Ms. Font and Ms Blois,  

Thank you for your e-mail. I would like to provide responses to the questions you raised.  

The study area hasn't been defined for the study at this stage. It will be defined as one of the first steps in the process based on information from the school, parents, and community members such as both of you. Aside from that process, it would make sense for Felton Gables to be included in the study area. It is adjacent to the school and not only has students from the neighborhood that attend the school, but the area is also affected by the drop off and pick up times for the school.  

The study will analyze the issues surrounding the school and alternatives to improve the ability for walking and biking to school. We appreciate your suggestions for potential improvements. At this point, there aren't specific improvements that are included in the project, but your suggestions along with other ideas from the community will be analyzed as part of the study.  

I would encourage you to attend the future neighborhood and public meetings as the study progresses. Also, feel free to send any questions, comments or suggestions to transportation@menlopark.org.  

If you have any questions please let me know.  

Thank you,  

Chip  

Chip Taylor
Transportation Manager
City of Menlo Park
701 Laurel Street
Menlo Park, CA 94025
650-330-6770
ctaylor@menlopark.org

From: Judy Font [mailto:judy.font@comcast.net] Sent: Mon 1/14/2008 6:08 PM
To: Cohen, Andrew M; Robinson, Heyward G; Boyle, John C; Fergusson, Kelly J; Cline, Richard A
Subject: Request to Include Felton Gables in the Encinal School Safe Routes to School Plan

        Dear Menlo Park City Council -          

        We understand that the City Council has approved a project to develop a Safe Routes to School Plan for Encinal School and that tomorrow evening the City Manager is recommending entering into an agreement with DKS Associates to develop that plan.          

        We, as Felton Gables homeowners, are strongly urging that Felton Drive and other streets within Felton Gables be included as a part of the study. The school district uses our streets as its "overflow" parking area. We have narrow residential streets with no sidewalks. Even with the present student population, the combination of cars parking on our streets during school pick-up hours, backing in and out of driveways, and making u-turns, mixed with neighborhood children walking and riding their bikes to school, is very unsafe. When the student population doubles and includes K - 2 children, it will become much more dangerous.          

        There have been numerous accidents at the corner of Felton Drive and Encinal Avenue. Following requests from our neighborhood, Chip Taylor of the Menlo Park Transportation Department has directed Nathan Scribner in the Menlo Park Engineering Division to install a concrete vertical curb at the corner of Felton Drive and Encinal Avenue. This is to prevent cars from cutting the corner (and parking on the corner) forcing children on bikes and on foot to walk into the street.          

        We are also suggesting that a three-way stop sign be installed at the corner of Encinal Avenue and Felton Drive. Hopefully this can provide a safe crossing point (all day, not just for the few minutes that the school provides crossing guards) and can possibly slow down the traffic that will inevitably increase significantly with the increased school enrollment and with the addition of the proposed traffic light at Encinal Avenue and Middlefield Road which will be a magnet for more traffic to use Encinal Avenue.          

        We can be reached through our e-mail addresses, judy.font@comcast.net and eblois@earthlink.net We ask that someone contact us directly about our neighborhood being included as an official participant in the project.          

	Judy Font and Elizabeth Blois
	Co-Presidents, Felton Gables Homeowners Association