Dear Mayor Nash, Members of the Menlo Park City Council and Staff,
I am writing in strong support of Agenda Item J2 and the resolution to
make the Coleman Avenue Pilot project permanent (Staff Report
#26-151-CC).
Projects like Coleman Avenue are an important part of creating a
safer, more connected transportation network in Menlo
Park—particularly for children and families traveling to and from
school. For many families, the decision to allow a child to bike or
walk is not based on distance, but on whether the route feels safe.
Protected bike lanes, traffic calming, and safer intersections reduce
the conflicts between people driving, biking, and walking and make
active transportation a realistic option for a much broader range of
residents.
Safe Routes to School should be a particularly important
consideration. School arrival and dismissal are among the busiest
times on our neighborhood streets, and encouraging more students to
bike, walk, or use other forms of micromobility has benefits well
beyond the individual rider. Every trip that can safely be made
without a car helps reduce school-related vehicle congestion, improves
visibility and predictability on our streets, and makes the
environment safer for everyone—including those who still need to
drive.
The Coleman Avenue pilot represents exactly the kind of incremental,
data-informed approach Menlo Park should continue to pursue: identify
an important route, test improvements, evaluate their performance, and
retain successful safety measures. Making the project permanent also
sends an important signal that Menlo Park is committed to building a
connected network of safe routes rather than isolated segments that
end precisely where riders need protection most.
I strongly encourage the Council to adopt the resolution and make the
Coleman Avenue Pilot permanent. I also hope the City will continue to
prioritize protected bicycle infrastructure and Safe Routes to School
throughout Menlo Park so that walking, biking, and micromobility
become safe and practical choices for residents of all ages.
Thank you for your consideration and for your continued work to
improve transportation safety in our community.
Thank you,
Otto Jolanki
Menlo Park, Willows neighborhood
