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Dumbarton Rail Station Area Specific Plan

From: Susan Robinson <susanr_at_(domain_name_was_removed)>
Date: Tue Feb 05 2008 - 11:35:06 PST


Dear Council Members,

I urge you to vote NO on funding the study for the Dumbarton Rail Station south of Willow Road. I don't believe this is a good use of city funds for several reasons:

  1. Menlo Park should not be footing the bill for what, basically, is an MTC study that is necessary to justify the Dumbarton Rail Project. MTC should pay those costs. Let's focus our city funds on other more pressing needs: public safety, storm drain repair, rejuvenation of El Camino, etc.
  2. In order to justify a rail project for funding by Measure 2, the project managers must show an average population density of 2200 people in the half mile surrounding every station. My understanding is that just about every station along the proposed Dumbarton Rail line falls significantly short of that number. In East Menlo Park the population density is 675 people. So, to meet the standards set by the Measure 2,, we'd need to more than triple the number of people living in the East Menlo Park area. The project doesn't even come close to meeting the population density required by Measure 2 for funding, but instead of questioning the utility of the project, Menlo Park and MTC plan to invest more than 1/2 a million in a study to figure out how to dramatically increase the number living near the station. This makes no sense!
  3. We have repeatedly voiced our concerns to MTC about the current Dumbarton Rail plan, only to be ignored by both SamTrans and the Dumbarton Rail Project Policy Advisory Committee. A vote by City Council to provide half of the funds for this project is, in essence, a stamp of approval for the project as is. If you vote yes for this study, it should be done with the caveat added that Menlo Park will only fund the study if:
  4. SamTrans commits to taking and funding appropriate mitigation measures to ensure that Menlo Park residents are not unduly impacted by this project. Menlo Park residents (possibly City Council members) will be included in the decision-making process re: what are appropriate mitigation measures.
  5. the project is revised from heavy-rail diesel to Rapid Transit (self powered electric regenerative light(er) weight modulars).

Best,

Susan Robinson
Menlo Park Resident Received on Tue Feb 5 11:35:42 2008

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