is approximately 0.88 miles long, meaning 1.76 miles of roadside to be treated, from Altamont Road and Taaffe Road – 37°21’40.3″N 122°09’05.9″W to Taaffe Road and Elena Road – 37°21’59.3″N 122°08’24.3″W
- Elena Road is approximately 1.55 miles long from the intersection of Elena Road and La Barranca Road – 37°22’09.7″N 122°08’46.0″W to the intersection of Elena Road and Moody / El Monte Road – 37°21’30.5″N 122°07’46.9″W meaning 3.1 miles of roadside to be treated.
The total length of roadway in this project is approximately 2.4 linear miles.
Schedule
The project was completed August 11, 2025.
