Azalea,
This staff report is dated 9/30/25. We are 4 months past then. The finalized design was due Oct - 2025 as per your update in the city council meeting.
Please share the documents listed below. The last received record was 90% design from the Public Information Records request.
Reiterating the list.
Can you please send the 100% design proposal
Share the revised roles & responsibilities agreement between MP city & SMCTA as was requested by city staff at the City Council meeting in Sept 2025.
New budget for the proposed landscaping and additional fund allocation you are requesting from MP Taxpayers ? Your earlier proposal showed $600K in additional beyond SMCTA budget of $3.5M.
Detailed breakdown of the budget why it is higher . The document provided does not give the breakdown of how you arrived at the cost-estimates of $4M.
And publish these on the PROJECT Website as well.
Thank you.
Savita.
On Feb 9, 2026, at 9:55 PM, Azalea A. Mitch
wrote:
Hello Savita,
All of the staff reports are online. Below is a link to the staff report and MOU with the TA. The design is being finalized and will be bid shortly.
Thanks,
Azalea
https://www.menlopark.gov/files/sharedassets/public/v/1/agendas-and-minutes/city-council/2025-meetings/20250930/i2-20250930-cc-willow-rd-and-101-project.pdf

Azalea A. Mitch, P.E. (she/her)
Public Works Director
City Hall - 1st Floor
701 Laurel St.
tel 650-330-6692
menlopark.gov
See www.pronouns.org to learn more about why I share my pronouns.
From: Savita Kini
Sent: Friday, February 6, 2026 4:59 PM
To: Azalea A. Mitch
Cc: Drew Combs ; Justin I. C. Murphy ; _CCIN ; Richard Morel ; Sara Miller ; jayne3b@gmail.com; Marcia Bever ; tushar.janefalkar@gmail.com; Rohit Khare ; Sarah E. Sandoval ; Subbu Vincent
Subject: Re: Willow/101 interchange Landscpaing: Public Records Act Request :: P002884-072325
Reminder to please send the remaining documents ASAP.
On Wed, Jan 21, 2026 at 4:09 PM Savita Kini > wrote:
Hi Azalea,
You last shared a design which was tagged 90% design.
- Can you please send the 100% design proposal.
- share the revised roles & responsibilities agreement between MP city & SMCTA as was requested by city staff at the City Council meeting in Sept 2025.
- New budget for the proposed landscaping and additional fund allocation you are requesting from MP Taxpayers ? Your earlier proposal showed $600K in additional beyond SMCTA budget of $3.5M.
- Detailed breakdown of the budget why it is higher ?
Thank you.
Savita.
Thank you.
On Jan 21, 2026, at 3:58 PM, Azalea A. Mitch > wrote:
Hello Savita,
The project is in the final stages of design. In terms of status, the freeway lane closure plans needed as part of the construction have been reviewed by East Palo Alto and the City. We have been coordinating with the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA) as they will be overseeing and funding the project . The design plans are currently being reviewed by Caltrans (the project is on their land). The City will assist the SMCTA with the bidding for the construction, which is scheduled for later this year.
Thank you,
Azalea
Azalea A. Mitch, P.E. (she/her)
Public Works Director
City Hall - 1st Floor
701 Laurel St.
tel 650-330-6692
menlopark.gov
See www.pronouns.org to learn more about why I share my pronouns.
From: Savita Kini >
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2026 9:43 PM
To: Justin I. C. Murphy >
Cc: Sara Miller >; Marcia Bever >; Richard Morel >; tushar.janefalkar@gmail.com ; jayne3b@gmail.com ; Subbu Vincent >; rkhare@gmail.com ; Azalea A. Mitch >; Sarah E. Sandoval >; Drew Combs >; _CCIN >
Subject: Re: Willow/101 interchange Landscpaing: Public Records Act Request :: P002884-072325
Hi Justin , Council Members,
Is there further update on the completed designs for the Willows/101 landscaping. 100% of the designs were due October 2025 per the City Council meeting update.
It’s’ 3 months since then and I do not see any new updates on the website. Do we need to file yet another public records request ? Can you kindly honor the previous
request and share the latest plans and commissioning for the RFP of the landscaping execution.
Thank you.
Savita.
__________________________________________
LinkedIn | +1 669 226 2735
On Sep 25, 2025, at 9:21 PM, Savita Kini > wrote:
Thank you for your note Justin.
I see the project page — will you also kindly update the data on the page to reflect the $$ spent so far on the projects “landscaping planning” effort.
The note on the page does not reflect the delays — the previous context said Project Construction would being “Spring 2025” — now you are saying Spring 2026.
The public needs to see and hear very clearly and transparently from the City Staff & City Council
— Why the project landscaping plan itself is taken 2 YRS.
