Published Wednesday, August 27, 2008, by the Menlo Park Almanac

Letters to the Editor

Where are the sidewalks on Santa Cruz Avenue?

I've lived in Menlo Park for 20 years now and have watched with
trepidation as parents and nannies with strollers and people of all
ages walk beside oncoming cars and fast-moving bicycles the length
of Santa Cruz Avenue into downtown.

In 2002, I was involved with a study on how to install sidewalks
along Santa Cruz. The topic was prioritized by the City Council at
that time and it has finally hit the radar of the city's engineering
department. I attended a community meeting regarding the sidewalks
Aug. 19, and learned that a mere $550,000 is budgeted for the project.

There were four alternatives to review -- one allowed for installing
sidewalks on only one side in such a way that it would preclude the
installation of sidewalks on the other side later on. The other three
alternatives gave room for eventual sidewalks on both sides.

We were told that if any telephone poles need to be moved, it will
cost $75,000 each! The many "obstacles" along each side of the road
would either need to be removed or kept in place while the sidewalk
meandered around them. In my opinion, there is no way that a measly
$550,000 is going to do the job right. There should be sidewalks on
both sides of the street.

The current City Council has been spending many of our tax dollars
setting up committees and having meeting after meeting over the past
two years to discuss how green Menlo Park should be. Well, here is
the perfect chance to actually take that talking money and make an
actual decision to make Menlo Park greener by creating a safe and
walkable Santa Cruz Avenue.

I urge residents of Menlo Park to get involved and contact Larry
Johmann, senior civil engineer at lmjohmann@..., or call
the Engineering Department at 650-330-6740. E-mail the City Council
(city.council@...) and tell them it is time to stop the
talk and "walk the talk."

Mary Gilles
Hermosa Way, Menlo Park