Dear Menlo Park City Council,
Thank you in advance for your time and commitment to improving the safety and efficiency of our neighborhood streets. Tonight you will be considering recommendations to the Middle Avenue Complete Streets Project. I want to provide feedback to Agenda Item I-1 Public Works.
Blake Street Trial Closure:
I am highly supportive of the trial closure of Blake Street at Middle Avenue to vehicular traffic. This closure will benefit all of the Allied Arts neighborhood since Blake Street has become a major feeder for bike commuters and for families with small children and strollers who want to access the park. Itll improve safety and access at the crosswalk on the NE corner of Blake crossing Middle Ave. because it will prevent cut trough traffic, and minimize dangerous turns to/from Middle onto Blake.
As a 30-year resident of Blake Street across from Nealon Park, my husband and I have seen the relentless decline in safety of our street, and the Middle Ave. crosswalk to Nealon Park, and witnessed many near misses. We’ve raised our children here and our daughter commuted by bicycle to local schools. We are avid bike riders, vehicle users, have been a dog owner/walker & users of Nealon Park for 3 decades, and plan to age in place right here.
Middle Avenue Parking Restrictions:
Please retain some parking in some locations on Middle Avenue as it would be an extreme hardship for Middle Avenue home owners to lose all street parking within proximity to their homes. These are long blocks, so access to side streets as a parking solution would be challenging for these residents. But I agree that prohibiting parking along some sections is necessary.
Middle Avenue at Blake Crosswalk Traffic Calming:
Instead of a raised crosswalk, please consider adding a traffic hump leading up to the crosswalk in both directions of traffic. The flashing lights have been a huge improvement in safety and in the ability of pedestrians to be noticed and acknowledged. But traffic is still too fast.
Thank you so much to the Complete Streets Team who took all our feedback and put together this package of improvements! Thank you City Council for your attention and consideration of these improvements to Middle Avenue, and the surrounding neighborhoods. We look forward to seeing how this vision plays out for our beautiful city!
With gratitude,
Lyn
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Lyn Napel
lynnapel@mac.com
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