Dear all,
First, thank you for your civic duty on the Council of Menlo Park.
My name is Mike Miller and our family has lived here in Menlo Park for 26 years - my wife Lisa and our three (now grown up) children. We live on San Mateo Drive.
I just wanted to the opportunity to share how this local voter (me) feels about the project. I have sat on the recent Town Hall zooms on the project and have also signed the petition on the matter.
Downtown Menlo Park is limited by narrow roads and older intersections with very busy thruways (El Camino) and Cal Train tracks - hence trying to get across El Camino and trying to go west to east on Valparaiso/Menlo Ave/Oak Grove/Middle Ave. The degree of congestion already existing backs these streets up for blocks (requiring 12-15 min just to cross El Camino).
Adding the proposed housing density to downtown (and the ensuing traffic) to an already tight and challenging navigational situation will bring a permanent clog to traffic flow across town.
I am a supporter of affordable housing, however. I think a better location can be found in town where roads already have been widened, larger intersections built and where the road infrastructure can accommodate the expected increase in car traffic - but still flow efficiently. I think Willow Ave improvements by 101 and out to the Dumbarton Bridge are great examples of enhancing the road infrastructure and flow.
The additional point is that this project (if approved in Downtown) - would decimate the existing downtown businesses. No business could survive the 2-3 year period of construction/trucks/cranes and a significant hit on the number of customers wanting to avoid area. Wiping out businesses that have been there for years and changing downtown as we know it.
Thanks for listening.
Michael P. Miller
mpmiller985@outlook.com
Cell 650 224 1068
