Construction crews have started work on replacing the synthetic turf and athletic track at Mountain View and Los Altos high schools ahead of the start of the new school year.
The Mountain View–Los Altos High School District Board of Trustees in May approved the approximately $3 million project total, $1.5 million per site, due to turf lifespan. The turf is now 12 years old, beyond the recommended 10-year lifespan.
School district staff said the project will involve replacing the top turf layer, resurfacing the track and installing new cork infill to reduce heat instead of recycled tire products.
Construction is expected to take six to eight weeks over the summer, with fields scheduled to be finished in mid-August ahead of the fall sports season. The fields are used most of the year for sports and PE classes.
The school district looked into natural grass options but found there would be major upfront costs because that option would require the removal of the current field base, with annual maintenance costs running about $100,000.
