Dear Menlo Park City Council members.
I would like to offer some thoughts regarding the Middle Avenue Complete Streets project in anticipation of the project review meetings scheduled this month.
My first concern is the bike lane and parking reconfiguration in front of Nealon Park. I view this as an utter failure both functionally and aesthetically. Middle Avenue has always been a residential street and the present parallel parking configuration with unsightly bollards sends a different message. The row of bollards suggests something that you would likely see at the entrance to a stadium or a factory parking lot. Finding a parking space on Middle in front of the park is difficult, as well as parking a car in one of those spaces. My suggestion is to reconfigure the parking in front of Nealon park to 45 degree parking with the bike lane between the west bound travel lane and the back of the parked cars. The 45 degree parking would allow the car drivers backing out of those spaces to better see bicycle riders riding down Middle. This configuration would eliminate the unsightly bollards and create much more parking on Middle. Next, I suggest that you create more parking in Nealon Park itself. This can be done by paving and 45 degree striping along the western park property line within the park, again creating much more parking for park visitors and Little House.
Relative to the closure of Blake Street to vehicle traffic, bad idea. If this remains, could the residents of Yale or Arbor make a similar request and be granted closure of their streets. Where does this end? The Blake Street property owners purchased their homes knowing it was an open street at both ends and it should remain this way. Additionally, the plastic barriers closing the street are unsightly.
Relative to safety on Middle and a 25 mph speed limit between University and Olive, when will this happen? FYI, that recommendation for a 25 mph speed limit on all of Middle Avenue was made over 30 years ago by the very first “Safe Routes to School Committee". I was a member of that committee.
And finally enforcement of traffic laws on Middle Avenue. I haven’t seen it and it needs to happen. In the early morning hours I look out at the Middle / San Mateo intersection and occasionally see cars that must be traveling over 40 fly through the intersection without stopping. Lastly, enforcement needs to happen for all vehicles including bicycles, EV bikes, and scooters. If you want to increase safety, education and increased enforcement are essential!
Respectfully, Michael Lambert
