Dear council members,
I urge the city not to reopen the section of Santa Cruz Ave to eastbound
car traffic. The partial closure of Santa Cruz Ave is on a short list of
things I like best about downtown Menlo Park. I feel safer walking and
biking downtown knowing that there is not a direct throughline for car
traffic. I also enjoy that the area outside Walgreens is a popular meeting
place, particularly for children. I frequently visit Palo Altos University
Ave and California Ave, one of which is fully open to cars and one of which
is fully closed to cars. University Ave is a nightmare, and as a pedestrian
there I feel unprotected and unprioritized. There are constantly cars
waiting for and maneuvering into and out of angled parking, making it an
unsafe place to drive or bike, and the businesses feel like an afterthought
to the loud, relentless flow of traffic. Compared to that, California Ave
is peaceful, feels safe for children, and has a ton of successful new
businesses and community initiatives. Which do we want to emulate in Menlo
Park?
Thanks,
Emma
