Atherton to rebuild Marsh Road drainage channel, but faces traffic challenges

for starters, do the work during the summer so the outages inconvenience the fewest possible people. Marsh is a critical pathway, and loss of its use will force traffic to already-overloaded Willow and to Woodside Rd.

How about covering the channel to create a bike lane or walking path?

I would study which way the heaviest traffic flow is and default to that direction of traffic in the event of one way traffic events. Also, I'm a little surprised that in such a bike friendly area as this, there hasn't been more talk of putting a bike lane over the top of a closed in drainage canal. The existing situation is terrible. And yes yes yes to doing it in the summer when 4 private schools worth of students aren't trying to get to school.

They should build a bike path over the culvert when they are done.

I agree with the others that suggest covering the canal with a bike path. Not only would this make biking on Marsh much safer but it would also solve the flooding problem.

This canal has flooded in the past and could very easily do it again. Costing millions of dollars in avoidable property damage.

I hope that someone in public works suggests this...

During construction, I like the suggestion of having the road open towards 101 in the mornings and towards Atherton in the evenings.

Would also appreciate it if they could do something to make the left hand turn off of Marsh and onto Fair Oaks Avenue safer. I try to avoid it when possible, but occasionally go that way. Cars coming up behind me tend to speed up since they know it's becoming a 4 lane road.

Also painting a DO NOT BLOCK section at that intersection of Marsh and Fair Oaks would be helpful.

Concern about creating a bike lane over the channel, is what happens to the bike riders and walkers at the end of the channel (at Fair Oaks). There would need to be a bike lane added to the eastbound lane up to at least the light at Bay Road.

Marsh Road is in desperate need of a bike lane. If we can make it easier for people to commute to work, schools, Facebook, etc. on bicycles, there will be less car traffic on the road. Right now it is too unsafe to consider.

How about covering the channel to create a bike lane or walking path? YES YES YES If we go to the trouble of changing traffic patterns for weeks on end lets do the whole job and not just a partial fix. We need to cover the stream, making a culvert and a wider road area to allow bicycle communters and more road space for safer travel. YAY!

A simple fix would be to place a reinforced galvanized pipe into creek. Size to be determined by water flow. Pipe could be covered with drain rock and then a surface for walking or bicycles. Safety rail could then be moved over to permit a bit wider road for safety and emergency vehicles.

It would be smart to do a traffic study before reducing Marsh Road to one lane for an extended period of time. Could the contractor do most of the work at night and move their heavy equipment during the day? Cut through traffic in the Fair Oaks neighborhood has been an ongoing problem with Atherton assuring residents they will do everything possible to keep it to a minimum. With our local population exploding and Marsh and Willow Roads being the only conduits to 101 and the M2 area from Menlo Park, Atherton, etc, it seems a long range plan makes sense. Facebook and the Gateway project might be asked to contribute. A bike Lane or a mass transit lane over the canal could be explored.

It's interesting that no one has proposed adding an eastbound car lane. I can see why a bike/pedestrian lane is popular, but as Mary pointed out, Marsh Rd widens to two lanes eastbound at Fair Oaks Ave, and there is no room for a bike lane and the existing 2 car lanes. Bikers who are headed to Facebook or Belle Haven would be better off going through the residential streets and taking the 101 bike/ped overpass between Ringwood Ave and Iris Ln and then Hamilton Ave. Marsh Rd is so congested because of having only one lane each way at this section, and traffic backs up on Middlefield Rd both directions. If anything can be built over this culvert, I vote for a 2nd eastbound car lane.

my house is in the Marsh Rd, in the construction zone. I have problem with rats and mice in my place since the construction has started!!! it is so bad that I can not get rid of them. I believe the construction in channel ran them away and they attack homes for food. I am wondering if other neighbors have the same problem?!! Is there any city program to control the rodents. We suffered a lot during this construction in many ways and this problem is awfully life disturbing for us!