Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, July 8, 2015, 11:34 AM
https://n2v.almanacnews.com/square/print/2015/07/08/menlo-park-bike-lanes-raise-concerns-by-pedestrians
Town Square
Menlo Park: Bike lanes raise concerns by pedestrians
Original post made on Jul 8, 2015
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, July 8, 2015, 11:34 AM
Comments
Posted by whatever
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Jul 8, 2015 at 12:58 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Jul 8, 2015 at 12:58 pm
Why isn't the city enforcing its property rights (which are also our property rights). Residents on Santa Cruz have plantings, fences etc on the city right of way. That property should be used to build the 5 ft sidewalks. Then there is plenty of room for bike lanes parking and safety.
I do not believe the city council has the right to unilaterally give away and gift city property and property rights to the property owners facing Santa Cruz Ave.
What say the lawyers?
Posted by Downtowner
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Jul 8, 2015 at 1:20 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Jul 8, 2015 at 1:20 pm
Which lane are skateboarders supposed to use? They pose a serious threat to pedestrians on downtown Santa Cruz Ave sidewalks, particularly to some of our older or infirm residents, but don't belong in the street either. I've seen some boarders lately in the street going in the opposite direction of car traffic. I don't like near-collisions on the sidewalk but zooming between parked cars & the median is risky too.
Posted by West Menlo Driver
a resident of Menlo Park: University Heights
on Jul 8, 2015 at 2:16 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: University Heights
on Jul 8, 2015 at 2:16 pm
Seems every time Menlo tries to do something to Santa Cruz Ave it is a failure. This is another failure. If I lived on SC I would be furious to have my street parking removed.
Posted by red herring
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Jul 8, 2015 at 2:41 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Jul 8, 2015 at 2:41 pm
"the City Council has received several complaints about near-collisions"
Yes, but there have been no actual collisions. Previously, children had to walk out into the street to get around parked cars. This was a much more dangerous situation. Now, we have plenty of room for pedestrians and cyclists, who are no longer getting doored.
Posted by Oh please
a resident of Atherton: Lindenwood
on Jul 8, 2015 at 2:56 pm
a resident of Atherton: Lindenwood
on Jul 8, 2015 at 2:56 pm
Several complaints...that could be 3! I bet from the same person. Nothing to see here, you were duped by false panic.
Posted by Facts
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Jul 8, 2015 at 5:00 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Jul 8, 2015 at 5:00 pm
When the sidewalks are installed two feet will be taken from right of way in front of homes on Santa Cruz Avenue on both sides of the street.
Posted by Bob McGrew
a resident of Menlo Park: The Willows
on Jul 8, 2015 at 5:12 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: The Willows
on Jul 8, 2015 at 5:12 pm
When I drove down Santa Cruz over 4th of July weekend, there were lots of families out biking with their kids. It looked great!
I want to go biking there with my kids sometime now. :)
Posted by Facts
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Jul 8, 2015 at 5:46 pm
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Jul 8, 2015 at 5:46 pm
The City is not removing the bike lanes, nor the 2ft buffers. The street is just being striped to put in a separate pedestrian lane as well.
Posted by More facts
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Jul 9, 2015 at 8:42 am
a resident of Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park
on Jul 9, 2015 at 8:42 am
Our neighbors reported a collision with a popular elderly neighbor and a youngster on his bike.
Those of us who walk on Santa Cruz where there are no sidewalks felt as if the prior situation was safer for us than what the city has done. It was easy for us to walk around parked cars after making sure the coast was clear of cars and bikes. Then we were put into the same lanes as faster moving bikes. Now with version two of improving bike lanes while we continue to wait for sidewalks, we have our own much narrower walking area that is over next to the gutter. This is an improvement over version 1, but worse for pedestrians than where things started. Wasn't this a sidewalk project to help pedestrians?
The city decided to remove all parking based on a survey that polled ONLY the property owners on Santa Cruz (and a majority did not even reply to the poll). The "most popular" alternative was favored by only 19% of the 59% of the 68 property owners who responded to that survey. The decision to remove parking was based on feedback from 13% of all the Santa Cruz property. more details are at www.menlopark.org/DocumentCenter/View/6645
Who was not surveyed? Not the people who walk or bike on Santa Cruz where there aren't sidewalks. Not the people who use that parking when they work in gardens or houses, when they deliver packages or mail, when they attend St Raymond church or school events or funerals or weddings, when they visit friends or attend events in downtown like this coming weekend. Not the property owners or pedestrians on side streets where the vehicles now will be parking.
The statement that there are only 4 parked vehicles at a time is laughable to those of us who live and walk in west Menlo and have seen many more. btw the Almanac reported this incorrectly as the staff report says on either side of the street, making the total 8 cars at a time even if that were true. The no-parking decision should be regarded as a trial so feedback from all affected constituents can be incorporated into the final design when we also will learn if utilities will be under-grounded.
