To members of the City Council:

As a resident 7 doors from the corner of Oak and Oak Knoll, I would like to emphasize the urgency of approval of installation of raised crosswalks and speed tables on Oak Avenue. I understand the low bid is $43,000, well worth the cost. I walk daily past this intersection and can personally attest that glaring or yelling at drivers who speed through the stop sign is totally ineffective. We are all concerned, of course, about the safety of the many children who walk or bike through that intersection and on adjacent streets. We do hope the District and City are sufficiently concerned as well, since with so many warnings there is obvious liability on their part if action is not taken to alleviate the situation.

Traffic calming at best is only a bandage, inadequate to contain the incredible problems which would be created by the present Oak Knoll School construction plans. It is ironic that the District bowed to the concerns of Vine Street residents from a different district, while seemingly indifferent to the traffic and safety nightmare for our District residents which would be created by current plans for placement of the multi-purpose building on Oak Avenue, along with related parking and curb cuts. The traffic implications have already been well-documented (among other references, please see letter of 5/28 to the School Board and City Council from Oak Avenue resident Nancy Andrus). Again, one must wonder if the District has sufficiently considered its liability for overwhelming Oak Avenue, when they are aware that it already exceeds its recommended maximum traffic load and when this problem has been widely publicized beyond Menlo Park.

Finally, we hope the City and District continue to be mindful of the heritage trees which would be impacted by proposed construction, curb cuts, grading and drainage on Oak Knoll Lane. All of these problems are related. As neighbors, we want our children to have outstanding facilities. At the same time, the world is larger than Menlo Park; we also want them to be aware of the need to value and preserve the rare and extraordinary gifts of nature of which we happen to be custodians. We neighbors are not mere tree huggers; we are concerned, practical individuals who want workable solutions and are mindful of the consequences of not providing them. We hope that the City and District will take reasonable positions with regard to traffic calming, building construction and tree destruction, keeping in mind the human and legal implications of not doing so.

Sue Swezey
1815 Bay Laurel Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025
(650) 322-6059 Received on Wed Jul 16 12:07:15 2008