Subject: Support for Agenda Item J2 — Coleman Avenue Pilot (Staff Report
#26-151-CC)
Dear Mayor Nash, Members of the City Council, and Staff,
I am writing in support of Agenda Item J2 and the resolution to make the
Coleman Avenue Pilot permanent (Staff Report #26-151-CC). I urge the
Council to adopt it.
For most families, the decision to let a child bike or walk to school is
not about distance. It is about whether the route feels safe. Protected
bike lanes, traffic calming, and safer intersections reduce the conflicts
between people driving, biking, and walking. That makes active
transportation a realistic option for a much broader range of residents.
Safe Routes to School deserves particular weight here. Arrival and
dismissal are the busiest periods on our neighborhood streets. Every trip
that can be made safely without a car reduces school-related congestion and
makes conditions more predictable for everyone, including the people who
still need to drive. The benefit is not limited to the individual rider.
Coleman Avenue also reflects the right process. The City identified an
important route, tested improvements, evaluated how they performed, and can
now retain what worked. That is an incremental, data-informed approach, and
it is worth continuing. Making the project permanent also signals that
Menlo Park intends to build a connected network of safe routes rather than
isolated segments that end precisely where riders need protection most.
I ask the Council to adopt the resolution and make the Coleman Avenue Pilot
permanent. I would also encourage the City to continue prioritizing
protected bicycle infrastructure and Safe Routes to School throughout Menlo
Park, so that walking, biking, and micromobility become practical choices
for residents of all ages.
Thank you for your consideration and for your work on transportation safety
in our community.
Best,
Charles Adelsheim
128 Blackburn Ave
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Charles Adelsheim
