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<\/a><\/p>\nSupporters of the Coyote Creek Trestle \u2014 a decommissioned timber railroad bridge north of Kelley Park \u2014 launched the preservation campaign after San Jose officials suggested it could be demolished and replaced by a steel bridge to serve as a crossing along the planned\u00a0Five Wounds Trail expansion<\/a>. Since then, these advocates have written letters, presented at public meetings and circulated a petition in an effort that has already won support from several neighborhood groups and at least one councilmember.<\/p>\n However, while officials with the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department previously signaled the agency strongly favored demolition, the city appears to be softening its line following the outpouring of support for the trestle.<\/p>\n Parks Department spokesperson Ed Bautista clarified the city is still reviewing several options \u2014 including preserving the trestle and building a new bridge nearby \u2014 as it continues to consult with outside experts and draw input from residents.<\/p>\n \u201cNo decisions have been made, and all decisions are still on the table,\u201d Bautista told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n This latest trestle showdown comes nearly six years after preservationists\u00a0failed to stop<\/a>\u00a0the demolition of the Willow Glen Trestle, which had spanned the Los Gatos Creek for nearly 100 years. Now, advocates say the city can\u2019t afford to lose another vital piece of its history.<\/p>\n \u201cSan Jose was an agricultural wonderland,\u201d Larry Ames, a longtime preservation advocate\u00a0and\u00a0member of a committee formed to protect the Coyote Creek Trestle, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cThey called it the Valley of Heart\u2019s Delight, and most of it has been paved over and turned into high tech now. But this is a connection to our past.\u201d<\/p>\n The\u00a0Coyote Creek Trestle<\/a>, a 250-foot-long structure that bridges the creek, was built in 1922 by Western Pacific Railroad. The city acquired the trestle in 2012, more than a decade after it fell out of use, as part of a larger purchase of a 9-acre rail corridor.<\/p>\n Its location just north of the Senter Road and Keyes Street intersection puts it right next to a proposed trailhead for the planned Five Wounds Trail expansion, which is set to run north for two miles, terminating near Watson Park.<\/p>\n Rather than demolishing the trestle, advocates have voiced support for an alternative plan that would see the trestle structurally reinforced, while the city builds a new bridge for the trail at a nearby location.<\/p>\n But parks officials have warned such an approach would put the city on the hook for significant ongoing maintenance costs. In a March presentation to the Historic Landmarks Commission, they noted that outside experts examining the trestle found it had suffered serious structural damage, including from a major 2021 fire, that has raised the possibility that even a moderate earthquake could cause it to collapse.<\/p>\n They also warn keeping the trestle in place risks future trail closures if the structure is damaged further. The city notes the trestle is built in an area where fires are a regular occurrence.<\/p>\n The trestle\u2019s supporters argue the fire risks have been overblown. They also counter that an evaluation commissioned by the city comparing the demolition and preservation options found that keeping the trestle in place would actually entail lower construction costs and take less time to complete. However,\u00a0the report<\/a>\u00a0also found under the preservation scenario, the city would face higher costs associated with staff time and ongoing maintenance of the structure.<\/p>\n The preservation campaign has drawn support from several prominent local organizations, including the D7 Leadership Group and the All District Leadership Group. Meanwhile, District 7 Councilmember Bien Doan, whose district includes the trestle, has also thrown his support behind preservation.<\/p>\n \u201cCoyote Creek Trestle is a piece of San Jose\u2019s history that cannot be replaced. We have a responsibility to preserve it for future generations,\u201d Doan told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cWe can build a safe, modern trail crossing without tearing down what makes this place unique.\u201d<\/p>\n As momentum behind the preservation campaign picks up, Keith Ball, a key organizer behind the effort and a board member for the Save Our Trails advocacy group, said he believes the city is feeling the pressure.<\/p>\n \u201cThe more public support we have, the more indications that the city receives from the local neighborhoods and the local people, as well as from other advocacy groups \u2014 I think they will change their approach,\u201d Ball told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n Contact Keith Menconi at\u00a0keith@sanjosespotlight.com\u00a0or @KeithMenconi on X.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LNM-20260415-RAILROADRALLY-02.jpg\")
San Jose residents are organizing to save the Coyote Creek Trestle from being demolished for a trail expansion. (Photo courtesy Larry Ames\/San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/LNM-20260415-RAILROADRALLY-03.webp.png\")
San Jose is still deciding whether its plan to create a new two-mile trail, which will cross Coyote Creek, will require the demolition of the century-old Coyote Creek Trestle. (Image courtesy of San Jose via San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight)<\/p>\n