Dear Mayor Nash and Members of the Menlo Park City Council,
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). I
support the content below, and would also say that in my own personal
experience both biking and driving up and down Coleman with my children,
the changes have made it feel much safer. I recently rode down Coleman with
my 4 year old riding her own bike, which I never would have done without
the improvements.
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.
Respectfully,
Sumi Hachmann
Menlo Park, Willows Neighborhood
