Dear Mayor and Councilmembers,
I’m writing as a Allied Arts resident to ask that Safe Routes remain a top
FY 2026–27 priority, and that the City identify El Camino Real as a
signature corridor for measurable safety improvements.
Framing this as a quick-build pilot paired with a PID-ready corridor plan
would make it a deliverable Safe Routes outcome while positioning Menlo
Park for regional funding through the Grand Boulevard Initiative process.
Menlo Park’s Vision Zero work shows that a small number of corridors
account for most severe injuries, and state-owned arterials such as El
Camino Real (SR-82) operate at higher speeds and divide neighborhoods.
Addressing safety and connectivity on this corridor would deliver one of
the highest-impact Safe Routes outcomes the City can achieve.
Many residents and workers already see El Camino Real as the largest
remaining gap in Menlo Park’s low-stress bike network, connecting
neighborhoods, downtown, schools, and transit.
I recommend a two-phase approach aligned with existing City planning and
the regional GBI corridor effort.
If the Council retains Safe Routes as a top priority, I encourage the City
to define a specific FY 2026–27 deliverable: launching an El Camino Real
quick-build safety pilot and initiating a corridor plan aligned with the
GBI PID process.
Progress could be reported publicly using simple metrics such as injury
collision trends, travel speeds, bike volumes, and curb/parking performance.
Phase 1 – Quick-Build Pilot (FY 2026–27)
Implement a low-stress bikeway and intersection safety pilot from Sand Hill
Road to Middle Avenue using quick-build treatments that can be evaluated
and adjusted.
Phase 2 – Corridor Plan for GBI / Caltrans PID
Initiate a local El Camino Real corridor plan designed to feed directly
into the GBI Caltrans Project Initiation Document process, positioning
Menlo Park for corridor-wide safety improvements and funding opportunities.
A monitored quick-build pilot allows the City to act quickly while managing
tradeoffs transparently, with evaluation of safety, speeds, bicycle usage,
and curb management impacts.
This approach advances several adopted City goals simultaneously:
• Vision Zero safety outcomes
• Safe Routes network completion
• Climate Action Plan VMT reduction goals
• equitable access to schools, jobs, and transit
Thank you for considering El Camino Real as a Safe Routes priority for FY
2026–27.
Sincerely,
Ken Kershner
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Ken Kershner | Co-Founder & CEO
Cell 650-248-9059 | Email k en@triomotors.co
Trio Motors | Menlo Park
