Menlo Park City Council Email Log<BR>: Oak Ave Traffic

From: Rich Hilt <brightline_at_(domain_name_was_removed)>
Date: Tue Apr 24 2007 - 21:17:31 PDT

I apologize for the size of this email, however, I found this to be the best
way to emphasize a significant problem which is indelibly connected to the
proposed changes to the Oak Knoll School in Menlo Park.

The attached pictures show a "typical" morning at the corner of Oak Ave and
Oak Knoll Dr. My wife and I have lived on Oak Ave for 15 years. From the
ground level, the traffic from a little before 8 am until 8:20 appears
quite chaotic. I was surprised that the pictures -- taken about every thirty
seconds -- showed less of the chaos when viewed from a higher angle.
However, I was surprised by the traffic flow. Most of us in the neighborhood
think of the Oak Ave headed to Sand Hill commuter traffic as the larger of
the problems. I was amazed, however, that the problem is traffic from
parents exiting Oak Knoll onto Oak Ave, then heading toward Menlo Park (El
Camino). I lost count after 100 vehicles. I wouldn't be surprised if it was
150 or 200.

The plans to create drop-off lanes for the Oak Knoll School is not going to
slow this down. The history of the parking and traffic has not been the best
in how the City of Menlo Parks handles problems. Parking was banned on Oak
Knoll Drive about 10 years ago. Parking then became a problem on Oak Ave.
The reason given for changing parking on Oak Knoll Drive was that the
pollution from the vehicles was impacting a neighbor's asthma. The proposed
drop-off lanes are certainly not going to help.

In a slightly different vein, my neighbors and I have received letters from
residents of Vine Street. They have made some interesting points which the
various agencies which will be dealing with the Oak Knoll School may find
compelling. However, I hope that some of their concerns will be looked at
more closely.

First, is the claim that they should not have traffic increased on their
street because they receive no benefit from Oak Knoll School itself since
they send their children to another school. I would like to point out that
a significant percent of my neighbors have no benefit either since we have
no children attending any schools.

Second, is the issue of safety for their children. I would ask the agencies
involved to find out how many children live on Vine Street, and what time
they are picked up by the bus that takes them to their school. If their
school starts at the same time as Oak Knoll, then presumably the bus would
pick them up long before the peak traffic time for Oak Knoll.

I have sent this note and pictures to several agencies, since all have some
voice in how this problem is resolved. The Menlo Park Elementary School
District, the Menlo Park City Council, and the San Mateo Board of
Supervisors.

Thank you for your patience.

Richard Hilt

1865 Oak Ave
Menlo Park

650-327-0506
brightline@sbcglobal.net

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