Dear City Council Members and Staff,
I’m writing to support Option B for a sidewalk on Sharon Rd.
I live around the corner, and walk that road once or twice a day, and Option B would be safer than Option A for school kids, and definitely safer for pedestrians at other times of the day. The county recently approved plans to improve walkability on Alameda de las Pulgas, which raises the stakes for installing a sidewalk on this one block of Sharon Rd. which will provide continuous sidewalk access from Alameda de las Pulgas to the Sharon Heights Shopping Center.
I have some questions about the staff report, and some observations:
1. Related to costs: Option A requires ongoing parking enforcement. What is the estimated financial cost of enforcement?
2. I’m also wondering if staff reviewed similar situations and assessed the likelihood of compliance with parking restrictions, regardless of enforcement investment? My experience is that there are always a few parents and caregivers do not comply with parking restrictions at pick-up time, even rules that are established social norms, let alone rules that seem “harmless” to violate “just this once”. As an example, my friend who lived across the street from Las Lomitas school, regularly had cars park in, or blocking, her driveway and no amount of enforcement prevented the problem for the decades in which she lived there. I’m wondering if you considered this dynamic.
3. Related to permanence of the improvement: In 15 years, when the asphalt path needs to be restored and it falls on the property owners to do so, how does the city ensure compliance? What is the estimated financial and opportunity cost associated with ensuring compliance? Or is Option A realistically only a 15 year solution, after which the asphalt path will be allowed to degrade?
Please make Sharon Rd. safe for everyone, which will guarantee that it is truly safe for kids walking to school, by voting for Option B.
-Karen Grove
3826 Alameda de las Pulgas
Menlo Park (resident of Menlo Park)
