Hello,
I appreciated being able to zoom this evening’s Council Meeting with public comments/concerns about the oversized building project proposed for the former Sunset Magazine property. I live on Middlefield Road in Palo Alto, 3 blocks from the Willow Road intersection. I can’t fathom what traffic would be like and how toxic the air will be if this project gets approved.
I want to clarify one thing said this evening by one of the speakers. Several years back, Middlefiled Road, between Lytton and Willow, was shrunk from 4 lanes to 2 lanes. This was not done to create bike lanes but rather to eliminate accidents that were regularly occurring on this strip. Additionally, left turn only signs were implemented where Everett and Hawthorne intersect with Middlelefield Road. There had been multiple T-bone accidents prior to this traffic diversion. My neighbors and I worked for many months, with city departments and council members, to get all of this implemented.
Traffic continues to be heavy on Middlefield but we have seen fewer accidents and no deadly T-bone accidents since these changes were made. When traffic is heavy on Middlefield, I can smell the car fumes and hear the impatience of those sitting in traffic and honking their horns. Often cars can be heard screeching to a halt.
Please consider the safety and well being of the community and identify other projects that increase affordable housing where the building fits with the scale of the surrounding community.
Thank you,
Andrea Lichter
