Dear Menlo Park City Council,
I would like to express my support to the hybrid alternative (Alternative C) that was initially approved in 2019, and more in general for any solution that minimizes the grade increase of the Caltrain tracks.
A fully elevated railway would increase noise levels generated by the railway, and would create a visual and hard-to-miss wall that would divide our City in two.
I understand that the ideal solution of placing the tracks underground is not feasible, and I would urge you to pursue the plan that keeps the tracks at as low a level as possible. Such an approach would reduce the visual and noise impact on the neighboring residents, and show that an open connection between the East and West sides of our City exists.
Also please note that Staff Report 23-048-CC, as posted on the City website, is incorrectly cropped and does not show the proposed grade and slope at the north end of our City (near the Alma bridge at the Palo Alto border). When evaluating a project of such magnitude and impact, please direct City Staff to make sure that crucial information is disseminated in a well formatted manner.
Kind Regards,
Nicola Diolaiti
