By Stefan Petry and George Fisher
Stanford’s project alone will generate over 3000 new car trips per weekday. Greenheart’s similarly sized project will double that.
YES on M reduces rush hour and cut-through traffic by cutting the amount of allowable new offices in half.
Massive Offices = More Rush Hour Traffic
The proposed Stanford project alone would push 138% more cars on Middle Avenue than the Downtown Plan had estimated for all El Camino and Downtown development for the Plan’s entire 30-year time horizon[1]
And the Stanford project alone will:
-Increase congestion at the intersection of Ravenswood and El Camino to an “unacceptable” level of service, going from a grade of E to a grade of F, the lowest possible rating[2].
-Add 3,115 new trips to El Camino, 70% of which are due to the proposed offices[3].
-Worsen rush hours: 600% more cars at AM rush hour, and 200% more at PM rush hour.[4]
Greenheart’s similarly sized project, also on El Camino and with the same amount of office space, will likely double that number of new vehicle trips per weekday.
Willow, Sand Hill, Middlefield Significantly Worsened
Office workers commute to their jobs at rush hour, when Menlo Park’s traffic already is at its worst.
90% of Downtown Office Workers Commute From Out of Town
The majority - 76% get here via 280, 101 or 84 - and drive through our neighborhoods to/from highways to reach downtown.[5]
During rush hour, commute traffic already is backed-up along Willow, Marsh, Middlefield, Ravenswood, Sand Hill, Santa Cruz, and El Camino. When these streets become congested, drivers find alternate routes through our neighborhoods. Cars speed down our residential streets with little regard to the pedestrians and kids who live there. All of Menlo Park will experience increased rush hour and cut-through traffic if the Stanford and Greenheart’s massive office developments are built as proposed.
How Office Sizes Doubled:
When approving the 2012 Downtown Plan, our City Council doubled allowable building sizes without imposing limits on office development. As a result, two massive projects Stanford and Greenheart Development have been submitted. And each project includes several block-long office buildings.
The Simplest Solution To Rush Hour Traffic: Build Less Office Space In the Heart of Our Town.
Less concentrated and more balanced development – without excessive offices - allows the traffic to be spread more evenly throughout the day rather than focused primarily at commute times when it affects our quality of life the most.
What Yes on M Does : Less Office
-Places Reasonable Limits on Offices: 100,000 sq. feet per Project
-Mirrors the city's Environmental Impact Report That Analyzed A Maximum Build-out of: 474,000 sq. feet Total Non--Residential Development and 240,820 sq. feet of Total Office Development
-Restores common-sense definition of Open Space. Private Balconies and Rooftops Don’t Count.
-Everything else remains under the control of the City Council. Individual projects do not require a public vote.
VOTE YES ON M TO LIMIT RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC
Developers are spending massive amounts of money to fight against us. If developers win, Menlo Park’s traffic will get a whole lot worse.
Office traffic = Rush hour and cut-through traffic. Yes on M cuts the size of proposed massive offices by half.
Protect Menlo Park’s unique small town character. Promote balanced development, not wall-to-wall offices in the heart of our downtown. Restore open space.
Please Vote Yes
[1] “500 El Camino Real – El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan Vehicular Traffic Consistency”. Table 1, page 2. www.menlopark.org/DocumentCenter/View/3963
[2] “500 El Camino Real – Neighborhood Cut-through Traffic Analysis” September 25, 2014. Table 3, page 7. Web Link
[3] Ibid. Table 1, page 5.
[4] Ibid. Table 1, page 2.
[5] Menlo Park Circulation system Assessment (CSA) document (specific plan EIR, Table 4.13-7, page 4.13-39).