- What guarantees are in place that the city staff will leave no stone unturned to get this done ASAP.
In the interest of public trust and commitment to equity in responsible development across Menlo Park, transparency on issues like this are critical.
Will look out for your details and update to the city agenda as well as the project page.
Thank you.
Savita.
On Sep 25, 2025, at 6:22 PM, Murphy, Justin I C > wrote:
Hi Savita,
Thank you for your email. I am replying and placing all City Councilmembers in bcc.
As reflected on the project webpage , the City Council is scheduled to take action on an amendment to the citys agreement with the San Mateo County Transportation Authority on Sept. 30. A link to the City Council agenda will be available here later this evening.
Hopefully, you will find the staff report helpful in providing an update on the project, including the next steps and timeline with the goal of commencing construction in the spring of 2026.
Thanks,
Justin
Justin I. C. Murphy (he/him)
City Manager
City Hall
701 Laurel St.
tel 650-330-6725
menlopark.gov
See www.pronouns.org to learn more about why I share my pronouns.
From: Savita Kini >
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2025 10:36 PM
To: Sandoval, Sarah E >; Drew Combs >; _CCIN >; Murphy, Justin I C >; Mitch, Azalea A >
Cc: City of Menlo Park Public Records Center >; Sara Miller >; Marcia Bever >; Richard Morel >; tushar.janefalkar@gmail.com ; jayne3b@gmail.com ; Subramaniam Vincent >; rkhare@gmail.com
Subject: Willow/101 interchange Landscpaing: Public Records Act Request :: P002884-072325
Hi Justin, City council members.
I have reviewed all the documents provided here with regard to Willows/101 Interchange and there has been no further updates since 2024 !!!
A few follow up questions.
1. How did the city staff conclude the landscape contractor assessment if the plan is 10% - 50% or 90% complete. Who is assessing this ? What is the “Formula” and mathematical details to determine % of landscaping plan. I have never in my life seen this kind of planning assessment even for a house or landscaping construction.
2. Why has the city council gone silent ? And why does the City council and city staff agree to new projects if you are short staffed to finish what was started ?
3. What kind of SLAs does the City Council have with the landscaping contractors — how they can go Scott free leaving a so called landscaping plan 90% incomplete for over a year !! Did we already pay for this kind of incomplete work ??
4. What is the next steps to get this project on track and completing in expedited manner ? Who is driving this from the city Council leadership ?
All the residents of Willows, Suburban park, Belle Haven neighborhoods continue to suffer from the noise and air pollution. This is been delayed far too long.
Looking forward to seeing action on this at the earliest.
Savita.
212 Okeefe St.
On Aug 28, 2025, at 5:13 PM, City of Menlo Park Public Records Center > wrote:
Attachments:
PLANS_90__0423000286_240628.pdf
--- Please respond above this line ---
City Clerks Office
August 28, 2025
Savita Kini
212 okeefe St
menlo park CA 94025
Dear Savita,
The City of Menlo Park (“City") is in receipt of your request seeking:
This is regarding the willow road/101 interchange landscaping. This interchange was completed by Caltrans around 2018/19. The city was given responsibility to complete the landscaping. It is now going to be 6 yrs since this so-called landscaping project effort was started for design/consultation. But as of Jul 2025 we dont see any tree / landscaping planting. Infact with the brown grass drying up in summer, it has become a hot-spot for random wildfire
Provide detail project plan, landscaping bids from different vendors, who was selected for the project, when is this project going to start and finish. Need full cost details for the landscaping - cost of trees/plants, labor costs and details to meet the $2M budget offered by Caltrans / San mateo County.
Date Range: 1/1/2019 - 7/23/2025.
Under established California Law, the City is obliged to comply with a request for a public record so long as the requestor makes a specific and focused request for information, that information is maintained by the City in its ordinary course of business, the information is disclosable, and the record can be located with reasonable effort. The Public Records Act provides for the inspection or copying of existing identifiable public records; it does not compel the City to create new records, lists, privilege logs or reports in response to a request.
The City is required to determine whether the request, in whole or in part, seeks copies of disclosable public records. Consistent with that requirement, the City has conducted a search and is providing the document attached and link below:
https://stories.opengov.com/menlopark/ade5a8ed-80f6-42dd-bae7-98d85d32530e/published/BEyK_o5C4?currentPageId=67c7d7d830c875b6db9a0c19
The City considers this request fulfilled. If you require any additional information or have any further questions, you may contact the City Clerks Office at 650-330-6620 or respond to this email.
Sincerely,
Sarah Sandoval
City Clerks Office
701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025
tel 650-330-6620 fax 650-328-7935
__________________________________________
LinkedIn | +1 669 226 2735
__________________________________________
LinkedIn | +1 669 226 2735