Tonight: Menlo Park council talks about transportation, development and affordable housing

Regarding "Congestion Relief/Management", the devil is in the details. Please see my posting titled, "What in the World is Congestion Relief/Management?":

Web Link

The sky is falling. The City Council is considering being concerned about traffic congestion. The sky is falling.
Has there ever been a more benign thing to be upset about?

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Congestion management should have been priority number one, prior to approving all the high-density development rubber-stamped along El Camino corridor. We ain't seen nuttin' yet, I guarantee. Menlo Park City Council hasn't got anything right since about 1973!

Dear "Alarmist Much?",

The post I wrote is about the many meanings and implications of "congestion relief/management". If this goal is pursued, the City Council must first direct Staff to remove any strategies from the "congestion relief/management" menu that may come into conflict with safety. These would include any road widening/extra lanes, intersections that prioritize car throughput over people trying to cross the street on bike or foot, etc. There may even be more...Staff will know what they are.

If I can get this assurance, that the pursuit of "congestion relief/management" will not compromise safety (by discussing the details, not by blanket statements), then I will not have to be so "alarmist much."

Sincerely,
Jen Wolosin

First, the story is incorrect in saying that "congestion management" has been left out of the Transportation Master Plan. It makes it sound like the plan is not concerned about cut-through traffic or endless traffic jams on local roads. On the contrary, "congestion relief/management" is listed as one of a handful of key criteria for determining how to prioritize projects--if a project can improve congestion, it should get more points and move up the queue. What is at issue is if "congestion management" becomes an overarching goal, we potentially have a power struggle between safety (of bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers), sustainability, and alternative transportation (the current 3 goals) and the goal of improving traffic flow and potentially car capacity. Granted, "congestion relief" can mean a lot of different things, so "congestion relief" doesn't necessarily have to come into conflict with the other 3 goals. But it's definitely not alarmist to think that they might. The TMP is supposed to give city staff clear direction, and raising "congestion management" up to a 4th priority could muddle up the plan.